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For Companies At a Glance
- Tasks: Develop and maintain cutting-edge genomic data infrastructure with a focus on reliability and scalability.
- Company: Join the European Bioinformatics Institute, a leader in genomic research.
- Benefits: Enjoy competitive salary, flexible working, private medical insurance, and generous annual leave.
- Why this job: Make a real impact in bioinformatics while working with innovative technologies.
- Qualifications: Experience in software development, particularly with Python and database management.
- Other info: Collaborative environment with excellent career growth and mentorship opportunities.
The predicted salary is between 3600 - 4100 ÂŁ per month.
About the Team
We build the foundations of services used by researchers worldwide to interrogate and explore genomic data. The Ensembl project and EMBL‑EBI are looking for a Senior Platform Developer to develop, maintain and evolve the infrastructure underpinning our next‑generation resources.
Duties & Responsibilities
- Shape the Ensembl platform’s technical direction, building reliable, scalable systems and guiding best practices.
- Work with technologies such as Terraform, Kubernetes, GitLab CI/CD and data services to deliver genomic data efficiently at scale.
- CI/CD automation to improve reliability and deployment speed.
- Develop and maintain robust APIs (REST, gRPC, GraphQL), balancing performance, scalability and operational simplicity.
- Integrate and manage containerised environments on Kubernetes and cloud platforms.
- Oversee access and performance for high‑availability MySQL, MongoDB, and Redis clusters.
- Architect resilient backend systems, identify root causes of complex performance issues and implement lasting solutions.
- Enhance observability and monitoring for proactive insights into system performance and availability.
- Provide technical guidance and mentorship, supporting team members through design discussions, code reviews, and knowledge sharing.
- Evaluate and advocate for appropriate tools and frameworks, selecting the right solution for each problem space.
- Collaborate with Ensembl teams to plan, coordinate, and deliver integrated platform releases and improvements.
- Drive continuous improvement by streamlining workflows, reducing technical debt and promoting sustainable engineering practices.
Qualifications
- Degree in Computer Science, Engineering or related field, or equivalent professional experience.
- Proven software development experience in one or more programming languages—ideally Python—with a track record of clean, maintainable, efficient code.
- Experience with database management systems, both relational (e.g., MySQL, PostgreSQL, SQLite, DuckDB) and NoSQL (e.g., MongoDB).
- Background in software and data‑engineering practices, including version control, release management and deployment workflows.
- Ability to investigate, troubleshoot and optimise system performance from application‑level debugging to infrastructure diagnostics.
- Continuous‑improvement mindset, proactively enhancing processes, tools and team practices.
- Familiarity with collaborative development and project‑tracking tools (GitHub, GitLab, Jira, Confluence).
- Experience with large‑scale or distributed computing environments, HPC clusters or cloud‑based systems, and containerisation technologies.
- Demonstrated collaboration with technical and scientific teams.
- Adaptability to a varied technology stack and willingness to learn new tools and frameworks.
Desirable
- Familiarity with Perl.
- Hands‑on experience with Python frameworks such as FastAPI, Django, Ariadne, SQLAlchemy.
- Proficiency in SQL and shell scripting.
- Experience with Rust, Go or TypeScript.
- Experience building and maintaining scalable backend services.
- Proficiency designing and implementing solutions for high availability, fault tolerance and scalability.
- Knowledge of distributed systems, microservices or cloud‑native applications.
- Experience maintaining technical documentation and SOPs.
- Interest in AI‑assisted development tools.
- Practical experience with monitoring tools (Prometheus, Grafana).
- Experience with large datasets and data‑intensive pipelines.
- Experience in genomics or related scientific domains.
- Effective communication with non‑technical stakeholders.
- Curiosity about genomics and biology, and willingness to learn from domain experts.
Behaviours
- Curiosity about how systems work and desire to improve them.
- Comfort with ambiguity and enjoyment in proposing and testing paths forward.
- Positive impact on genomic research and open science.
- Belief in continual improvement of infrastructure, tools and self.
- Enjoyment of tackling challenging technical problems and finding elegant solutions.
- Thriving in collaborative environments and valuing learning from others.
- Interest in applying software skills to bioinformatics or related fields.
First Six Months
- Month 1: Contribute code through pull requests, participate in code reviews and become familiar with Ensembl’s workflows and architecture.
- Month 3: Understand key platform components and data‑release processes, collaborate across teams and identify areas for improvement.
- Month 6: Present technical insights, propose improvement initiatives, lead code reviews and best‑practice discussions.
Other Helpful Information
- To apply: submit an application with a cover letter and CV. Incomplete applications will not be considered.
- Hybrid working: the team works two days on site and three from home.
- Interviews: selected candidates will be invited to a first‑round technical assessment, followed by introductory calls and final interviews planned for mid‑February 2026.
- Contract length: 3 years (grant‑based).
- Salary: Grade 6 monthly salary starting at ÂŁ3,695 after tax (excluding pension and insurance contributions). Plus generous benefits.
Benefits
- Monthly family, child and non‑resident allowances; annual salary review; pension scheme; death benefit; long‑term care, accident‑at‑work and unemployment insurance.
- Flexible working arrangements – including hybrid patterns.
- Private medical insurance for you and your immediate family (prescriptions, dental and optical cover).
- 30 days annual leave plus public holidays.
- Relocation package including installation grant (if required).
- Campus life: free shuttle bus, on‑site library, subsidised gym and cafeteria, casual dress code, sports and social club activities.
- Family benefits: on‑site nursery, 10 days child sick leave, generous parental leave, holiday clubs on campus and monthly family allowances.
- Non‑UK residents: visa exemption, education grant for private schooling, financial support to travel home every second year and a monthly non‑resident allowance.
Diversity & Inclusion
EMBL is a signatory of DORA. We encourage applications from candidates of all genders, identities, nationalities and diverse backgrounds.
Closing Date 05/02/2026
Seniority Level Mid‑Senior level
Employment type Contract
Job function Engineering and Information Technology
Senior Platform Developer employer: European Bioinformatics Institute | EMBL-EBI
Contact Detail:
European Bioinformatics Institute | EMBL-EBI Recruiting Team
StudySmarter Expert Advice 🤫
We think this is how you could land Senior Platform Developer
✨Tip Number 1
Network like a pro! Reach out to folks in the bioinformatics field on LinkedIn or at meetups. A friendly chat can open doors that applications alone can't.
✨Tip Number 2
Show off your skills! If you’ve got a GitHub or portfolio, make sure it’s up to date with your best work. It’s a great way to demonstrate your coding chops beyond just a CV.
✨Tip Number 3
Prepare for those interviews! Brush up on common technical questions and be ready to discuss your past projects. Practice makes perfect, so maybe do a mock interview with a mate.
✨Tip Number 4
Don’t forget to apply through our website! It’s the best way to ensure your application gets seen by the right people. Plus, we love seeing candidates who are keen to join us directly!
We think you need these skills to ace Senior Platform Developer
Some tips for your application 🫡
Tailor Your CV: Make sure your CV is tailored to the Senior Platform Developer role. Highlight your experience with technologies like Terraform, Kubernetes, and Python, and don’t forget to showcase any relevant projects that demonstrate your skills in building scalable systems.
Craft a Compelling Cover Letter: Your cover letter is your chance to shine! Use it to explain why you’re passionate about bioinformatics and how your background aligns with the Ensembl project. Be sure to mention specific experiences that relate to the responsibilities listed in the job description.
Showcase Your Problem-Solving Skills: In both your CV and cover letter, include examples of how you've tackled complex technical challenges. This could be anything from optimising system performance to implementing CI/CD automation. We love seeing how you approach problems!
Apply Through Our Website: Don’t forget to submit your application through our website! It’s the best way for us to receive your materials and ensures you’re considered for the role. Plus, it helps us keep track of all applications efficiently.
How to prepare for a job interview at European Bioinformatics Institute | EMBL-EBI
✨Know Your Tech Stack
Make sure you’re well-versed in the technologies mentioned in the job description, like Terraform, Kubernetes, and various database systems. Brush up on your knowledge of REST, gRPC, and GraphQL APIs, as well as CI/CD practices. Being able to discuss these tools confidently will show that you're ready to hit the ground running.
✨Showcase Your Problem-Solving Skills
Prepare to discuss specific examples where you've tackled complex performance issues or improved system reliability. Think about how you identified root causes and implemented solutions. This will demonstrate your analytical skills and your ability to contribute to the team’s continuous improvement mindset.
✨Collaborate and Communicate
Since this role involves working closely with both technical and scientific teams, be ready to talk about your experience in collaborative environments. Highlight any instances where you’ve mentored others or facilitated design discussions. Effective communication is key, so practice explaining technical concepts in a way that non-technical stakeholders can understand.
✨Demonstrate Your Curiosity
Show your enthusiasm for genomics and bioinformatics by discussing any relevant projects or learning experiences. Employers love candidates who are genuinely interested in their field, so don’t hesitate to share what excites you about the work they do at EMBL-EBI and how you see yourself contributing to their mission.
