At a Glance
- Tasks: Join the BioStudies team to develop software that supports global life sciences research.
- Company: EMBL-EBI, a leader in biological data storage and analysis.
- Benefits: Generous salary, flexible working, private medical insurance, and 30 days annual leave.
- Other info: Collaborative culture with excellent career growth opportunities and a vibrant campus life.
- Why this job: Make a real impact on scientific challenges while working with cutting-edge technologies.
- Qualifications: 5 years of software development experience, preferably in Java or Kotlin.
The predicted salary is between 41424 - 41424 £ per year.
About the team
We are looking for a software engineer who will join the BioStudies team at EMBL-EBI. BioStudies database is a general-purpose resource for sharing and publishing life sciences data that enables deposition, archiving and access for a wide range of data types, and serves the worldwide scientific community.
What you’ll do
You will join a team of software engineers responsible for the design, development and operations of the software infrastructure that ensures that BioStudies can support scientists all over the world by being able to ingest, process, persist and distribute high volumes of heterogeneous life sciences data. You will work together with other teams at EBI that use the services of or provide services to BioStudies, as well as EBI’s IT and Technical services teams.
In your role as a software engineer, your main responsibilities will be further design and development of the software components that support BioStudies: backend, data access web services and applications, and the data submission web application. There are several new types of data that BioStudies aims to support, such as protein–ligand interaction data, synthetic data, and data associated with life sciences AI models. You will help support these new areas while maintaining the generic nature of BioStudies systems.
We are looking for a candidate who will help with shaping the further development of BioStudies, and is willing to learn new technical skills, as well as provide technical support to our users.
You will have:
- At least 5 years software development experience using Java or Kotlin and Spring framework
- At least 3 years web application development experience
- Experience with search engines (Lucene/Solr/Elasticsearch)
- Excellent knowledge of the UNIX command line
- Experience with the modern, fundamental software development practices, including continuous integration and deployment, application of various software testing principles, processes and tools, system monitoring
- Ability to work as part of a team of people with a range of skills and a diversity of backgrounds
You may also have:
- Experience working in a multidisciplinary scientific environment
- Web design experience
- Python experience
- Experience with Vue.js or another widely used JavaScript framework (React/Angular)
Contract length: 3-year fixed-term contract (renewable to a maximum of 9 years).
Salary: Grade 5 - Monthly salary starting at £3,452.05 per month after tax but excluding pension and insurance contributions. Plus, generous benefits.
Next steps: This vacancy has a scheduled closing date of Sunday, 23rd August, and we welcome your application as soon as possible. Please submit an up-to-date CV and supporting cover letter outlining your transferable skills and experience and motivation for applying.
Why join us
Do something meaningful. At EMBL-EBI you can apply your talent and passion to accelerate science and tackle some of humankind's greatest challenges. EMBL-EBI, part of the European Molecular Biology Laboratory, is a worldwide leader in the storage, analysis and dissemination of large biological datasets. We provide the global research community with access to publicly available databases and tools which are crucial for the advancement of healthcare, food security, and biodiversity.
Join a culture of innovation. We are located on the Wellcome Genome Campus, alongside other prominent research and biotech organisations, and surrounded by beautiful Cambridgeshire countryside. This is a highly collaborative and inclusive community where our employees enjoy a relaxed atmosphere. We are committed to ensuring our employees feel valued, supported and empowered to reach their professional potential.
Enjoy lots of benefits:
- Financial incentives: Monthly family, child and non-resident allowances, annual salary review, pension scheme, death benefit, long-term care, accident-at-work and unemployment insurances
- Flexible working arrangements - including hybrid working patterns
- Private medical insurance for you and your immediate family (including all prescriptions and generous dental & optical cover)
- Generous time off: 30 days annual leave per year, in addition public holidays
- Relocation package including installation grant (if required)
- Campus life: Free shuttle bus to and from work, on-site library, subsidised on-site gym and cafeteria, casual dress code, extensive sports and social club activities (on campus and remotely)
- Family benefits: On-site nursery, 10 days of child sick leave, generous parental leave, holiday clubs on campus and monthly family and child allowances
- Benefits for non-UK residents: Visa exemption, education grant for private schooling, financial support to travel back to your home country every second year and a monthly non-resident allowance.
For detailed information please visit our employee benefits page.
What else you need to know
International applicants: We recruit internationally and successful candidates are offered visa exemptions. Please take a look at our International Applicants page for further information.
Diversity and inclusion: At EMBL, we believe that diverse teams drive innovation and scientific excellence. We encourage applications from candidates of all genders, identities, nationalities and/or any other diverse backgrounds.
How to apply: To apply please submit a cover letter and a CV through our online system. Applications will close at 23:59 CET on the date shown below. We aim to provide a response within two weeks after the closing date.
Closing Date: 23/08/2026
Software Engineer employer: European Molecular Biology Laboratory
At EMBL-EBI, we offer a unique opportunity to contribute to groundbreaking scientific projects while enjoying a supportive and collaborative work environment on the Wellcome Genome Campus in beautiful Cambridgeshire. Our commitment to employee growth is reflected in our extensive benefits, including flexible working arrangements, generous leave, and professional development opportunities, all aimed at empowering you to make a meaningful impact in the life sciences and bioinformatics communities.
Contact Details:
European Molecular Biology Laboratory Recruitment Team
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We think this is how you could land Software Engineer
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We think you need these skills to ace Software Engineer
Some tips for your application 🫡
Show off your coding skills:When applying for a software engineering role, it's super important to showcase your coding skills. Make sure your CV includes your tech stack, any relevant programming languages you’re comfortable with, and examples of projects you've worked on. If you have a GitHub profile, link it up! We love to see code in action.
Tailor your portfolio:For a full-time role, we’d expect to see some solid examples of your work in your portfolio. Make sure to include at least two or three projects that highlight your problem-solving skills and your ability to work with different technologies. Focus on the projects that are most relevant to the position at European Molecular Biology Laboratory.
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How to prepare for a job interview at European Molecular Biology Laboratory
✨Brush Up on Your Coding Skills
For a full-time software engineering role, it's crucial that we stay sharp with our coding abilities. Expect technical questions that might involve solving problems on the spot or discussing algorithms. Practise on platforms like LeetCode or HackerRank to get comfortable with the types of questions that often come up.
✨Know Your Tools and Frameworks
Make sure we’re well-acquainted with the tools and technologies listed in the job description. Familiarise ourselves with any specific frameworks or programming languages mentioned. If European Molecular Biology Laboratory uses React or Node.js, for instance, be ready to discuss how we’ve used them in previous projects or coursework.
✨Showcase Your Projects
Bring along a portfolio that highlights our best work. This could be code samples, GitHub repositories, or any side projects we’ve built. Make sure we can talk through our thought process for each project, especially the challenges we faced and how we solved them—this shows our problem-solving skills in action.
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While technical skills are key, full-time positions also require cultural fit. Be ready to discuss our previous experiences and how we handle teamwork, conflict, and deadlines. Brush up on the STAR method—Situation, Task, Action, Result—to clearly articulate our past experiences when discussing how we've contributed to a team.
