At a Glance
- Tasks: Design and implement scalable pipelines for biological data processing and analysis.
- Company: Join Helical, a pioneering tech company transforming drug discovery with innovative software solutions.
- Benefits: Competitive salary, equity, and benefits with high ownership and direct impact.
- Other info: Be part of a dynamic team at an exciting growth stage with excellent career opportunities.
- Why this job: Shape the future of drug discovery while collaborating with top scientists and engineers.
- Qualifications: MSc or PhD in Biology or related field, plus 2+ years of software development experience.
The predicted salary is between 60000 - 80000 € per year.
Helical is building the in-silico labs for biology. Drug discovery still relies on wet labs: slow, expensive, and constrained by physical trial-and-error. Helical is changing that. We build the application layer that makes Bio Foundation Models usable in real-world drug discovery, enabling pharma and biotech teams to run millions of virtual experiments in days, not years. Today, leading global pharma companies already use Helical, and we’re at the start of a highly ambitious growth journey. We’re a founder‑led, talent-dense team building a category-defining company from Europe. We care deeply about the quality of our work, move fast, and expect ownership. If you’re excited by complexity, real responsibility, and shaping how a company actually operates as it scales, you’ll feel at home here.
About The Role
We are looking for a Software Developer with a strong background in computational biology or bioinformatics to join our core product development team. This unique role bridges cutting‑edge biological data science and software engineering, helping bring novel bio foundation models into production and optimize workflows for biological data processing and model execution. The ideal candidate is passionate about biology, enjoys coding and problem solving at scale, and is eager to collaborate across teams of ML scientists, backend engineers, and biologists.
Responsibilities
- Design, implement, and maintain scalable pipelines for biological data processing and analysis
- Integrate and optimize Bio Foundation Models for production use, collaborating with ML researchers
- Develop tools and services for data visualization, annotation, and quality control of biological datasets
- Collaborate closely with AI infrastructure and software engineers to improve workflow reliability and scalability
- Contribute to the architecture and implementation of backend services and APIs supporting biological workflows
Requirements
- MSc or PhD in Biology, Computational Biology, Bioinformatics, or a closely related life sciences field — you studied the science
- 2+ years of professional software development experience — you’ve shipped production code, not just notebooks
- Python — strong, production‑grade foundations; comfortable with package structure, clean code patterns, and debugging across complex codebases
- Single‑cell analysis — hands‑on experience with the modern single‑cell stack: AnnData, scanpy, scib, scipy, and related tools
- Biological reasoning — you can look at a set of model predictions and assess whether they make biological sense; you understand experimental design, perturbation biology, and what "evidence" means in a discovery context
- Data fluency — comfortable working with large biological datasets, understanding file formats (h5ad, csv, parquet), and writing efficient data processing code
- Familiarity with Git workflows and collaborative development practices
Nice to Haves
- Exposure to bio foundation models — you’ve worked with or fine‑tuned models like scGPT, Geneformer, scVI, or similar
- Experience with pytest and test‑driven development practices
- Familiarity with cloud development (AWS, GCP, or Azure) — running workloads beyond your local machine
- Experience with CI/CD pipelines and automated deployment workflows
- Working knowledge of Docker and containerised development environments
- Experience in pharma or biotech — you understand the compliance and validation expectations that come with the territory
Benefits
- Proven product already in use with top pharma
- Opportunity to shape a category‑defining company at an inflection point
- High ownership, direct impact, and close collaboration with founders
- Competitive Salary, Equity and Benefits
Software Developer - Biology in London employer: Helical
Helical is an exceptional employer for Software Developers in Biology, offering a unique opportunity to work at the forefront of drug discovery innovation. With a strong emphasis on ownership and collaboration, employees are empowered to make a direct impact while working alongside a talented team in a fast-paced environment. The company provides competitive salaries, equity options, and a chance to shape a category-defining product that is already making waves in the pharmaceutical industry.
StudySmarter Expert Advice🤫
We think this is how you could land Software Developer - Biology in London
✨Tip Number 1
Network like a pro! Reach out to people in the industry, attend meetups, and connect with professionals on LinkedIn. We can’t stress enough how personal connections can open doors that applications alone can’t.
✨Tip Number 2
Show off your skills! Create a portfolio showcasing your projects, especially those related to computational biology or bioinformatics. We love seeing real-world applications of your coding prowess, so make sure it’s easy for potential employers to find.
✨Tip Number 3
Prepare for interviews by brushing up on both technical and biological concepts. We recommend practicing coding challenges and discussing your thought process out loud. This way, you’ll demonstrate not just your knowledge but also your problem-solving approach.
✨Tip Number 4
Apply through our website! It’s the best way to ensure your application gets seen by the right people. Plus, we’re always on the lookout for passionate candidates who are excited about shaping the future of drug discovery.
We think you need these skills to ace Software Developer - Biology in London
Some tips for your application 🫡
Show Your Passion for Biology:When you're writing your application, let your enthusiasm for biology shine through! We want to see how your background in computational biology or bioinformatics fuels your interest in drug discovery and how you can contribute to our mission.
Highlight Your Coding Skills:Make sure to showcase your software development experience, especially with Python. Talk about the production code you've shipped and any complex projects you've tackled. We love seeing clean code patterns and debugging skills!
Demonstrate Data Fluency:Since you'll be working with large biological datasets, it's crucial to mention your comfort level with different file formats and data processing. Share examples of how you've handled data in past projects to show us you're up for the challenge.
Apply Through Our Website:We encourage you to apply directly through our website! It’s the best way for us to receive your application and get to know you better. Plus, it shows you're keen on joining our team at Helical!
How to prepare for a job interview at Helical
✨Know Your Biology and Coding
Make sure you brush up on your biology knowledge, especially around computational biology and bioinformatics. Be ready to discuss how your coding skills in Python can be applied to biological data processing and model execution.
✨Showcase Your Problem-Solving Skills
Prepare examples of how you've tackled complex problems in previous projects. Highlight any experience with single-cell analysis or working with large datasets, as this will resonate well with the team at Helical.
✨Familiarise Yourself with Their Tech Stack
Get to know the tools and technologies mentioned in the job description, like AnnData, scanpy, and Git workflows. Being able to speak confidently about these will show that you're serious about the role and understand their needs.
✨Demonstrate Your Collaborative Spirit
Helical values teamwork, so be prepared to discuss how you've collaborated with others in past roles. Share experiences where you worked closely with scientists or engineers to achieve a common goal, as this aligns with their culture of collaboration.
