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 solutions.
- Benefits: Competitive salary, equity, and benefits with high ownership and direct impact.
- Other info: Opportunity to work on cutting-edge bio foundation models and contribute to impactful projects.
- Why this job: Shape the future of drug discovery while collaborating with top talent in a dynamic environment.
- Qualifications: MSc or PhD in relevant field and 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 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
✨Tip Number 1
Network like a pro! Reach out to people in the industry, attend meetups, and connect with professionals on LinkedIn. You never know who might have the inside scoop on job openings or can refer you directly.
✨Tip Number 2
Show off your skills! Create a portfolio showcasing your projects, especially those related to computational biology or bioinformatics. This will give potential employers a taste of what you can do and set you apart from the crowd.
✨Tip Number 3
Prepare for interviews by brushing up on both technical and biological concepts. Be ready to discuss your experience with single-cell analysis and how you've tackled complex problems in your previous roles.
✨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, it shows you're genuinely interested in joining our ambitious team at Helical.
We think you need these skills to ace Software Developer - Biology
Some tips for your application 🫡
Show Your Passion for Biology:Make sure to highlight your enthusiasm for biology in your application. 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.
Demonstrate Your Coding Skills:Since this role is all about software development, don’t shy away from showcasing your coding experience. Share specific examples of production code you've shipped, especially if it relates to biological data processing or analysis.
Tailor Your Application:Take the time to customise your application for us. Mention relevant tools and technologies you’ve worked with, like Python or single-cell analysis frameworks, and explain how they relate to the responsibilities outlined in the job description.
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 ensures you’re considered for this exciting opportunity to join our team at Helical!
How to prepare for a job interview at Helical
✨Know Your Biology Basics
Make sure you brush up on your biology fundamentals, especially around computational biology and bioinformatics. Helical is looking for someone who can assess model predictions and understand experimental design, so be ready to discuss how your background aligns with these concepts.
✨Showcase Your Coding Skills
Prepare to demonstrate your Python skills, particularly in production-grade coding. Be ready to talk about your experience with package structures and debugging complex codebases. You might even want to bring examples of your work or discuss specific projects where you’ve shipped production code.
✨Familiarise Yourself with the Tools
Get comfortable with the tools mentioned in the job description, like AnnData, scanpy, and other single-cell analysis tools. If you have experience with bio foundation models or cloud development, make sure to highlight that as well—it could set you apart from other candidates.
✨Emphasise Collaboration
Helical values teamwork, so be prepared to discuss how you've collaborated with different teams in the past. Share examples of how you’ve worked with ML scientists, backend engineers, or biologists to optimise workflows or improve project outcomes. This will show that you’re a great fit for their culture.
