InterPro/Pfam Software Project Leader

Salary: £75,000 - 75,000 per year

Requirements

• We require a degree in Computer Science, Software Engineering, or a related discipline, or equivalent professional experience.
• We require substantial experience in software design and architecture, including large-scale, production-grade systems.
• We require demonstrated experience using AI coding tools such as Claude Code, Codex, GitHub Copilot, or Cursor in a production environment.
• We require strong Python programming skills and experience building and maintaining production services.
• We require proven expertise in database design, including relational systems such as MySQL or PostgreSQL and/or NoSQL systems.
• We require experience leading or mentoring a software development team.
• We require familiarity with modern DevOps practices, including CI/CD, containerisation with Docker, and version control with Git.
• We require excellent communication skills and the ability to work effectively in a multidisciplinary, international environment.
• We would also value experience with Kubernetes for container orchestration and cloud-native deployments.
• We would also value Java programming experience.
• We would also value experience with web technologies such as REST APIs, React, JavaScript, or TypeScript.
• We would also value a background in bioinformatics or life sciences software development.
• We would also value familiarity with Pfam, InterPro, or related protein family and domain resources.
• We would also value a track record of contributing to open-source projects.

Responsibilities

• We will lead the Pfam and InterPro software development team, managing workload, priorities, and professional development.
• We will drive the transition to AI-first software development practices by embedding AI coding tools into production workflows.
• We will own software architecture and design decisions across the Pfam and InterPro platforms, ensuring scalability, maintainability, and performance.
• We will design and maintain relational and NoSQL database schemas supporting large-scale protein family and domain annotation data.
• We will lead agile development cycles, including sprint planning, code review, CI/CD pipeline management, and release coordination.
• We will oversee containerised deployment infrastructure using Kubernetes and cloud-native services.
• We will collaborate with bioinformaticians, data scientists, and external stakeholders to translate scientific requirements into robust software solutions.
• We will champion software engineering best practices, including documentation, testing, version control, and security.
• We will evaluate and adopt emerging technologies, including AI/ML tools, to improve developer productivity and system capabilities.
• We will contribute to grant applications, publications, and presentations relating to software infrastructure where appropriate.

Technologies

• AI
• CI/CD
• Claude Code
• Cloud
• Copilot
• Cursor
• DevOps
• Docker
• Git
• GitHub
• Java
• JavaScript
• Kubernetes
• MySQL
• NoSQL
• PostgreSQL
• Python
• REST
• React
• Security
• TypeScript
• Web
• Support

We are EMBL-EBI, and this role sits within our Protein Families Group in Hinxton near Cambridge, UK. We are recruiting for an InterPro/Pfam Software Project Leader to guide the software development team behind two of the worlds most widely used protein family and domain annotation resources, serving thousands of users globally. This is a 3-year contract renewable up to 9 years, with hybrid working arrangements, a generous relocation package for overseas candidates, and strong benefits including private medical insurance for you and your immediate family, pension and insurance coverage, 30 days annual leave plus bank holidays, family allowances, campus facilities, and an inclusive, international working environment. We encourage applications from women, LGBTQ individuals, and candidates of all nationalities.