Senior Data Infrastructure Engineer (Contract)

Founded through Flagship Pioneering’s venture creation engine, Terrana Biosciences is a cutting-edge agricultural biotechnology company developing innovative RNA-based products to address global agricultural challenges. We are committed to advancing sustainable farming solutions through precision technologies that ensure environmental safety and regulatory compliance.

We are seeking a skilled and strategically minded contract Data Infrastructure Engineer to design, implement, and maintain scalable data systems that support our growing scientific and operational needs. This role will focus on building platform-agnostic, cloud-native infrastructure—primarily in AWS—that underpins key scientific software such as Benchling, ticketing systems, analytics platforms, and high-throughput lab workflows. You will partner closely with bioinformatics, ML/AI & software, and lab operations teams to ensure our data is structured, accessible, and reliable for both routine and high-volume analyses. You’ll play a pivotal role in transforming how we manage and leverage scientific data—helping us drive innovation, increase data integrity, and future-proof our data systems. This is a unique opportunity to contribute to meaningful science with cutting-edge infrastructure and a mission-driven team.

KEY RESPONSIBILITIES

• Design, build, and maintain relational and non-relational databases in AWS (RDS, Redshift, DynamoDB, etc.)
• Lead data model architecture for scientific workflows, ticketing systems, and knowledge platforms
• Lead technical consulting engagements with LIMS experts at the cutting edge of biotechnology to enable high-throughput workflows and analytics
• Develop and manage data pipelines for ingesting, cleaning, and transforming lab and operational data
• Implement and enforce data governance, security, and access control best practices
• Collaborate cross-functionally with software engineers, ML/AI scientists and domain scientists to ensure performance and alignment with scientific tools (e.g., Benchling)
• Monitor, troubleshoot, and optimize database performance and resource usage
• Document and automate standard procedures for system maintenance, updates, and data access
• Leverage generative AI tools (e.g., Cursor, GitHub Copilot, or custom LLMs) to accelerate scripting, automate documentation, improve query generation, or enhance system monitoring and diagnostics

PROFESSIONAL EXPERIENCE & QUALIFICATIONS

• Bachelor’s degree in Computer Science, Information Systems, Bioinformatics, or a related field
• Master’s degree in a technical field or equivalent professional experience in cloud-based data infrastructure or scientific computing highly preferred
• 4+ years of experience in database administration, data engineering, or infrastructure roles
• Deep experience with AWS cloud services, including RDS, Athena, S3, and IAM
• Experience modeling laboratory workflows within a LIMS, including change management and training of users
• Experience as an information management system administrator or owner, Benchling preferred
• Proficient in SQL, data modeling, ETL/ELT workflows, and interacting with APIs
• Familiarity with version control, CI/CD, and infrastructure-as-code tools (e.g., Terraform, CloudFormation)
• 2+ years of experience with Bioinformatics workflow management tools, Nextflow preferred
• Strong analytical and problem-solving skills
• Excellent communication skills and a collaborative mindset
• Experience in a life sciences or biotech environment
• Exposure to Smartsheet preferred
• Familiarity with scientific data standards and FAIR principles preferred
• Scripting experience (Python, Shell) for automation and data transformation preferred
• Experience applying generative AI tools to support infrastructure automation, data engineering, or operational tooling preferred
• Interest in emerging AI-native workflows to enhance data and platform productivity preferred

LOCATION: Cambridge, MA or Durham, NC