Location: EMBL-EBI, Hinxton near Cambridge, UK
Staff Category: Staff Member
Contract Duration: 3 years
Grading: 7 (monthly salary starting at £3,351.44 after tax)
Closing Date: 29 November 2019
Reference Number: EBI01466
Ensembl is looking for an enthusiastic project leader to head-up its back-end web team and lead the management and development of our web infrastructure and APIs. As part of the Ensembl project, the Genomics Technology Infrastructure team, based at the European Bioinformatics Institute (EMBL-EBI), helps to develop a suite of highly valued scientific resources that support biological research worldwide with millions of visitors per year.
You will be working within the Ensembl team, which is composed of over 70 people including developers, designers, trainers, engineers, annotators and researchers. The Ensembl platform provides access to over 40,000 genomes served from one of the world’s largest computer resources for genomic analysis. We develop open source software which, along with our data, is available to all without restriction. Thousands of scientists worldwide depend on access to these data and software to aid their research and push our understanding of the genome. Genomics is one of the fastest growing areas of science with the ability to deliver advances in human health, food security and in an ageing population.
Your role
You will lead the Ensembl back-end web development team and participate in our project to build a next-generation website for genome data. Your responsibilities will include:
- Leading the team to develop and manage all aspects of our new, and existing, web infrastructure, APIs, data, and servers
- Working closely with the web front-end project leader to set and coordinate the direction of the web teams
- Participating in the design, development, and deployment of new web services
- Handling large data sets held in databases and custom indexed flat-file formats
- Liaising with users, stakeholders and collaborators to understand their needs and formulate technical specifications
- Guiding and mentoring the team during development
- Working with Ensembl management to ensure development efforts are coordinated across teams
- Line management of 3-5 developers
- Driving the adoption of best practices and continually seeking to improve processes
You have
You will have a masters or PhD level qualification, or similar practical experience in biology, bioinformatics, software engineering, or related subjects. 5+ years experience developing high-quality or production web applications is required, along with experience in software development and fluency in one or more of the following areas:
- IT infrastructure - e.g. networking, hardware, storage
- Containerised deployment - e.g. Docker, Containers as a Service, Kubernetes, CI/CD
- Data management and database technologies
- Linux environment
- Collaborative development tools - e.g. JIRA, Git, Confluence, etc
The ideal candidate will have proven experience of:
- Communicating and working with expert technical users (e.g. in a scientific community)
- Working with large datasets, preferably in a distributed environment
- Managing software project development, deployment, or integration
- Designing and developing APIs, and working with RESTful APIs
It is essential that a successful candidate can communicate complex ideas to a range of audiences. The Ensembl project encompasses approximately 90 people, and the Project Leader will have to be organised in order to meet our regular deadlines, reports and procedures.
You might also have
It would be advantageous to have experience of:
- Agile project management
- Managing others in a technology-related environment
- Working in a large scientific project, especially in the field of genomics
Why join us
At EMBL-EBI, we help scientists realise the potential of ‘big data’ in biology by enabling them to exploit complex information to make discoveries that benefit mankind.
Working for EMBL-EBI gives you an opportunity to apply your skills and energy for the greater good.
As part of the European Molecular Biology Laboratory (EMBL), we are a non-profit, intergovernmental organisation funded by over 27 member states and two associate member states.
We are located on the Wellcome Genome Campus near Cambridge in the UK, and our 600 staff are engineers, technicians, scientists and other professionals from all over the world.
EMBL is an inclusive, equal opportunity employer offering attractive conditions and benefits appropriate to an international research organisation. The remuneration package comprises a competitive salary, a comprehensive pension scheme and health insurance, educational and other family related benefits where applicable, as well as financial support for relocation and installation. For more information about pay and benefits click here.
We have an informal culture, international working environment and excellent professional development opportunities but one of the really amazing things about us is the concentration of technical and scientific expertise – something you probably won’t find anywhere else.
If you’ve ever visited the campus you’ll have experienced first-hand our friendly, collegial and supportive atmosphere, set in the beautiful Cambridgeshire countryside. Our staff also enjoy excellent sports facilities including a gym, a free shuttle bus, an on-site nursery, cafés and restaurant and a library.
What else you need to know
To view a copy of the full job description please click here.
To apply please submit a covering letter and CV through our online system. Applications are welcome from all nationalities and this will continue after Brexit. For more information please see our website. Visa information will be discussed in more depth with applicants selected for interview.
EMBL-EBI is committed to achieving gender balance and strongly encourages applications from women, who are currently under-represented at all levels. Appointment will be based on merit alone.
Applications will close at 23:00 GMT on the date listed above.
