Software Developer

SIB seeks a Senior Software Developer in Geneva to lead the technical development of the Cellosaurus resource, requiring strong Python skills and bilingual proficiency in English and French.

This position is a key component of the IT department at the Swiss Institute of Bioinformatics. The successful candidate will act as the main technical authority for Cellosaurus, a globally utilized knowledge base for cell lines. The role involves coordinating closely with the team lead, data curators, and the broader IT group to ensure the platform's technical excellence and long-term sustainability.

Responsibilities

• Design, build, and sustain software solutions that prioritize data integrity, semantic compatibility, and enduring code quality.
• Serve as the central technical liaison for Cellosaurus, influencing architectural choices and addressing stakeholder needs.
• Collaborate with internal IT staff and scientific units to exchange expertise and establish best practices.
• Build and upkeep web interfaces, RESTful APIs, semantic web services, and auxiliary digital tools.
• Develop utilities for data management and implement rigorous validation processes.
• Provide ongoing maintenance for existing tools and offer support to end-users.
• Draft or contribute to comprehensive documentation for both users and developers.

Requirements

• At least five years of professional experience in software engineering projects.
• Deep expertise in Python for backend development and data handling, specifically using frameworks like FastAPI, Django, or Flask.
• Solid understanding of relational database systems, including MySQL and MariaDB, along with SQL proficiency.
• Hands-on experience with version control using Git.
• Competence in Linux environments and configuring web servers such as Nginx or Apache.
• Fluent command of both English and French for daily communication.

Nice to have

• Familiarity with semantic web standards, including SPARQL, RDF, triple stores, and OWL ontologies.
• Background in PHP-based ecosystems, particularly Laravel and Drupal.
• Skills in frontend technologies such as JavaScript, CSS, Tailwind CSS, npm, and Vite.js.
• Experience with containerization via Docker and setting up CI/CD pipelines.
• Ability to effectively integrate AI coding assistants like GitHub Copilot or Claude Code into development workflows.
• Knowledge of JVM-based languages such as Java or Scala.
• Experience with full-text search solutions like Solr or Meilisearch.
• Prior work in scientific or research environments, preferably within life sciences or bioinformatics.

About the company

The Swiss Institute of Bioinformatics acts as a hub for the national bioinformatics community, uniting approximately 900 scientists to promote collaboration and the exchange of knowledge. By advancing biological research and improving health outcomes, the organization helps maintain Switzerland's position at the cutting edge of innovation. The data scientists within the institute are driven by a passion for generating knowledge and tackling complex challenges across diverse fields, ranging from evolutionary biology to medical science.

• The institute brings together a large community of scientists to foster collaboration and shared learning.
• The organization plays a vital role in supporting Swiss innovation and progress in health and biological research.
• Team members are motivated by solving intricate problems in areas such as biodiversity, evolution, and medicine.

How to apply

Documents to submit:

• CV
• letter of motivation