Software developer (cloud data processing) within the ELIXIR life science organization

Context

ELIXIR is the European life-sciences infrastructure for biological information. ELIXIR brings together bioinformatic tools, resources and experts into a distributed infrastructure that enables researchers across Europe to share and analyze their life-science research data.

This project is in close collaboration with international partners involved in ELIXIR and aligned with initiatives in life-sciences in the context of FAIR data and the European Open Science Cloud.  In short, if you’re interested in contributing to building the data research infrastructure for the future for life-sciences, these positions should be of interest to you. We are building a multidisciplinary team, therefore we are looking for talented people with complimentary expertise. 

Job description

The PLAZA platform for comparative, evolutionary, and functional genomics is a data resource that integrates gene and genome information (https://bioinformatics.psb.ugent.be/plaza). It offers a wide variety of tools to end-users through a web interface, in order to help speed up both small-scale and large-scale data analyses. Multiple independent instances of the platform exist, where each instance either focuses on a different phylogenetic clade, or uses improved gene annotations and genome assemblies compared to previous instances. In order to scale up the building of these instances, we are looking for a software developer to help with moving the PLAZA platform to cloud-based systems. As a software developer,

• you will be responsible for the design and implementation of the necessary tool-chain for building PLAZA instances in the cloud (e.g. OpenStack, Amazon cloud, Azure, etc.),
• you will assist with the building of new PLAZA instances, and help with the implementation of unit-tests to check the status and validity of newly build PLAZA instances,
• you will implement configuration and administration utilities for end-users, to facilitate building PLAZA instances.

You will be integrated in a dynamic research group, under the supervision of the primary developers of the PLAZA platform. Furthermore, you will have regular contacts with academic and industrial collaborators to explore novel technologies and boost new developments.

Profile

Essential

• Bachelor or Master in computer science, bioinformatics, (bio)engineering, biotechnology or equivalent
• Proficiency in at least one programming language (e.g. Java, Python, …) and one scripting language (e.g. Perl, Python, …)
• Hands-on experience with Linux/Unix environments and BASH scripting
• Good working knowledge of relational databases and SQL
• Fluent in English, with good communication skills
• Willing and able to learn and implement new technologies
• Able to work both independently as well as in a team 

Desirable but not required

• Knowledge of web development technologies (PHP, HTML, JavaScript, CSS)
• Experience in working with life-science data
• Experience with virtualization technologies (e.g. Docker)
• Experience with automated deployment tools (e.g. Puppet, Ansible, etc.)
• Version control experience (e.g. GIT)

We offer

• A fulltime position for 2 years initially. This is part of the long-term strategy for funding research infrastructures in Flanders, therefore prolongation is envisaged pending on the successful renewal of the national project.
• A challenging and stimulating work environment with opportunities for personal input, at the edge of developments in this area in Europe
• Engaging with the large life-sciences network across Europe of ELIXIR
• Work place is the VIB-UGent Center for Plant Systems Biology (Ghent, Belgium)

More information: https://vibvzw.jobsoid.com/j/17167/elixir-software-developer-cloud-data-processing