The Ensembl project seeks an enthusiastic project leader to head the software development and maintenance of the Ensembl database and API infrastructure, as well as a suite of internal analysis tools.
The Ensembl project maintains a number of authoritative databases in the world of biology that describe genome sequences and their functional units, such as genes, variants or regulatory regions. Those databases and the associated APIs support a wide number of use-cases, from manual annotation of human genes to the loading of thousands of bacterial genomes. As more and more species are sequenced, the software and storage solutions are constantly evolving to maintain both efficiency and flexibility. The successful candidate will lead the development of the required infrastructure and associated tools.
Ensembl Infrastructure is a component of the Genome Analysis team (led by Daniel Zerbino) which is itself part of Ensembl (led by Paul Flicek). EMBL-EBI is a part of the European Molecular Biology Laboratory (EMBL) and is Europe's leading provider of information services to biological researchers in academia and industry.
Your role
In this role, you will have the opportunity to lead the strategy for future development while maintaining existing infrastructure for the needs of the project.
You will be managing a team of three to five developers, providing them with both technical expertise and individual mentorship
You will actively engage with other teams within the Ensembl project, ensuring their needs are met while managing efficiently the workload across the Infrastructure team.
Although this is not a research role, EMBL-EBI is a research organisation and this is reflected in its culture. Within the team you will be able to help evolve best practices and have input into broader discussions.
You have
We are looking for candidates who have provable experience in:
Communicating and working with expert technical users (e.g. in a science community)
Working with large datasets, preferably in a distributed environment
Managing software project development, deployment, or integration
Developing APIs
The ideal candidate will hold a MSc, PhD or equivalent degrees in Computational, Physical or Biological Sciences or equivalent experience in a computational research or software engineering environment.
You will have excellent communication skills to lead and work with expert technical users. You will also be highly organised in order to meet the regular deadlines, reports and procedures across the greater Ensembl project.
You might also have
Experience in managing others in a technology-related environment as well as working in large scientific projects, especially in the field of genomics will be considered a plus.
Why join us
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 do I need to know
To view a copy of the job description please click here
Applications are welcome from all nationalities - 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.
The initial contract is for a period of three years with the possibility of a fixed-term extension.
Applications will close at 23:00 British time on the date listed above.