Software Engineer

We are sourcing on behalf of an organization committed to advancing innovation through research and technology.

This opportunity is with a forward-thinking institution that supports bold ideas, deep exploration, and collaborative problem-solving. The work is focused on future-oriented challenges with the goal of creating meaningful, long-term impact.

Candidates will join a team that values curiosity, excellence, and the pursuit of knowledge. The environment is designed to support high-level thinking and breakthrough work.

If you’re driven by purpose and excited to contribute to shaping what comes next, we’d love to receive your CV!

About the Role

This Software Engineer position is situated within the Quantum Algorithms Division focusing on advanced computational protein design. The role targets mid-to-senior level professionals with a strong foundation in algorithms, data structures, and software engineering, particularly in scientific computing environments. The position is pivotal in developing, optimizing, and maintaining sophisticated computational tools and pipelines that drive innovation in protein design, with direct impact on quantum research and computational biology initiatives.

Key Responsibilities

1. Design, develop, and maintain high-performance computational kernels for protein design using Python and manual memory management languages such as C or C++.
2. Implement and optimize algorithms for protein side chain packing, focusing on low-level performance enhancements and efficient memory usage.
3. Develop robust command-line tools to convert Protein Data Bank (.pdb) files into quadratic Hamiltonians, integrating open-source energy functions and ensuring scientific accuracy.
4. Architect and build end-to-end computational pipelines for sampling and evaluating low-energy amino acid sequences, leveraging in-house and open-source computational tools.
5. Collaborate with domain experts in computational biology, quantum algorithms, and machine learning to translate scientific requirements into scalable software solutions.
6. Design and implement intuitive user interfaces (web-based or CLI) using Clojure/ClojureScript to facilitate seamless interaction with protein design pipelines for both researchers and engineers.
7. Ensure code quality, maintainability, and reproducibility through rigorous testing, code reviews, and documentation practices.
8. Utilize modern development tools such as git, Docker, and bash scripting to streamline workflows, automate deployments, and manage complex software environments.
9. Stay abreast of advancements in computational biology, quantum computing, and software engineering to continuously enhance the team's technical capabilities.
10. Participate in regular team meetings, knowledge-sharing sessions, and collaborative problem-solving activities within a multidisciplinary research environment.

Required Experience & Skills

1. Demonstrated expertise in algorithms, data structures, and advanced software design, with a strong track record of delivering performant scientific software.
2. Proficiency in Python for scientific computing, along with hands-on experience in at least one manual memory management language such as C or C++ for performance-critical components.
3. Familiarity with Rust and/or Clojure/ClojureScript, particularly for computational kernels and UI/backend development, is highly advantageous.
4. Experience with development and scripting tools including git for version control, Docker for containerization, and bash for automation and workflow management.
5. Solid understanding of computational biology concepts, protein structure, or related fields such as computational/theoretical physics or machine learning.
6. Ability to design and implement user interfaces (CLI or web-based) that enhance usability and accessibility for scientific software tools.
7. Strong problem-solving skills, with the ability to analyze complex scientific requirements and translate them into efficient, maintainable code.
8. Experience with functional programming paradigms and web development frameworks is considered a plus.
9. Excellent communication skills for effective collaboration in a multidisciplinary research setting.

Qualifications

1. Bachelor’s or Master’s in Computer Science, Computational Biology, Physics, Mathematics, or a related technical discipline.
2. Proven experience in scientific software development, preferably within computational biology, quantum computing, or related research domains.
3. Evidence of contributions to open-source projects or scientific software tools is advantageous.
4. Strong analytical and mathematical background, with the ability to engage with complex scientific literature and methodologies.

Tools & Technologies

1. Programming Languages: Python, C, C++, Rust, Clojure, ClojureScript
2. Development Tools: git, Docker, bash, Make
3. Scientific Libraries: NumPy, SciPy, Biopython, OpenMM (or similar)
4. Web Development: ClojureScript, JavaScript (advantageous), HTML/CSS
5. Functional Programming Frameworks: Clojure ecosystem tools
6. Data Formats: Protein Data Bank (.pdb) files, JSON, CSV
7. Operating Systems: Linux/Unix environments
8. Continuous Integration/Deployment: GitHub Actions, Jenkins (or similar)

This role offers the opportunity to contribute to cutting-edge research at the intersection of quantum algorithms and computational protein design. The position enables direct impact on scientific discovery and innovation, with opportunities for professional growth, interdisciplinary collaboration, and engagement with leading experts in quantum computing and computational biology.

By applying to this position, you are granting us permission to process your CV and keep your profile on file for consideration for this and future opportunities.