Software Engineer - Westerdijk Fungal Biodiversity Institute - Utrecht

You will play a central role in the development of an innovative open science platform that serves as a global hub for mycology, integrating diverse datasets on fungal strains and species. As a software engineer, you will design, develop, and deploy a scalable web-based platform, working with a multidisciplinary team of bioinformaticians, data scientists, and domain experts.

• Designing, developing, and deploying a scalable web-based platform that enables researchers to explore, analyze, and reuse fungal data
• Working closely with a multidisciplinary team of bioinformaticians, data scientists, and domain experts to implement system architecture, develop APIs, and create intuitive user interfaces
• Contributing to advancing fungal research, supporting applications in health, agriculture, biodiversity, and biotechnology, while adhering to Open Science and FAIR data principles

• Completed MSc or PhD in Computer Science, Software Engineering, Bioinformatics, or a related field
• Proven experience in backend and/or full-stack development (e.g., Python frameworks such as Django or FastAPI, and modern frontend frameworks such as React)
• Experience with database systems (e.g., PostgreSQL) and designing scalable, well-structured data architectures
• Familiarity with API development and integration of heterogeneous data sources
• Affinity with cloud infrastructure and deployment (e.g., Docker, CI/CD, SURF or similar environments)
• Interest in Open Science, FAIR data principles, and research infrastructures
• Awareness of AI-ready data practices (e.g., data standardization, metadata annotation, interoperability) and/or experience supporting data pipelines for machine learning applications
• Strong problem-solving skills and the ability to work collaboratively in an interdisciplinary team
• Experience with bioinformatics, life sciences data, AI/ML tools, or familiarity with Large Language Models (LLMs) and their application in data platforms is considered an advantage

• Exciting opportunity to contribute to a high-impact Open Science project within an internationally recognized research institute
• Collaborative and interdisciplinary environment at the forefront of fungal biodiversity research and data science
• Full-time position (1.0 FTE for 18 months)
• Opportunity to work with cutting-edge technologies, contribute to open-source software, and engage with an international research community
• Salary range €3.708 - €5.057 gross per month
• 8% vacation allowance, 8.3% year-end bonus, travel allowance, internet allowance, home working allowance, pension accrual with ABP
• Excellent package of secondary benefits including option to increase days off from 29 to 41 per year