Scientific Software and Web Developer

Scientific Software and Web Developer

HT - Human Technopole

Milan, Italy

Job description

APPLICATION CLOSING DATE: March 16^th, 2025

Human Technopole (HT) is an interdisciplinary life science research institute, created and supported by the Italian government, with the aim of developing innovative strategies to improve human health. HT has the mission of conducting cutting-edge research and to translate innovation into methods and tools available to the entire National scientific community. To this end, HT has opened National Facilities that provide world-class research infrastructure for Structural Biology, Light Imaging Microscopy, Genomics, Genome Engineering, and Data Handling and Analysis.

The National Facility for Data Handling and Analysis (NF-Data) performs in-depth analysis of data using state-of-the-art computational methods for bioinformatics and image processing. NF-Data comprises three Infrastructural Units (IU): Bioimage Analysis (IU1), Omics Analysis (IU2), and Technology Development – DevOps and Web Development (IU3).

IU3 (Technology Development – DevOps and Web Development) is responsible for scientific software development, with a focus on data reproducibility, web application development, and DevOps activities. IU3 ensures that the tools and pipelines developed within NF-Data are widely applicable, reproducible, and openly available to the scientific community. This team of software developers, web developers, and DevOps engineers also develops web portals for data access and navigation, to maximise public use of data resources established at HT.

The Human Technopole Foundation, in order to expand its core team, IU3 is looking for a skilled and motivated Scientific Software and Web Developer who will provide a wide range of competences on all aspects of web application development and life cycle. The selected candidate will take ownership of the design and implementation of scientific web applications, web portals, interactive data visualization/processing tools, APIs and generic software, each of them highly tailored to solve specific problems, thus requiring different implementation approaches and timelines. Strong engineering and design skills are thus required to effectively convert the specific research community needs into reliable and intuitive applications. Due to the large-data driven nature of such applications, the successful candidate will manage heterogenous data sources to be integrated and efficiently stored and processed, taking advantage of technologies spanning from relational/non-relational databases, to high-throughput cluster storage. All developed applications will be deployed on on-premises high performance IT infrastructure, managed by a dedicated team within HT, with whom the candidate will interact. This aspect, which extends from networking, to security, to system administration, poses a further emphasis on the computer engineering skills required by the applicant.

This position requires a solid computer science background but, due to the high heterogenity of the tasks involved, we also encourage junior people who may not possess all requirements to apply. The successful candidate will be given the opportunity to gradually develop his/her technical skills, by getting gradually exposed to various parts of the technology stack under the supervision of more senior unit members. Willingness to learn, adaptability, and enthusiasm for becoming a proficient full-stack developer will be paramount in ensuring a positive and successful integration in the unit.

Our current development stack and technologies include:

• Frontend solutions development: Vue.js, Nuxt.js, Astro, GraphQL Apollo, D3.js;
• An internal library of Vue.js components;
• An internal developed design system based on modern CSS;
• Backend/API development based on Node.js/Express, Python FastAPI, Celery;
• Databases: MySQL, MongoDB, Neo4j;
• CICD and sw management tools: GitLab;
• Containerization and orchestration: Docker, Docker Compose, Kubernetes;
• Security: OAuth 2.0, Keycloak;
• Code Testing: Jest, Cypress, Vitest, Pytest.

In IU3, our aim is to cultivate a close-knit team of highly skilled individuals who thrive on collaboration within a creative, welcoming and flat-hierarchy environment. We are dedicated to supporting the Italian research community through our expertise and cutting-edge technologies, making a significant impact on the advancement of life sciences.

Key tasks and responsibilities:

• Design and implementation of SPAs, SSGs and SSR websites/web applications;
• Implementation, deployment, and maintainance of web applications, web-portals, tools and internal libraries;
• Development of highly interactive data visualisation tools;
• Design and implementation of APIs and services to collect/store/retrieve and process data;
• Design and implementation of databases (ER Models, Normalization, etc.);
• Interaction with the HT research groups and National Facilities, especially the Omics Unit of the Data Handling facility, to translate research needs into working solutions, gathering requirements and participating in all phases of software design and development;
• Interacting with the resident ICT team to ensure the correct deployment of software solutions and compliance with HT’s infrastructure requirements.

Job requirements

Essential requirements:

These requirements must be verifiable on the CV.

• MSc in computer science or an engineering degree;
• Fluency in English – HT is an international research institute;
• General knowledge about front-end and back-end development including relational and non-relational databases;
• Solid code development skills.

Preferred requirements:

• Experience with the technologies/libraries/frameworks included in our stack;
• Experience in cloud technologies;
• Experience with containerization (Docker);
• Knowledge of biology and computational biology;
• Experience in academic/research fields with proven record of scientific publications.

Organizational and social skills:

• Ability to interact effectively with other team members and work synergistically to drive projects forward;
• Ability to interact effectively with the researchers involved in assigned projects, to get detailed descriptions of project goals, timelines and requirements to derive precise technical requirements and timeline estimations for projects completion;
• Strong attitude towards well documented code;
• Attitude towards solving complex, non-standard problems with innovative software architectures and solutions;
• Unstoppable and quick learner of new technologies, willing to attend online/in-presence courses and certification programmes;
• Ability to work in a multi-cultural, multi-ethnic environment with sensitivity and respect for diversity.

Application Instructions

To apply, please send the following:

• a CV;
• a motivation letter in English.

For any inquiry about the call, please feel free to contact recruitment@fht.org (this email address should not be used to send applications).

Why Human Technopole

HT seeks scientific excellence, we recruit the best scientific talents through international, open calls.

Our working environment is international, friendly and inclusive. Our scientists work together across disciplines on research topics of biomedical relevance, leveraging synergies between their diverse skillsets and methodological approaches.

We believe that highly diverse teams yield the best and most innovative results.

We engage in outward-facing scientific activities aimed at benefiting the national and international research community. Training is also at the heart of our activity, with initiatives and opportunities for our staff, including scientific courses, conferences and workshops.

Main benefits:

• Welfare plans;
• Canteen service;
• Work-life balance provisions;
• Italian language training for foreigners;
• Parental leave up to 1 year and other support for new parents;
• Counseling;
• Flexible working hours;
• Remote working policy;
• Support for relocation;
• Researchers coming to Italy for the first time, or returning after residing abroad, benefit from very attractive income tax benefits.

Special consideration will be given to candidates who are part of the protected categories list, according to L. 68/99.

Number of positions offered: 1
Contract offered: CCNL Chimico Farmaceutico, Fixed-term 3 years- employee level, with the possibility of renewal.
Salary Range: to be defined based on experience and seniority.
Tax benefits where applicable.
The position is based in Milan.

“The Foundation reserves the right, at its sole discretion, to extend, suspend, modify, revoke, or cancel this job posting without giving rise to any rights or claims whatsoever in favour of the candidates; the Foundation reserves, however, the right not to proceed with the awarding of the above-described assignment due to the effect of supervening regulatory provisions and/or obstructive circumstances”.

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