Software Engineer - Python (we have office locations at Cambridge, Leeds and London)

Genomics England partners with the NHS to provide whole genome sequencing diagnostics. We also equip researchers to find the causes of disease and develop new treatments - with patients and participants at the heart of it all.

Our mission is to continue refining, scaling, and evolving our ability to enable others to deliver genomic healthcare and conduct genomic research.

We are accelerating our impact and working with patients, doctors, scientists, government and industry to improve genomic testing, and help researchers access the health data and technology they need to make new medical discoveries and create more effective, targeted medicines for everybody.

 Join Genomics England as a Backend Python Software Engineer

At Genomics England, we’re looking for a Software Engineer with a demonstrable track record of delivering and owning backend software, who is passionate about making a difference in genomics and healthcare.

As an experienced Software Engineer, you’ll help build and evolve innovative products that support genomic testing, clinical decision making and research at national scale. Using your Python programming expertise and experience, you’ll directly contribute to the systems and services that enable large scale genomic research within a collaborative, supportive and empowering environment. You’ll design and develop scalable backend services, REST APIs and cloud native applications on AWS, working across databases, microservices and identity management solutions to deliver secure and reliable platforms.

You'll be joining the RE Platform team, providing software engineering expertise to our Use Research Data (URD) service. URD manages the Research Environment (RE), which is the front door to the National Genomic Research Library (NGRL), and is what our research community typically associates with Genomics England.

Everyday responsibilities include:

• Backend Software Development and Design.
• Develop scalable, high-quality Python code following best practices.
• Design and maintain microservices hosted on AWS, ensuring their reliability and efficiency.
• Design, develop and maintain REST APIs for internal and external integrations.
• Work with relational databases, including AWS RDS and SQL based solutions.
• Support and integrate identity and access management solutions, including Okta and other Identity Providers (IdPs).
• Build and enhance test automation frameworks to support robust and reliable applications.
• Troubleshoot and support the resolution of issues during development and testing.
• Stay informed on the latest industry trends and embrace new technologies.
• Collaborate closely with front end developers, QA and Platform Engineers to create reliable, seamless solutions.
• Use tools like GitLab, Confluence and Jira to support collaborative development.
• Collaborate with third party suppliers to create technical specifications.
• Lead feature development across the team.

Skills and experience for success:

• Expertise in Python and the ability to create scalable solutions.
• Experienced working with AWS and microservice architectures.
• Experienced with AWS services including IAM.
• Experienced working with relational databases and SQL, ideally AWS RDS.
• Experienced designing, developing and consuming REST APIs.
• Experienced integrating with identity management and authentication platforms such as Okta or similar Identity Providers (IdPs).
• Familiarity with agile methodologies and test driven development.
• A proactive approach to teamwork and problem solving using collaborative tools.

Additional Skills We’d Love to See:

• Experienced with Amazon API Gateway, DynamoDB and Lambda.
• Experienced with test automation frameworks.
• Familiarity with front end React development or knowledge of JavaScript for front end applications, or a willingness to learn.
• A strong understanding of code review best practices.
• Experienced in mentoring and/or coaching junior team members.

If you want your Python and backend engineering skills to directly support life changing genomic research and healthcare innovation, we’d love to hear from you. Join Genomics England and help build the systems, services and platforms that enable truly world leading genomic medicine and research, at national scale.

BSc in Computer Science or equivalent experience

Salary From: £71,400
Closing Date: Sunday 6th September @ 23:00 (UK time)

Being an integral part of such a meaningful mission is extremely rewarding in itself, but in order to support our people, we’re continually improving our benefits package. We pride ourselves on investing in our people and supporting them to achieve their career goals, as well as offering a benefits package including: 

• Generous Leave:  30 days’ holiday, plus bank holidays, plus additional leave for long service, and also the option to apply for up to 30 days of remote working abroad annually (approval required).
• Family-Friendly: Blended working arrangements, flexible working, enhanced maternity, paternity and shared parental leave benefits.
• Pension & Financial: Defined contribution pension (Genomics England double-matches up to 10%, however you can contribute more if you wish), Life Assurance (3x salary), and a Give As You Earn scheme.
• Learning & Development: Individual learning budgets, support for training and certifications, and reimbursement for one annual professional subscription (approval required).
• Recognition & Rewards: Employee recognition programme and referral scheme.
• Health & Wellbeing: Subsidised gym membership, a free Headspace account, and access to an Employee Assistance Programme, eye tests, flu jabs.

Equal opportunities and our commitment to a diverse and inclusive workplace 

Genomics England is actively committed to providing and supporting an inclusive environment that promotes equity, diversity and inclusion best practice both within our community and in any other area where we have influence. We are proud of our diverse community where everyone can come to work and feel welcomed and treated with respect regardless of any disability, ethnicity, gender, gender identity, religion, sexual orientation, or social background. 

Genomics England’s policies of non-discrimination and equity and will be applied fairly to all people, regardless of age, disability, gender identity or reassignment, marital or civil partnership status, being pregnant or recently becoming a parent, race, religion or beliefs, sex or sexual orientation, length of service, whether full or part-time or employed under a permanent or a fixed-term contract or any other relevant factor.  

Genomics England does not tolerate any form of discrimination, harassment, victimisation or bullying at work. Such behaviour undermines our mission and core values and diminishes the dignity, respect and integrity of all parties. Our People policies outline our commitment to inclusivity. 

We aim to remove barriers in our recruitment processes and to be flexible with our interview processes. Should you require any adjustments that may help you to fully participate in the recruitment process, we encourage you to discuss this with us. 

Culture

We have four key behaviours that represent what we would like Genomics England to feel like and the culture we want to encourage, in order for us to achieve our mission. These behaviours help us all work well together, deliver on our outcomes, celebrate our successes and share feedback with each other. You can read about these and other aspects of our culture here Culture | Genomics England

Blended working model

Genomics England operates a blended working model as we know our people appreciate the flexibility that hybrid working can bring. We expect most people to come into the office a minimum of 2 times each month. However, this will vary according to role and will be agreed with your team leader. There is no expectation that people will return to the office full time unless they want to, however, some of our roles require full time on site attendance e.g., lab teams, reception team. 

Our teams and squads have, and will continue to reflect on what works best for them to work together successfully and have the freedom to design working patterns to suit, beyond the minimum. Our office locations are: Canary Wharf, Cambridge and Leeds.

Onboarding background checks

As part of our recruitment process, all successful candidates are subject to a Standard Disclosure and Barring Service (DBS) check.  We therefore require applicants to disclose any previous offences at point of application, as some unspent convictions may mean we are unable to proceed with your application due to the nature of our work in healthcare.