We are looking for a new Technical Lead to lead the technical maintenance and development of our group's services. This is an exciting opportunity for someone either from a scientific or informatics background to play a key role in our team which has a huge impact on the scientific communities that we serve. Applicants may be from anywhere in the world (visa support and relocation allowance); also note that the quoted salary is tax free and so is equivalent to the net salary from another job. If you have any questions about the role, feel free to reach out to me at oboyle@ebi.ac.uk.
For more information, and to apply, click HERE!
About the Team
We are looking for a Technical Lead to join the Chemical Biology Resources team at the European Bioinformatics Institute (EMBL-EBI). The Chemical Biology Resources team provides world-leading chemogenomics resources to the scientific community. ChEMBL is a database of quantitative small-molecule bioactivity data curated primarily from the scientific literature widely used to support drug discovery projects in industry and academia. SureChEMBL is a complementary patent resource containing chemical structures extracted from patents daily. UniChem links chemical structures across databases. ChEBI is a highly curated database and ontology of compounds of biological interest. OPSIN converts systematic chemical names into chemical structures.
The Technical Lead is part of the leadership team in the group, which consists of an international and interdisciplinary mix of professional scientists and software engineers. You will manage a team of engineers that maintain and develop our websites, APIs and data workflows. You will be working closely with the Team Leader, ChEMBL Group Coordinator and Senior Scientific Developer to ensure that the team’s resources are maintained and developed in a sustainable way that is flexible enough to support ongoing changes and improvements to what we do.
Duties & Responsibilities
In this role you will:
Oversee and maintain critical infrastructure supporting ChEMBL, SureChEMBL, ChEBI, OPSIN, and UniChem platforms, including Kubernetes clusters, virtual machines, database environments (SQL, MongoDB), transfer services (FTP, etc.), networking and compute clusters
Proactively track and implement EBI’s IT database patch schedules and coordinate infrastructure migrations/updates
Develop and implement a comprehensive monitoring strategy across all services to ensure optimal performance and reliability
Ensure the stability and continuous availability of existing systems, with particular focus on the ChEMBL platform and the team’s ElasticSearch instance
Further standardise and streamline deployment procedures to create consistency and efficiency across platforms
Serve as the primary point of contact for all IT-related matters, providing expert guidance both internally and externally
Lead the development and ongoing maintenance of all services within the portfolio, with hands-on implementation and technical problem-solving
Maintain ongoing efforts to address technical debt so that our services remain in good health
You have (Requirements)
A degree in computer science or related field, or a PhD in a relevant computational discipline
Several years’ professional experience involving backend development.
Track record of delivered projects involving backend development
Proficient in Python programming.
Strong experience with Python backend frameworks such as Django or FastAPI.
Strong experience with SQL databases (e.g., Oracle, PostgreSQL, MySQL).
Experience with NoSQL databases such as Elasticsearch and MongoDB.
Experience with DevOps practices such as CI/CD workflows (particularly using GitLab) and infrastructure as code.
Proficient in working with Linux operating systems.
Familiar with containerization technologies (Docker) and orchestration platforms (Kubernetes).
Behaviours
Experience managing a team.
Self-motivated with good communication skills and the ambition to work with international collaborators and users.
Advanced English language and excellent interpersonal skills
Demonstrated ability to see the bigger picture and bring colleagues along with you, ensuring alignment across teams and driving collective success!
You might also have (Desirable)
Experience managing infrastructure for scientific or data science workflows.
Experience with Java programming.
An interest in life sciences is a plus.
Other helpful information
To apply: Please apply with a cover letter & CV, there is one central place to attach all these documents as part of your application, applications without personalised cover letters will not be reviewed.
Hybrid Working: At EMBL-EBI we are pleased to offer hybrid working options for all our employees. A dedicated desk will be available everyday, but our team works two days on site and three from home.
Interviews: We plan to hold introductory meetings with selected candidates remotely starting in January 2026.
Contract length: 3 years (Grant Based)
Salary: Grade 7 monthly salary starting at £4,206 per month after tax but excluding pension and insurance contributions. Plus generous benefits.
Why join us
Do something meaningful
At EMBL-EBI you can apply your talent and passion to accelerate science and tackle some of humankind's greatest challenges. EMBL-EBI, part of the European Molecular Biology Laboratory, is a worldwide leader in the storage, analysis and dissemination of large biological datasets. We provide the global research community with access to publicly available databases and tools which are crucial for the advancement of healthcare, food security, and biodiversity.
Join a culture of innovation
We are located on the Wellcome Genome Campus, alongside other prominent research and biotech organisations, and surrounded by beautiful Cambridgeshire countryside. This is a highly collaborative and inclusive community where our employees enjoy a relaxed atmosphere. We are committed to ensuring our employees feel valued, supported and empowered to reach their professional potential. Watch this video to see how EMBL-EBI makes an impact.
Enjoy lots of benefits:
Financial incentives: Monthly family, child and non-resident allowances, annual salary review, pension scheme, death benefit, long-term care, accident-at-work and unemployment insurances
Flexible working arrangements - including hybrid working patterns
Private medical insurance for you and your immediate family (including all prescriptions and generous dental & optical cover)
Generous time off: 30 days annual leave per year, in addition public holidays
Relocation package including installation grant (if required)
Campus life: Free shuttle bus to and from work, on-site library, subsidised on-site gym and cafeteria, casual dress code, extensive sports and social club activities (on campus and remotely)
Family benefits: On-site nursery, 10 days of child sick leave, generous parental leave, holiday clubs on campus and monthly family and child allowances
Benefits for non-UK residents: Visa exemption, education grant for private schooling, financial support to travel back to your home country every second year and a monthly non-resident allowance.
For detailed information please visit our employee benefits page here.
What else you need to know
International applicants: We recruit internationally and successful candidates are offered visa exemptions. Please take a look at our International Applicants page for further information.
EMBL is a signatory of DORA. Find out how we apply DORA principles to our recruitment and performance assessment processes here.
Diversity and inclusion: At EMBL, we strongly believe that inclusive and diverse teams benefit from higher levels of innovation and creative thought. We encourage applications from women, LGBTQ+ & individuals from all nationalities.
How to apply: To apply please submit a cover letter and a CV through our online system. Applications will close at 23:59 CET on the date shown below. We aim to provide a response within two weeks after the closing date.
Closing Date
05/01/2026
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