IDEA Bio based at the Australian Institute for Bioengineering and Nanotechnology (AIBN)
Full-time (100%), fixed-term position for up to 2 years
Base salary will be in the range $93,491.78 - $100,296.97 + 17% Superannuation (HEW Level 6)
Based at our St Lucia Campus
We are seeking a software engineer to aid the LEARN team at IDEA Bio in establishing a data analysis pipeline. In this unique role, you will work closely with data scientists, a bioinformatician and a machine learning specialist to construct custom workflows that allow the high-throughput processing and analysis of data from a Laboratory Information Management System.
Key responsibilities will include:
Core Scientific
Contribute to the coding and development of custom data analysis algorithms and modelling tools for systems biology or machine-learning.
Develop a flexible, modular data analysis pipeline that retrieves data from a LIMS system (OpenBIS), performs required pre-processing and quality checks and prepares data for analysis through custom and open-source tools and workflows to analyse data as required by the LEARN team.
Ensure said pipeline is deployable and operable on high-performance computing.
Where relevant, re-code existing software into more appropriate languages or to enhance performance.
Develop flowcharts, layouts and documentation to identify requirements and solutions.
Write well-designed, testable code.
Develop software verification plans and quality assurance procedures.
Document and maintain software functionality.
Use an appropriate repository, primarily GitHub, to share software and enable collaborative development with other researchers.
Where required, maintain or further develop the data and metadata capture workflows that capture bioreactor and sample data in the LIMS system.
Contribute to research outputs, joint preparation, and authorship of reports/manuscripts as appropriate.
If relevant, contribute to the set-up and operation of cloud-based bioreactor systems.
General
Perform other duties as reasonably directed by the Senior Data Scientist.
Safety
Ensure a high standard of occupational health and safety standards and systems, including inductions, supervision, equipment training registers, administration of research facilities, inventories, reporting and investigating injuries, incidents, and hazards.
Leadership and management
Promptly resolve conflict and grievances when they arise in accordance with University policy and procedures.
IDEA Bio has emerged as a state-of-the-art fermentation biofoundry, dedicated to providing high-quality services to both academic and industry partners. Our mission is to develop sustainable bioprocesses that contribute to the growth of Queensland’s bioeconomy and enhance Australia’s position in the global biotechnology landscape. IDEA Bio is composed of a TEST capability, involving the culturing of organisms in bioreactors and gathering data about fermentation performance and cell physiology (including ‘omics measurements such as protein and metabolite measurements), and a LEARN capability, that seeks to use these large data sets to learn how to alter fermentation parameters or genetically engineer strains to enhance performance. We also collaborate closely with Queensland Metabolomics and Proteomics (Q MAP https://www.qmap.org.au/) and the Australian Genome Foundry (Macquarie University).
As part of the UQ community, you will have the opportunity to work alongside the brightest minds, who have joined us from all over the world.
Everyone here has a role to play. As a member of our professional staff cohort, you will be actively involved in working towards our vision of a better world. By supporting the academic endeavour across teaching, research, and the student life, you will have the opportunity to contribute to activities that have a lasting impact on our community.
Join a community where excellence is at the core of our culture, contributions are valued and a range of benefits and rewards are available, such as:
Up to 26 weeks paid parental leave/paid primary care leave
17% superannuation contributions + 17.5% annual leave loading
Access to flexible working
Health and wellness discounts – fitness passport access, free yearly flu vaccinations, discounted health insurance, and access to our Employee Assistance Program for staff and their immediate family
Career development opportunities –access to exclusive internal-only vacancies and our Study for Staff program
On campus childcare options
Affordable parking (from just $6.40 a day)
Salary packaging options
You are a self-motivated, solutions focused Software Engineer with excellent communication skills. You will also demonstrate:
Qualifications and training equivalent to an undergraduate degree in IT or related field and subsequent relevant experience; or an equivalent combination of relevant experience and/or education/training.
Comfortable working across a range of programming languages including Python, R and MATLAB.
Demonstrated experience encoding a workflow in at least one of the above languages.
Experience using high-performance computing.
Strong interpersonal and communication skills with proven ability to produce clear, succinct documentation.
Demonstrated experience working collaboratively with a team.
Strong problem-solving skills with the ability to plan, prioritize tasks, meet deadlines, and work adaptably both independently and in a team.
Desirable
Knowledge of cloud services
Familiarity with relational database management systems
Docker and container-based development.
Prior experience with laboratory information management systems.
Strong mathematical background.
The successful candidate may be required to complete a number of pre-employment checks, including: right to work in Australia, conduct concerning gender-based violence, criminal check, education check etc.
You must maintain unrestricted work rights in Australia for the duration of this appointment to apply. Employer sponsored work rights are not available for this appointment.
For more information about this opportunity, please contact Dr Tim McCubbin - t.mccubbin@uq.edu.au
For application inquiries, please reach out to the Talent Acquisition team at talent@uq.edu.au, stating the job reference number (below) in the subject line.
We welcome applications from all individuals and are committed to an inclusive and accessible recruitment process. To be considered, please ensure you upload:
Resume
A cover letter summarising how your background aligns with the 'About You' section
Our strength as an institution lies in our diverse colleagues. We're dedicated to equity, diversity, and inclusion, fostering an environment that mirrors our wider community. We're committed to attracting, retaining, and promoting diverse talent. If you require an alternative method to submit your application due to accessibility needs or personal circumstances, please contact talent@uq.edu.au.
UQ is committed to a fair, equitable and inclusive selection process, which recognises that some applicants may face additional barriers and challenges which have impacted and/or continue to impact their career trajectory. Candidates who don’t meet all criteria are encouraged to apply and demonstrate their potential. The selection panel considers both potential and performance relative to opportunities when assessing suitability for the role.
Applications close Sunday 4 January 2026 at 11.00pm AEST (R-59856). Please note that interviews have been tentatively scheduled for January 2026.