SRA/RF in Genetic Epidemiology Research (Software Engineer)

The role

Pioneering Population Health Research through Cutting-Edge Software Engineering

Do you have strong research software engineering skills who wants to make a real-world impact? Join the MRC Integrative Epidemiology Unit (IEU) at the University of Bristol and become a critical force in solving major public health challenges through innovative software solutions. Our research focuses on inferring the causal processes that underlie diseases in diverse populations. Our analytical processes have historically been oriented around high performance computing (HPC) but are increasingly migrating to research analysis platforms and other cloud-based solutions. We are seeking a talented software engineer with experience in genetic epidemiology to bring in this transition.

You'll Be Solving Complex Challenges That Matter

• Work with petabyte-scale genetic datasets from UK Biobank, Genomics England, All of Us, Our Future Health, and other groundbreaking biobanks
• Improve ancestral diversity in genetic studies
• Develop analytical pipelines in cloud-based secure research environments that will help understanding in areas such as cancer, mental health, and reproductive health
• Create software that influences population health recommendations

Professional Growth

• Join the University of Bristol's Research Engineering Group
• Receive extensive training and support from a vibrant, growing community
• Opportunities to co-produce software with multiple research institutions
• Embedded in a cutting-edge data science team with extensive research support

Flexibility and Impact

While based in Bristol, we offer blended and flexible working policies.

This role offers an excellent opportunity for a programmer to make significant contributions to epidemiological research at the intersection of genetics, data science, and public health.

The University of Bristol is committed to creating an inclusive environment that values diversity and supports continuous professional development.

Part timer will be considered at a minimum of 0.8 FTE.

Hybrid working is available: at least one day in the office every 2 weeks

What will you be doing?

• Software development - taking our existing pipelines and common analytical needs and implementing them on the Secure Research Environments (SREs)
• Data migration - creating environments on SREs for their data in formats that are expected for the types of analyses that we do
• Training and support - supporting researchers with the migration from local HPC to SREs and any ongoing challenges of using these platforms
• Integration and collaboration - coordinating with other groups to share best practices and avoid duplication of efforts

You should apply if

Ideal Candidate Profile

We're looking for a software engineer who:

• Has proven experience developing analytical software for research
• Has experience working with human genetic / genomic data
• Thrives on solving complex technical challenges
• Is passionate about creating tools that make scientific discovery possible
• Enjoys collaboration and knowledge sharing
• Has a background in genetic epidemiology, statistical genetics, or related quantitative disciplines

Additional information

Contract type: Open ended with funding for 1 year (01/09/2025 -01/09/2026)

For informal queries please contact: Gibran Hemani (+447930951876, g.hemani@bristol.ac.uk)

Our strategy and mission

We recently launched our strategy to 2030 tying together our mission, vision and values.

The University of Bristol aims to be a place where everyone feels able to be themselves and do their best in an inclusive working environment where all colleagues can thrive and reach their full potential. We want to attract, develop, and retain individuals with different experiences, backgrounds and perspectives – particularly people of colour, LGBT+ and disabled people - because diversity of people and ideas remains integral to our excellence as a global civic institution.

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