Data Engineer

Overview

Do you want to help us improve human health and understand life on Earth? Make your mark by shaping the future to enable or deliver life‑changing science to solve some of humanity's greatest challenges. This role is needed to enable the rapid growth and evolution of COSMIC's large‑scale biological datasets and products, helping to advance cancer research globally and ultimately improve outcomes for patients.

You will help develop the solutions for the world’s key cancer genomics resource, COSMIC (Catalogue of Somatic Mutations of Cancer). Your duties include:

• Designing, implementing and maintaining automated pipelines and workflows for data curation and release of COSMIC products in a cloud environment.
• Supporting the development of new automated pipelines and workflows for data curation and release of COSMIC products and the storage and production pipeline of vast genomic data in the cloud.
• Collaborating with software developers, bioinformaticians, curators and scientists, both internally at Sanger and externally, to bring new perspectives on storage, pipelining and visualisation.
• Communicating progress and technical issues effectively to non‑technical researchers, scientists and clinicians worldwide.

Degree in Computer Science or Bioinformatics, or equivalent experience. Demonstrated experience in developing software and analytical tools across large datasets, ensuring throughput and quality. Good communicator and able to understand the goals and aims of the collaborative COSMIC team and its customers globally.

• Degree or equivalent experience in Software development/Computer Science or Bioinformatics.
• Proven experience in at least one modern programming language, preferably Python or PERL.
• Proven experience in one or more scripting languages, preferably Bash or Shell.
• Expertise across large and complex relational databases, proficient in SQL.
• Understanding of FAIR (findability, accessibility, interoperability, and reusability) data.
• Experience in data handling skills.
• Experience or willingness to learn how to create/maintain data processing pipelines.
• Experience with modern coding practices:
  Git, Agile.
• Knowledge or experience in data warehousing architecture and concepts (ETL and ELT) and data modelling.
• Experience or willingness to learn development best practices in Dev Ops, Containers, CI/CD, and TDD.

• Demonstrable, enthusiastic, can‑do, proactive attitude.
• Enthusiasm, commitment and attention to detail.
• Ability to prioritise activities and manage own workload independently.
• Ability to explain technical issues effectively and understandably to non‑technical users.
• Ability to work collaboratively with a range of stakeholders at all levels.
• Ability to understand scientific and technical challenges.
• Shows curiosity and willingness to learn new technologies, tools, and ways of working.
• Adjusts to changing requirements, priorities, or technical approaches.
• Welcomes feedback from peers and seniors.
• Collaborates effectively with team members and contributes to shared goals.

We recognise that there are many benefits to Hybrid Working; including an improved work‑life balance, with more focussed time, as well as the ability to organise working time so that collaborative opportunities and team discussions are facilitated on campus. The hybrid working arrangement will vary for different roles and teams. The nature of your role and the type of work you do will determine if a hybrid working arrangement is possible.

We aim to attract, recruit, retain and develop talent from the widest possible talent pool, thereby gaining insight and access to different markets to generate a greater impact on the world. We have staff networks including LGBTQ+, Parents and Carers, Disability and Race Equity to bring people together to share experiences, offer specific support to development opportunities and raise awareness. We want our people to be whoever they want to be because we believe people who bring their best selves to work, do their best work.

That is why we are committed to creating a truly inclusive culture at Sanger Institute.

We are proud to deliver an award campus‑wide employee well‑being strategy and programme. The importance of good health and adopting a healthier lifestyle and the commitment to reduce work‑related stress is strongly acknowledged and recognised at Sanger Institute. Sanger Institute became a signatory of the International Technician Commitment initiative in March 2018. The aims to empower and ensure visibility, recognition, career development and sustainability for technicians working in higher education and research, across all disciplines.