"Software Developer (HEW 8)"

Job Description

• BASE Facility at Australian Institute for Bioengineering and Nanotechnology (AIBN)
• Full-time (100%), fixed-term position for up to 12 months
• Base salary will be in the range $117,958.12 - $132,247.57 + 17% Superannuation (HEW 8)
• Based at our vibrant St Lucia Campus

About This Opportunity

The BASE Facility at the University of Queensland is seeking a Software Developer (HEW 8) to join our team of mRNA scientists. In this role, you will lead the development of a software platform for the design of mRNA medicines. You will be responsible for managing the software lifecycle, including programming, engineering, and maintaining software. Additionally, you will provide support for the use of the mRNA design software by BASE scientists, industry partners, and the international research community.

You will work within a dynamic team of BASE scientists at world-class laboratory facilities at the University of Queensland, designing new mRNA medicines for research and development. As the field of mRNA technology is advancing rapidly, the role requires attentive, adaptable, and agile approach to developing specialized biotechnology software for mRNA design. This is a unique opportunity to work with biologists and clinicians at the forefront of biological research to develop new mRNA medicines.

Key responsibilities will include:

• Develop mRNA design software – coding, maintaining and managing software using industry best practices.
• Ensure software complies with coding standards and architectural design, including writing and maintaining unit and integration tests.
• Add new software features and capabilities informed by advances in mRNA sciences.
• Contribute to the preparation of manuscripts for publication, technical reports, and other research-related documents.
• Provide project-management, guidance and supervision of other BASE scientists where appropriate.

About You

• BSc, MSc or PhD in computational science or a related field with a strong background in software engineering.
• Proven experience in software development (>3 years), including software design, implementation, and maintenance.
• Proficiency in programming languages such as Python, R, C#, and SQL.
• Familiarity with high-performance computing, cloud computing (e.g., AWS), GPUs, and DevOps tools, including version control, unit testing, and continuous integration/deployment (CI/CD) methods.
• A systematic approach to problem-solving, taking responsibility for your work and delivering high-quality, well documented, maintainable code.
• Strong understanding of software versioning tools (e.g., Git) and software lifecycle management.
• Experience in maintaining unit testing and integration testing standards.
• Good UI/UX skills with the ability to create intuitive and user-friendly public-facing web applications.
• Knowledge of implementing, maintaining, and ensuring the security of software on Amazon Web Services (AWS) or other cloud platforms.
• Excellent skills in technical documentation, ensuring software is accessible to non-specialist users.
• Ability to work collaboratively with diverse stakeholders in a fast-paced environment to refine software scope, design, and functionality.
• Exposure to bioinformatics, biomedical applications, or pharmacology is beneficial but not essential.

Questions?

For more information about this opportunity, please contact Dr. Helen Gunter at h.gunter@uq.edu.au.

For application inquiries, please reach out to the Talent Acquisition team at talent@uq.edu.au, stating the job reference number (R-60038) in the subject line.

Want to Apply?

All applicants must upload the following documents in order for your application to be considered:

• Cover letter summarising how your background aligns to the ‘About You’ section
• Resume

Other Information

Applications close Wednesday 28 January 2026 at 11.00pm AEST (R-60038). Please note that interviews have been tentatively scheduled for end January 2026.