Research Software Developer
About The Position
The LORIS platform is a web-based data management software developed at the McGill Centre for Integrative Neuroscience (MCIN). This role will contribute to the development and maintenance of LORIS, specifically focusing on The Clinical, biospecimen, imaging and genetic (C-BIG) repository. The C-BIG Repository provides a multimodal informatics infrastructure for curated health data access, serving as an open-access collection of biological samples, clinical information, imaging, and genetic data from patients with neurological diseases and healthy controls. The candidate will support the design, development, testing, and maintenance of tools and pipelines on the LORIS platform, including building automated importers for various data types from internal and external research groups. Responsibilities encompass implementing new features, enhancing existing functionality, bug tracking and resolution, user support, and maintaining both frontend and backend components. The developer will also contribute to documentation and ensure data integrity and standardization in line with FAIR and open science principles.
Requirements
- University degree or related work experience in computer science, neuroscience or related field.
- Strong understanding of database systems, software development, and research infrastructure.
- Excellent organizational, communication, and leadership skills.
- Research or industry experience with relational database systems (SQL).
- Expertise with web development (PHP, JavaScript/JQuery, Bootstrap, Apache).
- Experience with Unix/Linux operating systems.
- Strong programming skills and understanding of modern languages (Python, Perl).
- Knowledge of HTML5, CSS3, Bootstrap and W3C standards.
- Experience using and developing REST APIs
Nice To Haves
- Experience with neuroimaging data processing.
- Experience with non-relational database systems is an asset (NoSQL).
- Experience computing on large datasets is an asset.
- Experience with version control systems (e.g. git, svn) and team-based development methodologies.
- Familiarity with academic research environments.
Responsibilities
- Assist in defining the technical roadmap and delivering initiatives that support the strategic direction of software systems for the C-BIG Repository.
- Design, develop, test and maintain research software applications, databases, APIs, and user interfaces for C-BIG data management.
- Develop and support secure workflows for data ingestion, transformation, harmonization, and integration across multiple data sources and formats.
- Implement data quality validation frameworks and automated pipelines to ensure completeness, accuracy, and consistency of repository data.
- Collaborate with researchers, analysts, and operational staff to gather requirements, define system specifications, and deliver software solutions aligned with research objectives.
- Maintain and optimize database systems and data storage infrastructure to support large-scale repository operations, including high-volume imaging and genetic datasets.
- Develop and maintain interoperability with external systems, tools, and standards (e.g., REDCap, LIMS, DICOM/PACS, BIDS, OMOP, HL7/FHIR, genomic variant formats).
- Support secure data access mechanisms including authentication, authorization, audit logging, role-based access controls, and data request workflows.
- Implement and maintain version control, CI/CD practices, code review standards, and software lifecycle management processes to support sustainable development.
- Troubleshoot system issues, perform debugging, apply patches, and resolve operational incidents to ensure repository platform stability and availability.
- Prepare and maintain technical documentation, user guides, system architecture diagrams, and standard operating procedures.
- Ensure software development practices comply with institutional policies, privacy legislation, ethics board requirements, and data governance frameworks.
- Evaluate emerging technologies and research computing tools, recommending improvements to repository systems, workflows, and infrastructure.
- Provide training, support, and technical guidance to repository users, research teams, students, and collaborators.
- Contribute to project planning activities including effort estimation, timeline development, milestone tracking, and reporting on progress to leadership.
Benefits
- Competitive benefits package (Health, Dental, Life Insurance) (if eligible)
- Defined contribution pension plan (with employer contribution up to 10%) (if eligible)
- Group Registered Retirement Savings Plan (RRSP) and Tax Free Savings Account (TFSA)
- Competitive vacation policy
- Two (2) personal days
- Two (2) floating holidays
- Nine (9) "Summer Fridays" - paid days off between the St-Jean Baptiste holiday and Labour Day
- Paid time off over the December holiday period
- Tuition waiver for regular employees and their dependents
- Up to two (2) days of remote work per week where the position permits
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What This Job Offers
Job Type
Full-time
Career Level
Entry Level
