Research Software Engineer I - Center for AI and Research Computing (AIRC)

Staff Career•La Jolla, CA

2d•Onsite

About The Position

The Center for AI and Research Computing (AIRC) is seeking a Research Software Engineer I to help advance AI-enabled scientific discovery at the Salk Institute for Biological Studies. The Center develops, deploys, and supports the shared research software, AI platforms, and high-performance computing infrastructure used by laboratories and programs across the Institute. Working closely with the Director of the Center, researchers, and the Information Technology department, the Research Software Engineer I designs, develops, deploys, and maintains software applications, web platforms, and research computing infrastructure that support computational and data-intensive research. The position partners directly with scientists to understand evolving research needs and translate them into scalable software solutions that accelerate discovery across neuroscience, cancer biology, plant biology, human health, and other disciplines. Primary responsibilities include developing and maintaining internal research applications and services; implementing and supporting AI tools and workflows for scientific research; managing and enhancing high-performance computing, GPU, and data-sharing infrastructure; integrating research software with institutional systems; and improving the accessibility, usability, and performance of shared computational resources. The position also evaluates and implements emerging technologies that enhance the Institute’s research computing capabilities and collaborates with cross-functional teams to ensure reliable, secure, and sustainable research software and infrastructure. The successful candidate will combine strong software development skills with an interest in scientific collaboration, working in a dynamic environment where research priorities evolve rapidly and innovative technical solutions are essential. This role offers the opportunity to directly contribute to enabling cutting-edge research through modern software engineering, AI technologies, and advanced computing infrastructure. Including a link to a GitHub profile or equivalent portfolio demonstrating previous programming work is strongly recommended for full consideration. We recognize that software developed for previous employers may be proprietary and unavailable for public review; however, candidates who can demonstrate personal projects, open-source contributions, or other examples of software development beyond coursework will be viewed favorably.

Requirements

BS degree in computer science, engineering, quantitative science, or a related discipline is preferred for this position.
This is an early-career role; no prior professional experience is required.
Demonstrated software engineering ability — through internships, research projects, open-source contributions, or personal projects — is essential.
Full-stack software engineering ability, including proficiency in Python and at least one other language, and experience building complete applications spanning back-end logic, front-end interfaces, and data storage.
Fluency with modern, AI-assisted software development, including the effective use of AI coding tools and large language models (e.g., Claude Code) to design, build, debug, and ship software rapidly.
Demonstrated ability to learn unfamiliar systems and technologies quickly and to stand up working services and infrastructure through code, scripting, and automation.
Comfort working in Linux/Unix environments with version control (Git), testing, and code review.

Nice To Haves

Master's degree or post-baccalaureate certification in a computational or scientific field.
Prior internship, research, or work experience in a scientific, laboratory, or academic environment.
Exposure to, or eagerness to quickly learn, high-performance computing environments and job schedulers such as SLURM; prior HPC operations or systems-administration experience is welcome but not required.
Experience deploying and maintaining self-hosted applications and services, including containerization (e.g., Docker, Kubernetes) and cloud platforms (e.g., AWS, GCP).
Full-stack web development experience with modern frameworks (e.g., React, Svelte, Vue, FastAPI, Django) and database design.
Experience building on or integrating large language model and AI tools and APIs (e.g., the Claude API, agentic coding tools), including provisioning and enabling AI tools for non-technical users.
Academic coursework, research experience, or demonstrated interest in biology, neuroscience, or another life-science domain.
A track record of shipping small tools or projects quickly and independently, and of picking up new languages, frameworks, and systems with minimal ramp-up.
Strong communication skills and the ability to work directly with scientists to translate their needs into technical solutions.
A public code portfolio (e.g., GitHub) that demonstrates initiative beyond coursework, such as personal projects or contributions to open-source software.

Responsibilities

Design, build, and deploy internal software applications, web interfaces, and platforms that enable scientific research and the adoption of artificial intelligence across the Institute.
Stand up and maintain self-hosted systems and services, including data-sharing platforms, web frontends, and collaboration tools, on centralized on-premise and cloud infrastructure.
Support the administration, configuration, and integration of high-performance computing (HPC) resources, including GPU cluster and job scheduler (e.g., SLURM) transitions and workflows.
Assist with the provisioning, configuration, and rollout of enterprise artificial intelligence tools and services (e.g., large language model platforms and APIs), and support their adoption by researchers and staff.
Rapidly prototype, build, and iterate on small internal applications and utilities in response to evolving scientific and operational needs.
Write well-documented, tested code and follow professional software engineering practices, including version control (Git), code review, and continuous integration/continuous deployment (CI/CD).
Integrate systems and services through APIs, authentication and single sign-on, and automation to create seamless workflows for end users.
Collaborate with the Information Technology department and other units on infrastructure, deployment, and security.
Work directly with scientists to understand their needs and translate them into technical solutions that advance scientific AI enablement.
Prepare and maintain documentation and training materials to enable researchers and staff to use the tools and systems developed.
Participate in project planning and status discussions, and coordinate with other Salk labs, Core facilities, and programs.
May assist with the onboarding or supervision of student trainees and interns.
Perform additional duties as assigned.