Senior Scientific Software Developer – Bioimage Informatics

High Performance Research Computing (HPRC) and the Center for Bioimage Informatics (CBI) at St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital is seeking a Senior Scientific Software Developer to design and build the software platforms, applications, and data systems that power bioimage informatics at St. Jude. This is a hands-on, full-stack engineering role for a developer who wants their code to directly enable pediatric cancer and catastrophic-disease research.

CBI is a dynamic, close-knit team that develops and applies innovative AI and computer vision approaches for biological image analysis and quantification. As our Senior Scientific Software Developer, you will lead the software-engineering side of CBI’s bioimage informatics stack. You will turn algorithms, models, and analysis workflows developed with image data scientists, AI/ML researchers, and collaborating biologists into robust, scalable, well-tested software for image generation, management, analysis, and processing. You will spend the majority of your time architecting, building, integrating, and testing production-ready software.

What you’ll work on:

• Architect, build, and maintain full-stack applications, services, and data platforms that enable image generation, management, analysis, and processing at scale.
• Turn image analysis and AI/ML workflows developed by CBI’s image data scientists and AI/ML researchers into reliable, reproducible, production-grade software used across St. Jude.
• Design and implement RESTful APIs, web interfaces, and PostgreSQL-backed data systems for managing large, multidimensional imaging datasets (3D/4D/5D, terabyte-scale).
• Integrate and extend open-source bioimaging tools and standards (OME-Zarr/NGFF, Bio-Formats, OMERO, napari, ImageJ/Fiji), and contribute robust, well-tested code back to the community.
• Partner with image data scientists, AI/ML researchers, biologists, and other software engineers — and with collaborating imaging facilities and research groups across St. Jude — to build the tools they rely on.

Our stack and ecosystem includes the Python scientific computing stack (NumPy, SciPy, scikit-image, Dask, Zarr), the open-source bioimaging ecosystem (OME-Zarr/NGFF, Bio-Formats, OMERO, napari, ImageJ/Fiji), full-stack open-source web development (Java,

JavaScript, Spring, Node.js, RESTful APIs), PostgreSQL, Docker, Maven, and Git. We also explore agentic AI and tool-calling frameworks such as the Model Context Protocol (MCP).

This position reports to the Director of High Performance Research Computing and works closely with the Center for Bioimage Informatics as a collaborative team member. This is an onsite role in Memphis, TN.

Other tasks:

• Leads software coding, testing, debugging, documenting, and installation, and may be responsible for one or more of these components, as directed.
• Leads the design of the system’s graphical user interface.
• Assists in developing detailed specifications for programs to be written for enterprise-wide systems.
• Develops the detailed specifications from which programs will be written for group-level systems.

Job Responsibilities:

• Perform the detailed design, coding and testing of software utilizing established design/code standards and to the architectural patterns outlined by the architectural team.
• Design and implement new systems and features, as well as modify and maintain existing systems for adaptation to business and/or technology changes.
• Manage projects and provide subject matter expertise for production systems, document maintenance and system support procedures.
• Support continuous improvement by investigating alternatives and new technologies and presenting these for architectural review.
• Determine root cause for the most complex software issues and develop practical, efficient, and permanent technical solutions.
• Collaborate with internal teams and vendors to fix and improve products.
• Remain current on new technologies and available vendor packages; evaluate and make recommendations as necessary.
• Train and mentor junior teams on emerging technology systems and applications related aspects.
• Perform other duties as assigned to meet the goals and objectives of the department and institution.
• Maintains regular and predictable attendance.

Minimum Education and/or Training:

• Bachelor's degree in computer science, data science, information science, business, or related field required.

Minimum Experience:

• Minimum experience: 4+years of IT experience in systems programming and development, preferably in comparable industry.
• Experience in SDLC methodologies (e.g. Agile, Waterfall, CI/CD).
• Experience in software systems design and maintenance.
• Experience working with business stakeholders to identify and document Requirements.
• Proven performance in earlier role/comparable role.

Desired/Highly Preferred Qualifications:

• Proven experience in full-stack, open-source web development with strong proficiency in Java, Python, and JavaScript, and frameworks such as Node.js and Spring.
• Strong software engineering fundamentals: object-oriented design, version control (Git), testing, CI/CD, and shipping production-grade systems.
• Experience with RESTful API design and integration; familiarity with agentic AI / tool-calling frameworks such as the Model Context Protocol (MCP) is a plus.
• PostgreSQL experience strongly preferred; familiarity with Docker and Maven.
• Experience building software in a scientific, research, or life-sciences setting — ideally with imaging, microscopy, or other large biomedical datasets.
• Hands-on experience with bioimaging data and workflows: working with image data, productionizing image analysis pipelines, or integrating AI/ML segmentation, detection, or quantification into applications.
• Familiarity with the open-source bioimaging ecosystem and standards (e.g., OME-Zarr/NGFF, OME Bio-Formats, OMERO, napari, ImageJ/Fiji).
• Familiarity with the Python scientific computing stack (NumPy, SciPy, scikit-image, Dask, Zarr) and with large, multidimensional image datasets (3D/4D/5D).
• Comfortable collaborating with image data scientists, AI/ML researchers, and biologists to translate scientific requirements into robust, well-tested software.

Compensation

In recognition of certain U.S. state and municipal pay transparency laws, St. Jude is including a reasonable estimate of the compensation range for this role. This is an estimate offered in good faith and a specific salary offer takes into account factors that are considered in making compensation decisions including but not limited to skill sets, experience and training, licensure and certifications, and other business and organizational needs. It is not typical for an individual to be hired at or near the top of the salary range and compensation decisions are dependent on the facts and circumstances of each case. A reasonable estimate of the current salary range is $86,320 - $154,960 per year for the role of Senior Scientific Software Developer – Bioimage Informatics.

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