Job Specifications
About The Team
The revolution in imaging technologies has led to the need to share, integrate and reuse image data in a comprehensive way. EMBL-EBI’s imaging databases, EMPIAR and the BioImage Archive provide the means to store and search life science datasets from all imaging technologies at all scales and across all modalities.
These databases provide deposition and retrieval services to life scientists across the world. We are looking for an enthusiastic and motivated imaging bioinformatician who can work with researchers, imaging scientists, software developers and the wider BioImaging community to further develop these resources, with a focus on worldwide sharing of bioimaging data.
You will be working to support our resources’ operational and data management development activities. You’ll support depositors to the BioImage Archive and EMPIAR, providing expertise, guidance and targeted curation. You’ll work with data generators, data consumers and networking organisations on data and metadata standards, both working with schema and tools directly and relaying needs and priorities to the core software development team. Using AI approaches to improve our operational activities will be a key part of the role.
As the BioImage Archive is a developing project, you will be able to shape its development, community and overall success. You’ll need to be keen to learn new approaches and technologies, work with a diverse global biological imaging community and engage with new imaging science.
The post provides a fantastic opportunity to work with a talented team to grow a key new resource at one of the world leading institutes for managing biological data.
In This Role You Will
Support data deposition and import of data into the BioImage Archive and EMPIAR, providing expert advice to depositors, and developing data pipelines for complex submissions.
Work with the bioimaging community on standards, processes and tools for managing biological images, including programmatic implementation in schema languages
Curate and standardise data and metadata across different scientific domains to address the needs of diverse bioimaging communities.
Work with software developers within the BioImage Archive, EMPIAR and the wider EMBL-EBI teams to guide development priorities and test new features.
Create documentation and training materials to support users of the BioImage Archive.
You have (Requirements)
You should have a first degree in Biology, Bioinformatics, Computer Science or a related discipline, and a relevant higher degree such as a MSc. A PhD or equivalent work experience is preferred.
Skills And Experience
Good understanding of data collection, handling, visualisation, interpretation, archiving, dissemination etc. for at least one common imaging modality (e.g. light or electron microscopy).
Experience developing scripts and tools for data transformation and processing (e.g. in Python, Julia or similar languages).
Experience working with common data exchange formats, particularly JSON.
Demonstrated knowledge of research imaging techniques broadly.
Familiarity with data standards and ontologies, and experience with schema languages such as LinkML
Behaviours
Curiosity about science and bioimaging.
A strong desire to learn new skills and technologies.
Excellent communication and interpersonal skills.
Ability to work to tight deadlines.
The ability to work both independently and as part of a team.
You might also have (Desirable)
Post-doctoral experience in a life sciences research lab or bioimaging facility, either as a data producer or as a collaborator with data producers on microscopy data management and/or image processing.
Specific experience working with cross-modality biological data with an imaging component, e.g. spatial transcriptomics or spatial proteomics
Experience with the management of research data, including understanding of and adherence to appropriate metadata standards.
Experience with bioimage analysis tools and techniques.
Experience working with semantic technologies including ontologies, data curation and JSON schema based data validation.
Experience developing training materials and/or running training courses.
Other helpful information
Hybrid Working: At EMBL-EBI we are pleased to offer hybrid working options for all our employees. A dedicated desk will be available everyday, but most of our team choose to work two days on site and three from home.
Interviews: We plan to hold introductory meetings with selected candidates remotely starting on early December, following this we plan to hold panel interviews remotely on week commencing 15 December 2025.
Contract length: 2 years (project based until January 2028)
Salary: Grade 5 monthly salary starting at £3,303 per month after tax but excluding pension and insurance contributions. Plus generous benefits.
Why join us
Do something meaningful
At EMBL-EBI you can apply your talent and passion to accelerate science and tackle some
About the Company
Working at EMBL-EBI gives you the opportunity to focus your energy and skills on something that really matters: using technology to contribute to discoveries that benefit humankind. We empower researchers everywhere to realise the potential of 'big data' in biology, and build sophisticated tools for exploring life at the atomic level.
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