Software Engineer - Westerdijk Fungal Biodiversity Institute - Utrecht Software Engineer - Westerdij

What you will be doing

You will play a central role in the development of an innovative open science platform that serves as a global hub for mycology. This platform will integrate diverse datasets on fungal strains and species, including genomic, phenotypic, ecological, and imaging data, into a unified and accessible infrastructure.

As a software engineer, you will be responsible for designing, developing, and deploying a scalable web-based platform that enables researchers and stakeholders to explore, analyze, and reuse fungal data. You will work closely with a multidisciplinary team of bioinformaticians, data scientists, and domain experts to implement system architecture, develop APIs, and create intuitive user interfaces.

Your work will contribute to advancing fungal research, supporting applications in health, agriculture, biodiversity, and biotechnology, while adhering to Open Science and FAIR data principles.

What you will be contributing

We are looking for a motivated software engineer with a strong interest in scientific data infrastructure and open science. You bring:

• A completed MSc or PhD in Computer Science, Software Engineering, Bioinformatics, or a related field
• Proven experience in backend and/or full-stack development (e.g., Python frameworks such as Django or FastAPI, and modern frontend frameworks such as React)
• Experience with database systems (e.g., PostgreSQL) and designing scalable, well-structured data architectures
• Familiarity with API development and integration of heterogeneous data sources
• Affinity with cloud infrastructure and deployment (e.g., Docker, CI/CD, SURF or similar environments)
• Interest in Open Science, FAIR data principles, and research infrastructures
• Awareness of AI-ready data practices (e.g., data standardization, metadata annotation, interoperability) and/or experience supporting data pipelines for machine learning applications
• Strong problem-solving skills and the ability to work collaboratively in an interdisciplinary team

Experience with bioinformatics, life sciences data, AI/ML tools, or familiarity with Large Language Models (LLMs) and their application in data platforms (e.g., semantic search, natural language querying) is considered an advantage.

What do we offer?

An exciting opportunity to contribute to a high-impact Open Science project within an internationally recognized research institute. You will work in a collaborative and interdisciplinary environment at the forefront of fungal biodiversity research and data science.

This is a full-time position (1.0 FTE for 18 months) embedded in a highly motivated team. The Westerdijk Institute has a strong track record in developing widely used databases such as MycoBank and the WI-CBS database. You will have the opportunity to work with cutting-edge technologies, contribute to open-source software, and engage with an international research community.

More information

Please contact: Dr. Duong Vu. Email: d.vu@wi.knaw.nl.

Application procedure

You can apply by submitting your CV and motivation letter. Applications will be reviewed on a rolling basis until the position is filled. Interviews are expected to take place shortly after the closing date.

About the Westerdijk Institute

The Westerdijk Fungal Biodiversity Institute is a research institute of the Royal Netherlands Academy of Arts and Sciences located at Utrecht Science Park. Our researchers study biodiversity across the entire spectrum of the fungal kingdom. They develop and use a wide range of techniques to map the biology, ecology, and genetic information of fungi.

With a unique collection of more than 100,000 living fungal strains, yeasts and bacteria, we are at the forefront of mycological research worldwide. We are a center of expertise for mycology and contribute to solving socially relevant issues in the areas of health, agriculture and industry.

Our relatively small, internationally diverse institute has 50 employees and a similar number of guest researchers.
Additional information is available on our website: www.wi.knaw.nl.

Terms of employment
Depending on education and experience the minimum salary is € 3.708 and the maximum salary is € 5.057 gross per month for a full-time appointment (scale 9 cao Nederlandse Universiteiten/KNAW). This is exclusive of 8% vacation allowance, 8.3% year-end bonus, travel allowance, internet allowance, home working allowance and pension accrual with ABP.

The KNAW offers its staff an excellent package of secondary benefits. A package that meets the different needs of employees depending on their stage of life, lifestyle or career ambitions. For example, by working an extra two hours a week, it is possible to increase the number of days off from 29 to 41 days a year (with full-time employment). 

For a complete overview of the terms of employment, please refer to the web page: werken bij de KNAW.

Applying for a Certificate of Good Conduct can be part of the employment procedure.

Diversity & Inclusion
The KNAW considers a working environment in which everyone feels welcome and appreciated of great importance. A working environment in which attention is paid to individual quality and where development opportunities are paramount. Together we strive for an inclusive culture in which we embrace differences. We would therefore like to invite candidates who want to contribute to this through their background and experience. In the event of equal suitability, preference will be given to the candidate who thus enhances diversity within the Academy.

We will not respond to any supplier enquiries based on this job advertisement.