Senior Back End Engineer, AI Solutions Development

About the job

We are Digital Science and we are advancing the research ecosystem. We are a pioneering technology company, and our vision is of a future where a trusted and collaborative research ecosystem drives progress for all. We believe in better, open, collaborative and inclusive research. In creating the next generation of tools and working in partnership with the community we tackle some of the biggest challenges to research. In order to achieve our vision, we need innovative, inspiring and dynamic people to join our team. At Digital Science we’re well positioned to become a provider of AI solutions for the research community - focusing on the trustworthiness of the results and combining the structured data available through years of investment into data and enrichments. Providing AI services based on our own infrastructure allows us to focus on the reliability and ethical use of AI, and can differentiate us from the ‘brute force’ of the general models and infrastructure. We’re building a new AI Solutions Development team, who will sit in the Central Technology function. Due to business need, we can only accept applications from candidates based in the UK, Germany, Romania, Spain, Poland, Portugal and Hungary.

Your new role

Join our pioneering technology company, Digital Science, and contribute to our vision of creating a more open, efficient, and effective research ecosystem. As a Senior Backend Software Engineer, you will be an integral part of our AI Solutions Development team within the Central Technology function. Your role will focus on building robust, scalable backend systems that support our frontend applications. This role requires a strong foundation in server-side programming, service-oriented architectures, API engineering, and database management. Candidates with frontend development skills are highly valued for their ability to support broader team objectives.

What you’ll be doing

• Design and develop secure, scalable, and efficient backend services and APIs.
• Manage database operations, ensuring data integrity and optimizing performance.
• Integrate and maintain cloud-based services and infrastructure.
• Collaborate with frontend developers to ensure seamless integration and operation of APIs.
• Write clean, maintainable code and develop automated tests to ensure system reliability.
• Plan, design and enhance automation frameworks, utilities and tools.
• Write automated tests and support with the maintenance of our continuous integration pipeline.
• Participate in code reviews, maintain version control, and adhere to best software development practices.
• Occasionally assist with frontend development tasks to support cross-functional team objectives.

What you’ll bring to the role

Essential

• Proficiency in multiple programming languages and frameworks such as Python, Rust, Lua, or Node.js.
• Knowledge of microservices and distributed systems.
• Proficiency in managing SQL and NoSQL databases.
• Experience with cloud services (AWS, Azure, Google Cloud) and understanding of serverless architectures.
• Knowledge of API development and management, including RESTful and GraphQL services.
• Understanding of containerization and orchestration technologies, such as Docker and Kubernetes.
• Familiarity with CI/CD pipelines and automated testing frameworks.
• Ability to work independently as a 'manager of one', managing tasks and projects from inception to completion.
• Agile and DevOps methodologies.
• An openness and willingness for continued learning and development, to build your AI and technical skills and capabilities.
• Strong problem-solving capabilities and ability to work under tight deadlines.

Desired

• Experience with frontend technologies (HTML, CSS, JavaScript) and frameworks (React, Angular, Vue.js) is a plus.
• Experience writing Python > 3.10 with type hints.
• Experience writing APIs on FastAPI.
• A conceptual understanding of the complexities in bringing ML into a product (processing requests, cost estimates, model limitations).
• Some experience in Natural Language Processing and / or Machine Learning.
• Eagerness to learn and grow within a dynamic and innovative team environment.