Senior Software Developer – mRNA design

• BASE Facility at Australian Institute for Bioengineering and Nanotechnology (AIBN)

• Full-time (100%), fixed-term position for up to 12 months

• Base salary will be in the range $117,958.12 - $132,247.57+ 17% Superannuation (HEW 8)

• Based at our vibrant St Lucia Campus

About This Opportunity 

The BASE Facility at the University of Queensland is seeking a Software Developer (HEW 8) to join our team of mRNA scientists. In this role, you will lead the development of a software platform for the design of mRNA medicines. You will be responsible for managing the software lifecycle, including programming, engineering, and maintaining software. Additionally, you will provide support for the use of the mRNA design software by BASE scientists, industry partners, and the international research community. 

You will work within a dynamic team of BASE scientists at world-class laboratory facilities at the University of Queensland, designing new mRNA medicines for research and development. As the field of mRNA technology is advancing rapidly, the role requires attentive, adaptable, and agile approach to developing specialized biotechnology software for mRNA design. This is a unique opportunity to work with biologists and clinicians at the forefront of biological research to develop new mRNA medicines. 

Key responsibilities will include: 

• Develop mRNA design software – coding, maintaining and managing software using industry best practices.  

• Ensure software complies with coding standards and architectural design, including writing and maintaining unit and integration tests.

• Add new software features and capabilities informed by advances in mRNA sciences. 

• Contribute to the preparation of manuscripts for publication, technical reports, and other research-related documents. 

• Provide project-management, guidance and supervision of other BASE scientists where appropriate. 

About UQ

As part of the UQ community, you will have the opportunity to work alongside the brightest minds, who have joined us from all over the world.

Everyone here has a role to play. As a member of our professional staff cohort, you will be actively involved in working towards our vision of a better world. By supporting the academic endeavour across teaching, research, and the student life, you will have the opportunity to contribute to activities that have a lasting impact on our community.

Join a community where excellence is at the core of our culture, contributions are valued and a range of benefits and rewards are available, such as:

• Up to 26 weeks paid parental leave or 14 weeks paid primary caregiver leave

• 17% superannuation contributions

• 17.5% annual leave loading

• Access to flexible working arrangements

• Health and wellness discounts – fitness passport access, free yearly flu vaccinations, discounted health insurance, and access to our Employee Assistance Program for staff and their immediate family

• UQ Study for Staff

• On campus childcare options

• Affordable parking (from just $5.75 a day)

• Salary packaging options

About You

• BSc, MSc or PhD in computational science or a related field with a strong background in software engineering. 

• Proven experience in software development (>3 years), including software design, implementation, and maintenance. 

• Proficiency in programming languages such as Python, R, C#, and SQL. 

• Familiarity with high-performance computing, cloud computing (e.g., AWS), GPUs, and DevOps tools, including version control, unit testing, and continuous integration/deployment (CI/CD) methods. 

• A systematic approach to problem-solving, taking responsibility for your work and delivering high-quality, well documented, maintainable code. 

• Strong understanding of software versioning tools (e.g., Git) and software lifecycle management. 

• Experience in maintaining unit testing and integration testing standards. 

• Good UI/UX skills with the ability to create intuitive and user-friendly public-facing web applications. 

• Knowledge of implementing, maintaining, and ensuring the security of software on Amazon Web Services (AWS) or other cloud platforms. 

• Excellent skills in technical documentation, ensuring software is accessible to non-specialist users. 

• Ability to work collaboratively with diverse stakeholders in a fast-paced environment to refine software scope, design, and functionality. 

• Exposure to bioinformatics, biomedical applications, or pharmacology is beneficial but not essential. 

Appointment to this role is subject to the successful completion of relevant pre-employment checks, which may include verification of the right to work in Australia, qualifications, criminal history checks, and other role-specific requirements such as mandatory immunisations, First Aid and/or CPR certification, and Blue Card checks. This may also include checks relating to gender-based violence matters or other integrity and conduct requirements.

You must maintain unrestricted work rights in Australia for the duration of this appointment to apply. Employer sponsored work rights are not available for this appointment.

Questions? 

For more information about this opportunity, please contact Dr. Helen Gunter at h.gunter@uq.edu.au . 

For application inquiries, please reach out to the Talent Acquisition team at talent@uq.edu.au , stating the job reference number (below) in the subject line. 

Want to Apply? 

All applicants must upload the following documents in order for your application to be considered:

• Cover letter summarising how your background aligns to the ‘About You’ section  

• Resume 

Other Information 

UQ is committed to a fair, equitable and inclusive selection process, which recognises that some applicants may face additional barriers and challenges which have impacted and/or continue to impact their career trajectory. Candidates who don’t meet all criteria are encouraged to apply and demonstrate their potential. The selection panel considers both potential and performance relative to opportunities when assessing suitability for the role.  

We know one of our strengths as an institution lies in our diverse colleagues. We're dedicated to equity, diversity, and inclusion , fostering an environment that mirrors our wider community. We're committed to attracting, retaining, and promoting diverse talent. Reach out to talent@uq.edu.au  for accessibility support or adjustments. 

Applications close Wednesday 28 January 2026 at 11.00pm AEST (R-60038). Please note that interviews have been tentatively scheduled for end January 2026.