IBIS is seeking a technically skilled and strategically minded Principal Software Engineer to develop and lead for a scalable, web-based data and collaboration platform supporting global research in sustainable bioengineering. This platform will be central to the Initiative for Biofertilizer Innovation and Science’s (IBIS) mission of enabling research communities worldwide to produce biofertilizers using shared knowledge, reproducible methods, and open-access data, to increase the worlds food supply – you can read more about IBIS here .

Design and Build IBIS’s Global Research Data Platform
The platform will manage experimental data, metadata, inventory, sensor outputs, and collaborative workflows across international research teams. It will support data from both laboratory automation and field-based research, and eventually offer public access to curated datasets, visualizations, and basic analysis tools — governed by secure identity and access management (IAM) systems. This role requires close collaboration with DTU’s IT teams to ensure that all solutions are strategically aligned with existing data storage, security, and computational infrastructure.

Key Responsibilities:

• Architect and develop a modular, web-accessible platform for managing research data and automation workflows.
• Design backend systems and databases compatible with DTU central and DTU Bioengineering’s on-premises infrastructure.
• Build intuitive user interfaces and APIs to support collaboration across international research teams.
• The platform must integrate data from lab automation systems and field devices.
• Collaborate with IT teams at DTU and collaborators to ensure infrastructure compatibility and scalability.
• Support future extensions for public-facing tools, data visualizations, and lightweight analysis environments
• Contribute to the platform’s documentation, onboarding materials, and long-term maintainability strategy

Our expectations of you
The ideal candidate is a creative and independent developer with strong technical foundations and a strategic mindset. You are detail-oriented, adaptable, and eager to build impactful digital infrastructure. If you're passionate about open science, global collaboration, and sustainable bioengineering, we invite you to apply and help shape a platform that empowers researchers and communities worldwide

Skills and Qualifications:

• A degree in Computer Science, Software Engineering, Information Technology, or a related field.
• Minimum 3 years of relevant work experience
• Proven experience in full-stack development and backend architecture.
• Strong command of at least one programming language suited for scripting, data handling, and web development
• Experience working with web application frameworks and server-side technologies to build scalable systems
• Familiarity with modern frontend development practices and building intuitive user interfaces
• Understanding of structured and unstructured data systems, including experience with both relational and non-relational databases.
• Experience designing and deploying modular web applications and APIs
• Hands-on experience implementing secure identity and access management systems, including single sign-on (SSO) integration
• Comfort with containerization, orchestration, and deploying applications across cloud or on-premise environments
• Understanding of FAIR data principles and scientific metadata standards.
• Experience with integrating data from laboratory automation systems or IoT devices is a strong plus.
• Familiarity with how researchers use computational notebooks (e.g., Jupyter, Google Colab, VS Code) and scientific data platforms (e.g., openBIS, Benchling, Labguru etc) is considered a plus.
• Strong communication skills and ability to collaborate with IT and interdisciplinary teams of life science researchers.
• Ability to work independently in a fast-evolving research environment.

What we offer in return
We offer an interesting and challenging job in an international atmosphere with the focus on research, teaching, innovation, and scientific advice for the benefit of the surrounding community. We place emphasis on a high level of professionalism among our staff, so skills development is an integral part of our organization. We offer great flexibility in the position. In the area of technical and natural sciences, DTU is one of the leading research and education institutions in Europe. 

Salary and appointment terms
The appointment will be based on the collective agreement with the Danish Confederation of Professional Associations (AC), or in accordance with the OAO-S Joint Agreement and the organization agreement for IT employees (Prosa) in the service of the state. 

The position is for four years, with a starting date of January  1st 2026 or as soon as possible thereafter.

Application and contact
Please submit your online application no later than 18 November 2025 (23:59 Danish time) . Open the “Apply now” link, fill out the form and attach your motivated application, CV, and exam certificates.

If you would like additional information about the position, please contact Professor Rasmus J.N. Frandsen (rasf@dtu.dk ) or Senior Data Strategy Officer Ajuna Azad (ajuaza@dtu.dk ). Evaluation and interviews of applicants will be initiated before the end of the deadline. 

Applications received after the deadline will not be considered.

All interested candidates irrespective of age, gender, disability, race, religion or ethnic background are encouraged to apply. As DTU works with research in critical technology, which is subject to special rules for security and export control, open-source background checks may be conducted on qualified candidates for the position.

The Department of Biotechnology and Biomedicine (DTU Bioengineering) is an international leader in biotechnology and biomedicine. We focus on the needs of the life-science industry and are oriented towards innovation, new companies, and scientific services for the benefit of society. The department has extensive collaboration with national and international research units and industry. DTU Bioengineering has approximately 400 employees, of which 2/3 are scientific staff. The department is located at DTU Lyngby Campus.

Technology for people
DTU develops technology for people. With our international elite research and study programmes, we are helping to create a better world and to solve the global challenges formulated in the UN’s 17 Sustainable Development Goals. Hans Christian Ørsted founded DTU in 1829 with a clear mission to develop and create value using science and engineering to benefit society. That mission lives on today. DTU has 13,500 students and 6,000 employees. We work in an international atmosphere and have an inclusive, evolving, and informal working environment. DTU has campuses in all parts of Denmark and in Greenland, and we collaborate with the best universities around the world.