Software Engineer, Internal Platforms
The Software Engineer for Internal Platforms at Confidential Client is responsible for maintaining and extending critical business software that supports DNA manufacturing operations. This role involves hands-on work across application code, cloud infrastructure, data pipelines, and integrations, ensuring reliable production systems and translating operational needs into effective software solutions. The engineer works closely with manufacturing and operations teams to improve workflows and automate processes within a dynamic biotech startup environment.
About Careertakes
👉 Important disclosure: Careertakes is a third-party recruiting platform supporting this hiring process. If selected, you will be employed directly by our client, Biotechnology Research.
Applicants for this role may also receive access to additional matched opportunities through the Careertakes platform.
Role overview
Confidential Client is seeking a hands-on Software Engineer, Internal Platforms to own the health and evolution of production-critical internal systems. This role is focused on keeping Python services, data pipelines, integrations, and operational tooling running reliably — and shipping practical features that remove manual work from manufacturing and operations teams. This is a full-stack, production-support, and internal-tools position; strong judgment about data modeling and reliable execution matter more than narrow specializations.
What You’ll Do
- Keep Python services and cloud-deployed systems in production running reliably
- Investigate and resolve operational incidents that block real business processes
- Ship small-to-medium features across application, infra, and data layers
- Improve monitoring, deployment, and overall reliability
- Build and maintain integrations between internal systems and third-party tools
- Partner with manufacturing and operations teams to translate needs into software
- Migrate processes out of spreadsheets into structured systems and schemas
- Improve data pipelines and automation to reduce manual steps
- Document systems and operational runbooks for on-call and handoffs
Technologies & Tools
- Python, REST APIs
- PostgreSQL and relational data modeling
- Google Cloud (Cloud Run and GCP services)
- Data pipelines and ETL tooling
- Jira, Google Sheets, MES / Inventory systems
- Test-driven development (TDD) practices and production support tooling
You don’t need experience with every tool listed — you should be the kind of engineer who picks up unfamiliar tools quickly and becomes productive within days.
Qualifications
- BS or higher in Computer Science, Computer Engineering, or a closely related field (strong formal grounding in CS fundamentals is required)
- 3+ years of professional software engineering experience
- Strong Python skills and practical experience shipping production services
- Solid SQL skills and real relational modeling instincts (cardinality, schema-first thinking)
- Comfortable with or eager to adopt TDD
- Experience deploying and operating cloud services in production
- Ability to read and orient yourself in unfamiliar codebases without hand-holding
- Ability to independently diagnose and resolve production issues
- Clear communicator with non‑software stakeholders (operations, manufacturing, lab)
- Plus one of the following: domain experience in biotech / molecular biology / lab environments; or strong demonstrated interest in biotech and a track record of gathering requirements in interdisciplinary teams
Nice to Have
- Manufacturing, operations, or lab environment experience
- Google Cloud Platform experience
- Workflow automation and internal tooling background
- On-call or production support experience
- Previous work at startups or small engineering teams
What Success Looks Like at Six Months
- Independently support most production systems and own incident response
- Diagnose and resolve operational incidents without escalation
- Own and ship routine features that deliver measurable operational value
- Understand the core manufacturing and business workflows
- Be the go-to person colleagues rely on to get things fixed or automated
Compensation & Location
- Base salary: $130,000 – $165,000 plus benefits and equity
- Location: Charlottesville, VA or Remote within the United States
This posting complies with applicable U.S. hiring laws. Confidential Client and Careertakes provide reasonable accommodations for applicants with disabilities; please state accommodation needs in your application materials or contact us. We prohibit discrimination in hiring and employment and encourage candidates from all backgrounds to apply.
Equal Opportunity & Hiring Transparency
Careertakes and our client are Equal Opportunity Employers committed to building a diverse and inclusive workforce. We prohibit discrimination or harassment of any kind. To support a fair and efficient hiring process, AI tools may be used to assist with application review or resume screening. These tools do not replace human decision-making. Final hiring decisions are made by people.
If you have questions about how your data is used, please contact us directly.
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