Senior Software Engineer I

Elsevier / Reaxys

Senior Software Engineer - MedChem

Location: Frankfurt, Germany (Hybrid)

About Reaxys:

Reaxys is a comprehensive and powerful cloud hosted and deep-tech data searching tool that is used by thousands of chemists, researchers and students throughout the world to retrieve chemistry patents, chemical reactions, substance data and other related chemistry information using a highly performant chemical structure search engine. Supported by continuous updates and robust taxonomies, Reaxys can be searched using natural language, drawn chemical structures, formulas, physical property parameters, and more. Trusted for over 30 years by large pharma, innovative startups, large tech, private and public sector research hubs and universities alike, Reaxys is a partner to the pharma, medicinal chemistry and chemical industries. 

About the Role:

We are looking for a skilled Bioinformatics (or Cheminformatics) Software Engineer with a strong background in software development combined with expertise in biological taxonomy and data integration to join Reaxys engineering team. This role involves designing, developing, and maintaining software tools and pipelines that handle complex biological and chemistry data, manage taxonomic information, and link diverse datasets to support cutting-edge bioinformatics/cheminformatics research. You will work in a global environment, collaborating with colleagues across continents, and leveraging the latest AI-powered development tools.

Key Responsibilities:

• Develop, maintain, and optimize software applications and pipelines for managing biological taxonomy data and related bioinformatics datasets.

• Design and implement robust data handling workflows to process, validate, and curate large-scale biological data.

• Integrate heterogeneous data sources by establishing and maintaining links between taxonomic records, genomic data, protein information, and other biological entities.

• Collaborate with biologists, chemists, data scientists, and software engineers to understand domain-specific requirements and translate them into effective technical solutions.

• Ensure data quality and consistency by implementing rigorous validation and verification processes.

• Contribute to the development of APIs, databases, and user interfaces that facilitate access to taxonomy and linked data.

• Stay current with advances in bioinformatics, taxonomy standards (e.g., NCBI Taxonomy, SKOS), and software engineering best practices.

Required Qualifications:

• Master's or equivalent degree in Bioinformatics, Cheminformatics, Computational Biology /Chemistry or allied fields

• 3+ years of professional software engineering experience in Python, Java or C++

• Strong understanding of biological taxonomy concepts and standards

• Experience with data integration, linking, and management in bioinformatics or related domains

• Familiarity with databases (SQL/NoSQL), RDF, SPARQL, or other semantic web technologies is a plus

• Ability to work collaboratively in multidisciplinary teams and communicate technical concepts clearly

• Attention to detail and commitment to producing high-quality, maintainable code.

Preferred Qualifications:

• Experience leading small initiatives or working independently

• Participation in technical communities, meetups, or internal presentations

• Good understanding of testing methodologies to ensure data quality and integrity

Work in a way that works for you:

We promote a healthy work/life balance across the organisation. We offer an appealing working prospect for our people. With numerous wellbeing initiatives, shared parental leave, study assistance and sabbaticals, we will help you meet your immediate responsibilities and your long-term goals.

• ​Work on a high-impact platform used by scientists and innovators worldwide

• Embrace the future of software engineering with AI development tools

• Collaborate with a diverse, global team.

• Flexible hybrid work environment

About the business:

A global leader in information and analytics, we help researchers and healthcare professionals advance science and improve health outcomes for the benefit of society. Building on our publishing heritage, we combine quality information and vast data sets with analytics to support visionary science and research, health education and interactive learning, as well as exceptional healthcare and clinical practice. What you do every day will help advance science and healthcare to advance human progress.

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