Research Software Engineer

Affiliated Office Address
Baltimore, MD, United States

Requisition ID
121942

Job Function
Information Technology

Exempt Status
Exempt

Shift Type
Full Time

Schedule
M-F, 37.5 hrs wkly

Worksite
02-MD:Mount Washington Campus

Work Modality
Hybrid: On-site 60-89% of hours worked (Ex: 3-4 out of 5 days/week)

The Johns Hopkins Data Science and AI Institute (DSAI) is a pan-institutional initiative at Johns Hopkins to advance artificial intelligence and its applications, in part through investments in the software engineering, data science, and machine learning space. DSAI is focused on revolutionizing discovery by advancing artificial intelligence that evolves collaboratively with human intelligence, combining the strengths of each for the betterment of society and the world in which we live. DSAI will bring together the mathematical, computational, and ethical foundations of AI with the domains of Health & Medicine, Scientific Discovery, Engineered Systems, Security & Safety, and People, Policy & Governance.

DSAI seeks multiple Research Software Engineers with strong academic and industry background focused on designing and building software for state-of-the-art AI and data science applications across diverse scientific domains. The successful candidates will work at the cutting edge of modern science in collaboration with DSAI affiliated faculty at Johns Hopkins University (JHU) on projects ranging from consulting and short-term service engagements to large, multiyear AI and data science initiatives and applications. DSAI will address the growing demand for high-quality professional software engineers within academia who can build dynamic, scalable, open software to facilitate accelerated scientific discovery across disciplines.

The DSAI engineers will be at the forefront of modern data intensive science, where professionally developed software is rapidly becoming a key ingredient for success. The DSAI initiative includes the build-out of a substantive and professional-scale software engineering capability.

Specific Duties & Responsibilities

• Work collaboratively in a team with other RSEs and scientists.
• Participates in ground-breaking research projects that need advanced software solutions requiring expertise in software engineering not commonly found in scientific collaborations. The projects may,
  • Require the creation of AI/ML solutions using the latest deep learning libraries trained on state-of-the-art hardware.
  • Involve analysis of massive data sets either in the cloud or on premises.
  • Require creation of novel data science techniques, software pipelines for processing of real-time high-frequency data processing workflows and may need the design of complex database models for storing and disseminating scientific data sets.
  • Require deep engagement, possibly leading to co-authorship on scientific publications, while others may involve a more casual consulting engagement.
  • Require software solutions developed from scratch or refactoring existing solutions to make them conform to industry standards (quality, efficiency, reusability, robustness, portability, documentation, etc.).
  • It is a high-level goal of DSAI to translate the efforts for individual projects into frameworks and template patterns for sustainable scientific infrastructure benefiting future projects.
• Develop software to implement novel scientific research algorithms.
• Create and run data processing workflows utilizing on-premise or cloud-based computing infrastructure.
• Develop data models.
• Co-author scientific publications describing software and/or other contributions.
• Translate recurring themes from specific projects into frameworks and template patterns for sustainable scientific infrastructure benefiting future projects.

Lead and participate in service activities, potentially including

• Providing guidance to faculty, staff, and students on AI, data science and software engineering.
• Developing and delivering presentations and short courses.
• Attending conferences and workshops.
• Code quality reviews.
• Hiring.
• Other activities as needed.

Special knowledge, skills, and abilities required

• Expert-level knowledge of Python and/or C++ and willingness to learn other languages as needed.
• Expert-level knowledge of multiple modern AI/ML, vision, NLP, bioinformatics and/or mathematical or computational libraries.
• Familiarity with software containerization technologies such as Docker and Singularity.
• Familiarity with RESTful web service principles and development.
• Familiarity with SQL and relational database principles and development.
• Fluency in the Linux operating system and related tools.
• Familiarity with modern software engineering best practices, such as Git source control, peer code review, test-driven development, build automation and continuous integration / continuous delivery.
• Familiarity with cloud development and deployment.
• Demonstrated leadership and self-direction.
• Willingness to teach others both informally and in short course format.
• Willingness to continually learn new tools and techniques as needed.
• Excellent verbal and written communication.

Minimum Qualifications

• Masters in a quantitative discipline, such as Computer Science, Engineering, Physics or Bioinformatics with strong scientific computing and/or mathematics background.
• Three (3) year's experience working in software development in large projects and three (3) year's experience in development and application of
  • AI/ML- developing, training and applying state of the art models in practical scientific applications aligned with DSAI domains, or
  • Data science - modeling, transforming, applying ETL pipelines, and similar operations to complex data sets at scale.
• Additional education may substitute for required experience, and additional related experience may substitute for required education beyond a high school diploma/graduation equivalent, to the extent permitted by the JHU equivalency formula.

Preferred Qualifications

• PhD in a quantitative discipline (highly preferred).
• Five (5) years’ experience as above in either AI/ML or data science concentration.
• Experience developing, training, fine-tuning and applying LLMs and/or foundational models.
• Experience deploying AI models onto clinical platforms.
• Experience with large scale scientific simulations or simulations of air/terrestrial/sea vehicles.
• Familiarity with data formats common in scientific domains such as medical imaging, genomic sequences, proteins, chemical structures, geospatial, oceanographic, and health record data.
• Experience in CUDA GPU programming.
• Experience authoring open-source Python packages in PyPI.
• Experience in open-source project governance.
• Experience in open-source community adoption initiatives.

Total Rewards
The referenced base salary range represents the low and high end of Johns Hopkins University’s salary range for this position. Not all candidates will be eligible for the upper end of the salary range. Exact salary will ultimately depend on multiple factors, which may include the successful candidate's geographic location, skills, work experience, market conditions, education/training and other qualifications. Johns Hopkins offers a total rewards package that supports our employees' health, life, career and retirement. More information can be found here:

Education and Experience Equivalency
Please refer to the job description above to see which forms of equivalency are permitted for this position. If permitted, equivalencies will follow these guidelines: JHU Equivalency Formula: 30 undergraduate degree credits (semester hours) or 18 graduate degree credits may substitute for one year of experience. Additional related experience may substitute for required education on the same basis. For jobs where equivalency is permitted, up to two years of non-related college course work may be applied towards the total minimum education/experience required for the respective job.

Applicants Completing Studies
Applicants who do not meet the posted requirements but are completing their final academic semester/quarter will be considered eligible for employment and may be asked to provide additional information confirming their academic completion date.

Background Checks
The successful candidate(s) for this position will be subject to a pre-employment background check. Johns Hopkins is committed to hiring individuals with a justice-involved background, consistent with applicable policies and current practice. A prior criminal history does not automatically preclude candidates from employment at Johns Hopkins University. In accordance with applicable law, the university will review, on an individual basis, the date of a candidate's conviction, the nature of the conviction and how the conviction relates to an essential job-related qualification or function.

Diversity and Inclusion
The Johns Hopkins University values diversity, equity and inclusion and advances these through our key strategic framework, the JHU Roadmap on Diversity and Inclusion.

Equal Opportunity Employer
All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, color, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, national origin, disability, or status as a protected veteran.

EEO is the Law
https://www.eeoc.gov/sites/default/files/2023-06/22-088_EEOC_KnowYourRights6.12ScreenRdr.pdf

Accommodation Information
If you are interested in applying for employment with The Johns Hopkins University and require special assistance or accommodation during any part of the pre-employment process, please contact the Talent Acquisition Office at jhurecruitment@jhu.edu. For TTY users, call via Maryland Relay or dial 711. For more information about workplace accommodations or accessibility at Johns Hopkins University, please visit: https://accessibility.jhu.edu/.

Vaccine Requirements
Johns Hopkins University requires all faculty, staff, and students to receive the seasonal flu vaccine. Exceptions to the flu vaccine requirements may be provided to individuals for religious beliefs or medical reasons. Requests for an exception must be submitted to the JHU vaccination registry.

The following additional provisions may apply, depending upon campus. Your recruiter will advise accordingly.
The pre-employment physical for positions in clinical areas, laboratories, working with research subjects, or involving community contact requires documentation of immune status against Rubella (German measles), Rubeola (Measles), Mumps, Varicella (chickenpox), Hepatitis B and documentation of having received the Tdap (Tetanus, diphtheria, pertussis) vaccination. This may include documentation of having two (2) MMR vaccines; two (2) Varicella vaccines; or antibody status to these diseases from laboratory testing. Blood tests for immunities to these diseases are ordinarily included in the pre-employment physical exam except for those employees who provide results of blood tests or immunization documentation from their own health care providers. Any vaccinations required for these diseases will be given at no cost in our Occupational Health office.