Software Engineer (m/f/d)
- CTC Leipzig
- Fulltime
- published till: 31.03.2026
The Center for the Transformation of Chemistry (CTC), a newly founded national research hub in Germany, is supported by €1.25 billion in funding (until 2038) and is dedicated to redefining the role of chemistry in tackling global challenges. It brings together researchers from across disciplines such as chemistry, physics, engineering, data science, and social sciences to develop sustainable materials, processes, and technologies that support a circular economy. The CTC is structured around collaborative, mission-driven research groups and state-of-the-art facilities, fostering open science, innovation, and industry partnerships. Its core mission is not only to advance cutting-edge chemistry but also to train the next generation of scientists and entrepreneurs who will drive the transformation of chemistry for a sustainable society.
Part of this mission is the comprehensive digitalization, automation and standardization of chemical research. This requires an advanced digital infrastructure, that tackles many aspects of the research process which are traditionally performed manually. Within the realm of research data management and processing, the main contribution to such a digital infrastructure are user-friendly data-ingestion systems, automated data processing pipelines and decentralized but centrally managed data storage systems.
The CTC is currently seeking to strengthen its Data Management team for its Leipzig location with the hiring of a
Software Engineer (m/f/d)
Planned starting date for the position is May 1, 2026. The position is limited for two years, i.e., until April 30, 2028, with an option for an extension.
You will work with the Data Management team at implementing an open-source-powered software stack for the automated extraction and processing of analytical and computational data as well as integration with an Electronic Lab Notebook (ELN). The goal is a largely automated system that extracts and processes research data as it is being created, while requiring minimal user input from researchers. Part of your duties may involve the design of user-facing functionalities, e.g., for data inventories. This is a mostly in-person position, with 3-4 days (depending on project status) spent in the office, with the remainder of your working time done via remote work. You will work in a mostly English-speaking environment.
Your key responsibilities
- Design and implementation of software that facilitates extraction, processing and handling workflows of diverse data streams
- Configuration of open-source components for data ecosystem
- Development and maintenance of workflow automation
- Collaboration with scientists to translate research requirements into scalable and reproducible software solutions
- Integration of workflows with HPC and/or cloud systems
- Providing technical support and documentation to researchers
Requirements
- Bachelor’s or Master’s degree in Computer Science, Engineering, Physics or related field
- Experience in a chemistry lab or with chemical data is beneficial
- Strong programming skills in at least one interpreted programming language (e.g., Python) and one shell scripting language (e.g., bash)
- Additional programming skills in either Ruby, JavaScript or C/C++ desirable
- Experience with Linux environments and containerization (Docker, Podman or Singularity/Apptainer)
- Familiarity with version control (Git) and modern software development practices
- Experience with CI/CD tools (Gitlab CI, Github Actions) desirable
- Experience with HPC systems (Slurm, etc.), cloud environments (Microsoft Azure, AWS, etc.) and workflow automation tools (Apache Airflow, CWL, etc.) desirable
- Fluency in English
What we offer
- The opportunity to support groundbreaking research and contribute to the CTC’s growth on its path toward becoming one of the largest research centers for chemistry in Europe.
- Salary: Up to E 13 TVöD (Bund) depending on the candidate’s qualifications.
- The chance to work in a dynamic, collaborative, and international environment embedded in a highly motivated team.
- A high degree of personal responsibility and the freedom to pursue independent ideas.
- Individual support services fostering professional and personal growth.
- Conditions and social benefits of public service, including 30 days of vacation (based on a 5-day work week), annual special payments, and additional pension benefits (VBL).
- Subsidy for a public transport job ticket
The CTC strives for gender equality and diversity. We welcome applications from all backgrounds. We are committed to increasing the number of individuals with disabilities in its workforce and therefore encourage applications from such qualified individuals. Furthermore, the CTC seeks to increase the number of women in those areas where they are underrepresented and therefore explicitly encourages women to apply.
Does this opportunity interest you? If so, our HR team looks forward to your detailed application, including a cover letter, which you can submit through our online application portal.
Learn more about the CTC and our mission at:
https://transforming-chemistry.org/
Join us in shaping the future of chemistry and making a lasting impact!
