Software Platform Engineer - Self-Driving Labs (m/f/d)
- CTC Leipzig
- Presence / Mobile
- Fulltime
- published till: 2026-06-14
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 workflows. This requires an advanced software infrastructure that ties together robotic systems, AI-driven decision-making, experiment orchestration, and scientific data management into a coherent, scalable platform. Within this infrastructure, the software backend ensures that all components communicate reliably, workflows execute reproducibly, and the system can scale with the institute’s growing research needs.
The successful candidate will join an existing, growing team of robotics engineers, computer scientists, and chemists to help build the software backend that powers our self-driving chemistry labs. At an early and exciting stage of development, this is an opportunity to shape foundational decisions while contributing to a functioning, collaborative team from day one.
For our office and future laboratory site in Leipzig, we are searching for a
Software Platform Engineer – Self-Driving Labs (m/f/d)
Planned starting date for the position is Aug 1, 2026. The position is limited for two years, with an option for an extension.
Your key responsibilities
Backend Platform Development
- Implement and maintain the core software platform for self-driving lab systems, including the service layer, internal APIs, and data flow between subsystems
- Build and maintain the workflow orchestration backend that schedules, coordinates, and monitors automated experiment execution across robotic and computational systems
- Implement communication patterns and interfaces between the robotics layer, AI/ML decision engines, and data infrastructure
- Ensure platform reliability, fault tolerance, and reproducibility — including logging, error handling, and system state management at scale
- Apply software engineering best practices: version control, CI/CD pipelines, testing strategies, and documentation standards
Infrastructure & Data Backbone
- Build backend data pipelines that capture, structure, and route experimental data from automated workflows into downstream storage and analysis systems
- Develop internal tooling and developer interfaces that allow engineers, computer scientists, and chemists to interact with the platform without coupling to its internals
- Evaluate and adopt relevant open-source technologies and contribute back to the scientific software community in line with CTC’s open science mission
Collaboration & Operational Support
- Work closely with engineers, computer scientists, and chemists to translate research requirements into robust backend systems
- Provide technical support to team members across disciplines
- Develop and maintain comprehensive technical documentation to ensure long-term maintainability and knowledge transfer
Requirements
- M.Sc. or PhD in Computer Science, Software Engineering, or a related field. A PhD is an asset but not required
- Three (3) to six (6) years of hands-on experience (inclusive of graduate work) in backend software development or platform engineering
- Demonstrated experience building distributed systems, service-oriented or microservice architectures, and internal APIs
- Practical experience developing and operating reliable backend platforms in complex, multi-stakeholder environments
- Experience building data pipelines and managing data flow across heterogeneous systems
- Track record of working collaboratively in multidisciplinary teams, ideally in a research or R&D setting
- Familiarity with workflow orchestration frameworks (e.g., Prefect, Airflow, or custom-built equivalents) is an asset
- Experience with Self-Driving Labs or scientific computing environments is an asset but not required
- Proficiency in Python; experience with additional languages (e.g., Go, TypeScript, C++) is a plus
- Strong understanding of software design patterns, distributed systems, API design, and event-driven architectures
- Proficiency in Git, CI/CD tooling, containerization (Docker/Kubernetes), and modern software development practices
- Strong and effective communicator in oral and written English
- Able to work independently and collaboratively within a fast-paced research environment
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: 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
- Access to strong scientific and economic networks at regional, national, and international levels
- 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!
