Scientific Programmer / Bioinformatician

The Gerlich laboratory at IMBA is seeking a motivated Scientific Programmer / Bioinformatician to join an interdisciplinary team studying fundamental mechanisms of chromosome organization, DNA repair, and cell division. We combine advanced microscopy, high-throughput sequencing, and biophysical approaches to address core questions in cell biology.

IMBA is one of Europe's leading life-science research institutes, funded by the Austrian Academy of Sciences, and is located at the Vienna BioCenter – an international hub hosting universities, research institutes, and biotechnology companies. The environment is highly collaborative, international, and strongly focused on basic research excellence. The working language is English.

In this position, you will work at the interface of computation and experiment, developing and applying computational methods to analyze large-scale microscopy and genomics datasets. You will be a key member of a computational sub-team that includes computer scientists and computational PhD students, fostering an interactive environment of technical exchange, code review, mutual support, and collaborative problem-solving.

You will contribute to ongoing research projects and have the opportunity to shape and lead independent computational efforts, taking intellectual ownership of methodological development in close collaboration with experimental scientists.

Our group develops and maintains open-source software for data analysis, including HiCognition (https://www.hicognition.com) for interactive exploration of genomics data, as well as custom tools for automated image analysis and quantitative microscopy. Contributions to scientific publications, including co-authorship, are an integral part of the position.

Responsibilities

• Design and implement analysis pipelines for high-throughput microscopy and sequencing data
• Develop novel image-analysis and machine-learning approaches for quantitative cell biology
• Create robust, well-documented software tools, primarily in Python
• Translate complex experimental datasets into interpretable visualizations
• Collaborate closely with experimental scientists and support them in data analysis and interpretation

Required qualifications

• A degree (BSc, MSc, or PhD) in Computer Science, Bioinformatics, Physics, Biology, or a related field
• Solid experience in scientific programming and software development (Python preferred)
• Experience with image analysis and/or genomics data analysis
• Ability to build customized data-processing workflows from raw data to final visualization
• Proficiency in written and spoken English, with strong communication and collaboration skills

Preferred qualifications

• Experience with machine learning or statistical modeling
• Familiarity with high-performance computing or cloud-based analysis environments
• Prior contributions to open-source scientific software

• A stimulating, international research environment with close interaction between computation and experiment
• Access to state-of-the-art imaging, sequencing, and computational infrastructure
• Opportunities for scientific independence, skill development, and authorship on high-impact publications
• The annual gross salary for this position ranges from €71,000 to €80,000, depending on qualifications and experience.
• A workplace in Vienna, consistently ranked among the world's most livable cities

Applications should include:

• A motivation letter and CV describing scientific interests and relevant experience
• Contact details for two referees
• Links to selected GitHub (or similar) repositories or representative code samples

Please submit your application online by February 22, 2026 using the button below. Applications received after this date may be considered until the position is filled.

Further information

www.oeaw.ac.at/imba/research/daniel-gerlich

IMBA is committed to equal opportunity and values diversity. We encourage applications from all qualified candidates, regardless of background.

IMBA - Institut für Molekulare Biotechnologie GmbH
www.imba.oeaw.ac.at; www.viennabiocenter.org