Research Software Engineer​/Technical Lead, Research Software Support Network

Research Software Engineer / Technical Lead, Research Software Support Network

Johns Hopkins University seeks a Research Software Engineer (RSE) who will devote 50% of their time as Technical Lead for the Research Software Support Network (RSSN) and 50% as an RSE for the Data Science and AI Institute (DSAI). The RSE will report to the DSAI Director of Engineering and maintain a dotted‑line relationship with the RSSN Program Manager in the Open Source Programs Office (OSPO) of JHU Sheridan Libraries.

The RSSN role is funded for two years, after which time the position will remain but time allocations between the two roles may shift.

DSAI is a pan‑institutional initiative at Johns Hopkins to advance artificial intelligence and its applications through investments in software engineering, data science, and machine learning. It brings together the mathematical, computational, and ethical foundations of AI with domains of Health & Medicine, Scientific Discovery, Engineered Systems, Security & Safety, and People, Policy & Governance. The RSE will work at the cutting edge of modern science in collaboration with DSAI‑affiliated faculty on projects ranging from short‑term consultations to large, multiyear AI and data science initiatives.

Governed by a community of campus partners, the RSSN is a centralized hub connecting researchers who develop software with essential support services across JHU. It provides pathways to expertise, tools, and best practices, enabling researchers and software engineers of all skill levels to create more robust and sustainable software for scientific research.

RSSN

• Provides technical expertise for a new campus‑wide initiative connecting researchers with support services.
• Contributes to the development of a comprehensive research software assessment instrument.
• Conducts technical analyses during project assessments.
• Provides engineering perspectives to help researchers identify project goals and access appropriate support pathways.
• Maintains a collaborative, empathetic approach, serving as a partner rather than an evaluator, understanding that many people hesitate to ask for help.
• Works independently under the supervision of the Program Manager, collaborating closely with the Project Administrator on day‑to‑day assessment operations.
• Develops and refines the Research Software Assessment Instrument and Assessment Workflow (evaluation criteria, technical analysis frameworks).
• Provides technical analysis of research software projects, covering code quality, architecture, infrastructure needs, sustainability considerations, and alignment with best practices.
• Documents and creates training materials for the assessment process.
• Evaluates the assessment accuracy and appropriateness of recommended support pathways.
• Contributes to engineering perspectives in RSSN governance and planning discussions.
• Evaluates research software projects created by others and provides guidance on development practices, sustainability planning, and appropriate support pathways aimed at increasing the impact of such projects, though it does not maintain or develop software systems directly.

DSAI

• Participates in groundbreaking research projects requiring advanced software solutions and expertise in software engineering not commonly found in scientific collaborations.
• Projects may require creation of AI/ML solutions using the latest deep learning libraries trained on state‑of‑the‑art hardware.
• Projects may involve analysis of massive datasets either in the cloud or on premises.
• Projects may require novel data science techniques, software pipelines for real‑time high‑frequency data processing, and design of complex database models for storing and disseminating scientific datasets.
• Some projects may require deep engagement, potentially leading to co‑authorship on scientific publications; others may involve casual consulting engagements.
• Projects may require software solutions developed from scratch or refactored to meet industry standards (quality, efficiency, reusability, robustness, portability, documentation, etc.).
• A high‑level goal of DSAI is to translate individual project efforts…