Research Software Engineer - Laboratory of Dr. Talmo Pereira

Job Category
:
Research Sciences

Requisition Number
: RESEA
002853

• Posted :
  September 25, 2026
• Full-Time
• On-site

Showing 1 location

The Pereira Lab at the Salk Institute for Biological Studies is seeking a Research Software Engineer to build and maintain the software that turns computer vision models into biological discovery. The lab develops SLEAP, an open-source deep learning framework for markerless pose estimation used by research groups worldwide, and operates the research software, analysis pipelines, and computing infrastructure that carry model outputs through to published science.

Research Software Engineers often come from science themselves — computationally minded researchers who found that they most enjoyed building the tools, software, and infrastructure that make discovery possible. The role sits at the interface of research and software engineering, but it is grounded in the research side: unlike a conventional software engineer who builds to fixed product specifications, a Research Software Engineer works shoulder-to-shoulder with scientists to turn their evolving needs into working tools.

It is an ideal early-career role for someone who has done research and discovered that they love to code and build systems, and it can serve equally as the foundation of a long-term research software engineering career in academia or industry.

The Research Software Engineer I will own the research software behind the Institute’s plant root phenotyping program: containerized, GPU-accelerated pipelines that take raw images from automated scanners, run deep learning pose-estimation models over them, extract quantitative traits, and deliver analysis-ready results to collaborating laboratories. The role spans the full path that data travels: the desktop acquisition software running on the scanners, Bloom — the web application and database where images and results live — the open‑source Python packages that extract traits, and the deep learning models at the center of it.

In practice this means maintaining full-stack web and desktop applications, releasing Python packages under rigorous continuous integration, running and improving model training and inference, and working directly with plant biologists to turn their experimental questions into reproducible analyses. The Research Software Engineer I works alongside the SLEAP team that develops the underlying pose‑estimation framework, and contributes to those open‑source tools as part of the role.

Including a link to a Git Hub profile (or equivalent portfolio) with examples of previous programming work is strongly recommended for full consideration. We recognize that code written for previous employers is often proprietary and cannot be shared publicly, so this is not required; however, candidates who can point to non-coursework repositories — such as personal projects or contributions to open‑source software will be highly preferred.

The Salk Institute is an internationally renowned research institution that values all members of our scientific community. We seek bold and interactive leaders passionate about exploring new frontiers in science. Our collaborative community embraces perspectives across discipline, professional acumen, and unique life experiences, fostering innovation, and a sense of belonging. Together, we strive to improve the wellbeing of humanity through groundbreaking research.

Founded by Jonas Salk, developer of the first safe and effective polio vaccine, the Institute is an independent, nonprofit research organization and architectural landmark: small by choice, intimate by nature, and fearless in the face of any challenge. Salk's…