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Associate Software Engineer (Java)

Remote

About Us

Sage Bionetworks uses open science and collaboration to improve human health. We turn complex biomedical data into actionable insights through responsible sharing, strong governance, and innovative tools like AI. Our team values curiosity, diverse perspectives, and experimentation.

The Opportunity

We are hiring a Backend Software Engineer to join our technology team. Our engineers build the secure, scalable, and high-performance services that power open and collaborative science. From Synapse.org to our research portals and other applications in the Sage ecosystem, the tools you create will enable researchers and communities worldwide to share data, generate insights, and accelerate biomedical discoveries.

We pride ourselves on openness and collaboration.  All of our software is available in GitHub.  Our openness and non-profit status attracts support from a variety of collaborators, including major technology companies.  We prioritize productivity over arbitrary rules, allowing workers to choose the tools and work habits that suit them best, rather than dictating practices, top down. We prioritize software usefulness and stability rather than rushing to get features out the door.  We have close relationships with our user base, many in-house, ensuring that we stay relevant.

Key Responsibilities

  • Software Development: Contribute to the implementation of cutting-edge applications using programming languages and tools to create functional and efficient software. The main language used in this position is Java, though occasionally a project requires using another prominent language, like Python.
  • Cloud Computing: Our platform runs primarily in the AWS Cloud and uses a large variety of services, from fundamentals like S3, EC2 and CloudWatch to newer offerings like Bedrock.  
  • Requirement Analysis: Analyze user requirements to develop robust and efficient software solutions.
  • Teamwork: Our team follows an Agile process with scrums, issue scoping, backlog prioritization, and code reviews.  You will work with product managers and designers.
  • DevOps: You will participate in monitoring the performance of the system and addressing issues that arise in production.  Over the past 15 years we have not required developers to be on call outside of business hours and are intentional about making our system robust so that it does not become necessary. 
  • Technical Documentation: Provide comprehensive technical documentation to support users and developers.
  • Productivity: Stay current regarding engineering productivity tools, include recent trends in AI/agent-based tools.

Qualifications

Education

  • A BS in Computer Science, Software Engineering, or a related field, or equivalent training.

Experience

  • Some software development experience, especially working in a team setting and delivering a finished product.
  • Solid Java programming skills, plus experience with another modern language (e.g., Python, TypeScript/Node.js).
  • Expertise with collaborative development through Git-based version control systems.
  • Practical experience with software development lifecycles,agile methodologies, and tools for organizing/prioritizing work, like Jira.
  • Experience with agentic code generation tools.
  • Strong verbal, written, and organizational skills.
  • Curiosity to explore new tools and frameworks and contribute ideas that advance our technology.

Nice to Have

  • Familiarity with dependency management / build tools, including Maven.
  • Familiarity with continuous integration (CI), continuous deployment (CD) tools e.g., GitHub Workflows, AWS Code Pipeline.

Job Functions and Physical Requirements

The following cognitive and physical activities outline the essential functions required for successful job performance. Reasonable accommodations may be provided to enable individuals with disabilities to fulfill these functions.

Physical Demands

  • Extended periods of sitting at a desk and using a computer.
  • Repeated wrist, hand, and finger movements.
  • Requires clear vision for tasks like data analysis, transcribing, computer use, and reading.
  • Occasionally lifting or moving objects weighing up to 10 pounds.

Cognitive Demands

  • Able to work effectively under deadlines.
  • Strong problem-solving and analytical skills.
  • Attention to detail and accuracy.
  • Flexibility to adapt to changing environments, priorities and multitask.

Additional Functions

  • Travel two times per year for on-site events in Seattle, WA. 
  • Effective verbal and written communication skills.
  • Works well in a team and maintains professionalism.
  • Follows company policies, procedures, and relevant laws and regulations.

Note: This list is not exhaustive and may be subject to modification as job duties evolve.

Compensation & Total Rewards

Sage Bionetworks implements equitable workplace strategies to ensure fair pay. Actual compensation is determined by market data, specific experience, and internal parity.

  • Job Level: Associate
  • Annual Salary Range: $72,100 - $92,800
    • Note: New hires typically receive an offer between the minimum and the midpoint of the range to allow for future growth within the role. Higher offers may be considered for exceptional experience or specific market conditions.
  • Comprehensive Benefits: We offer a package competitive with both commercial biotech and nonprofit sectors:
    • Health & Wellness: Comprehensive medical, dental, vision, life, AD&D, and long-term disability.
    • Future Security: Robust retirement plan and flexible spending accounts (FSA).
    • Work-Life Harmony: Paid time off and flexible work arrangements.
    • Learn more at: Benefits – Sage Bionetworks

Equal Opportunity & Inclusion

Sage Bionetworks is an Equal Opportunity Employer. We prohibit discrimination and harassment of any type without regard to race, color, religion, age, sex, national origin, disability status, genetics, protected veteran status, sexual orientation, gender identity or expression, or any other characteristic protected by federal, state, or local laws.

Accommodation Request: If you require a reasonable accommodation during the application or interview process, please contact HR during the scheduling process. 

Modern Hiring & Responsible AI

We value your talent and your time. To ensure a fair and inclusive experience, we operate with the following principles:

  • Responsible AI in Recruiting: To help us find the best talent, we may utilize AI tools within our recruiting platforms. We use these technologies responsibly to avoid the pitfalls of bias and discrimination. We believe technology should enhance human judgment, not replace it, and we regularly audit our processes to ensure every candidate is evaluated fairly based on their unique skills.
  • Work from (Almost) Anywhere: We are a distributed workforce and support remote or hybrid arrangements within the United States.
  • Virtual-First Interviews: All interviews are conducted virtually to ensure accessibility and flexibility for all candidates.

About Sage Bionetworks: Science for the Common Good

At Sage Bionetworks, we believe the greatest barriers to medical progress aren't just biological—they are structural. Since 2009, our Seattle-founded nonprofit has been on a mission to tear down the "silos" of traditional science. We don’t just conduct research; we redefine how it’s done through open science, radical collaboration, and ethical data sharing.
When you join Sage, you aren't just taking a job; you’re joining a bold collective of scientists, engineers, governance experts, and visionaries. We empower patients to be partners, not just data points, and we provide the platforms that allow the global scientific community to accelerate life-saving discoveries.

The Sage Way: Our Core Values

We don’t just talk about change; we live it through these five pillars:

  • Science Driven: We use data and evidence to ensure our work creates a measurable, positive impact on human health.
  • Accountable: We deliver on our promises through a foundation of trust and radical transparency.
  • Growth Oriented: We stay curious, seek out the hardest challenges, and constantly aspire to improve ourselves and our field.
  • Empathetic + Inclusive: We embrace our differences and build environments where every voice is empowered.
  • Radically Collaborative: We believe the best solutions come from teamwork and building diverse, global communities.

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