Software Developer - Interoperability for Single-Cell and Spatial Omics Methods

The German Cancer Research Center (DKFZ) is one of Europe's largest cancer research centers. “Research for a life without cancer" is the mission of our world-class scientists and all our team members.

We investigate how cancer develops, identify cancer risk factors and search for new cancer prevention strategies. We develop new methods with which tumors can be diagnosed more precisely and cancer patients can be treated more successfully. Every contribution counts – whether in research, administration or infrastructure. This is what makes our daily work so meaningful and exciting.

The Division of Computational Genomics and Systems Genetics develops and applies computational approaches to study molecular variations and their phenotypic consequences.

To strengthen our team, we are seeking for the next possible date a Software Developer - Interoperability for Single-Cell and Spatial Omics Methods.

Reference number : 2025-0331

• Heidelberg
• Full-time
• Computational Genomics and Systems Genetics

The research group of Prof. Dr. Oliver Stegle is seeking a software developer to advance interoperability for single-cell and spatial omics across the scverse (Python) and Bioconductor (R) ecosystems. The project focuses on enhancing the FAIR capabilities of SpatialData, a modern Python framework for spatial omics, across platforms, and on strengthening its language-agnostic file format based on the OME-NGFF open standard. You will help ensure seamless cross-language usage, robust data exchange, and clear specifications that serve both communities.

You will be part of a vibrant open-source environment at the interface of software development and biomedical research - specifically within the global scverse community. You will have the opportunity to shape widely used, FAIR-by-design tools that accelerate single-cell and spatial omics research across both Python and R ecosystems. We also offer substantial opportunities for professional growth, learning, and leadership, including mentorship, structured code reviews, participation in conferences and hackathons, and visibility through community calls and cross-consortium initiatives. Recent community events include the Scverse Hackathon in Paris (2025) and the NGFF Hackathon in Zurich (2025); previous hackathons have taken place in Boston, Cambridge, Heidelberg, Innsbruck, and Munich.

The Stegle group is jointly based at DKFZ and EMBL and embedded in Heidelberg's vibrant ecosystem for data science, machine learning, and computational biology. We collaborate closely with research groups across Germany and worldwide, and we actively engage with open-source communities through coordinated development, cross-consortium events, and hackathons.

Required Qualifications :

Preferred Qualifications :

Application process :

If you're excited about building interoperable, well-documented, and community-aligned software that advances spatial omics, we'd love to hear from you.

Recent relevant publications :