O'Connor Lab Software Developer

The O'Connor Lab in University of Wisconsin-Madison, Department of Pathology is seeking an experienced software developer to design, build, and maintain a world-class web platform supporting the Lungfish environmental monitoring project. Lungfish integrates environmental monitoring data, analytical pipelines, and scientific reporting systems to support research, environmental surveillance, and public health decision making.

In this role you will design, implement, and maintain the primary public platform for the Lungfish environmental monitoring project and lead its end-to-end deployment. This platform will allow researchers, public health professionals, and other stakeholders to explore environmental monitoring data through interactive data visualizations, analytical reports, and training resources. The successful candidate will design and implement the architecture of this platform using modern web technologies and professional design assets that establish a cohesive visual identity and user experience.

The developer will work closely with scientists, data engineers, and research computing staff to build interfaces that integrate data from the Lungfish data warehouse and related research data systems including LabKey. These interfaces must support exploration of large and complex environmental monitoring datasets by audiences with varying technical backgrounds. Prototyping new frontends in collaboration with researchers and determining what architecture best supports these frontends will be a crucial part of this role.

This position requires demonstrated success building complex and production-ready software systems in research settings. The successful candidate will have experience implementing interactive data visualizations, integrating large data systems through APIs, orienting frontend and backend architectures toward a desirable user experience, and participating in collaborative open-source software development using tools such as GitHub.

The role will also involve using agentic AI assistance to accelerate software development, debugging, and data exploration.

• This position requires work to be completed onsite, at a designated campus work location.

• Prepares program documentation and training requirements

• Reviews application design specifications, codes new applications, and makes enhancements to existing applications

• Develops, prepares, or modifies technical specifications for complex projects, system integrations, and upgrades

• Reviews application modules for quality assurance and checks compliance with application architecture standards

• Conducts systems analysis, reviews and interprets system requirements, and develops detailed system design specifications for system integration and upgrades

• Conducts analysis for the evaluation and selection of vendor software solutions and packages

• Leads sub-functional team for application development or enhancement

• Trains and provides technical guidance to lower level staff

• Designs and implements test plans, and prepares systems test data

• Design, develop, and maintain public and restricted audience websites that often display data

• Develop comprehensive understanding of the research data and biological science domains that underpins application and website development

• Contributes to the development of data structure and systems performance strategies

• Participate in other lab-related and collaborator activities as needed

School of Medicine and Public Health, Department of Pathology & Laboratory Medicine, O'Connor Lab

TheDepartment of Pathology and Laboratory Medicineis dedicated to the highest quality patient care, cutting-edge and impactful research, and teaching the next generation of pathologists and scientists. We emphasize a healthy work-life balance and provide a supportive work environment committed to the growth and advancement of our members. Our vibrant clinical department integrates anatomic pathology, laboratory medicine, teaching, and a robust research enterprise, and serves the UW, American Family Children's, VA, and other Madison hospitals. Our basic science and translational research programs have made fundamental discoveries in cell and stem cell biology, immunology, neuroscience, and infectious disease. Opportunities in education include a T32-funded PhD graduate program, pathology resident and fellowship programs, and both medical school and undergraduate curricula.

Madison, often rated as one of the best places to live in America, is built on an isthmus, surrounded by lakes. The city, campus, green spaces and urban areas are blended to create a place unlike any other.

The starting annual wage for the position is $113,246; but is negotiable based on experience and qualifications.

Employees in this position can expect to receive benefits such as generous vacation, holidays, and sick leave; competitive insurances and savings accounts; retirement benefits. For more information, refer to the campus benefits webpage. SMPH Faculty /Academic Staff Benefits Flyer 2026

• Applicants must provide examples of previously developed production systems, including links to deployed applications, public repositories, or portfolio materials.
• At least four years of professional experience developing, deploying, and maintaining production applications in collaboration with researchers or similar stakeholders.
• Demonstrated experience developing interactive data visualizations for scientific, analytical, or data intensive applications
• Demonstrated experience working with application programming interfaces and integrating external data systems into web applications with complex and rapidly evolving user needs.
• Demonstrated experience using collaborative software development practices like version control at an advanced level.
• Ability to communicate effectively with collaborators from many backgrounds and skill levels and represent lab projects professionally as a project lead.

• Experience developing software systems that support biological research, particularly for genomics or bioinformatics applications.

• Demonstrated experience designing and implementing complex web platforms that integrate large or complex datasets.

• Ability to work across a range of technologies and programming languages and become skilled in new technologies rapidly. Ideal candidates will have visible experience with Python and the scientific ecosystem as well as TypeScript/JavaScript and the web ecosystem.

• Experience working with modern visualization frameworks used in analytical web applications, including but not limited to D3, Plotly, and Apache ECharts.

• Experience working with research data management systems such as LabKey or similar platforms.

• Experience deploying cost-sensitive web applications in cloud environments or research computing infrastructure.

• Experience using open-source software development practices to govern, maintain, and improve software with contributors at various skill levels

• Experience using AI-assisted development tools or large language model systems for software engineering or data analysis workflows.

Bachelor's degree required; focus in computer science, data science, information science, software engineering, or a closely related field.

To apply for this position, select either "I am a current employee" or "I am not a current employee" under Apply Now. You will then be prompted to upload your application materials.

Important: The application has only one attachment field. Upload the following documents in that field, either as a single combined file or as multiple files in the same upload area. Failure to submit the required documents will result in no longer being considered for the position.

* Cover letter required
* Resume required

Application reviewers will rely on these written materials to determine which applicants move forward in the process. References will be requested from final candidates. All applicants will be notified once the search concludes and a candidate is selected

University sponsorship is not available for this position, including transfers of sponsorship and TN visas.The selected applicant will be responsible for ensuring their continuous eligibility to work in the United States (i.e. a citizen or national of the United States, a lawful permanent resident, a foreign national authorized to work in the United States without the need of an employer sponsorship) on or before the effective date of appointment.This position is an ongoing position that will require continuous work eligibility. If you are selected for this position you must provide proof of work authorization and eligibility to work.

Tia Seguin, tia.seguin@wisc.edu, 608-263-3731

Diversity is a source of strength, creativity, and innovation for UW-Madison. We value the contributions of each person and respect the profound ways their identity, culture, background, experience, status, abilities, and opinion enrich the university community. We commit ourselves to the pursuit of excellence in teaching, research, outreach, and diversity as inextricably linked goals.

The University of Wisconsin-Madison fulfills its public mission by creating a welcoming and inclusive community for people from every background - people who as students, faculty, and staff serve Wisconsin and the world.

The University of Wisconsin-Madison is an Equal OpportunityEmployer.

Qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to, including but not limited to, race, color, religion, sex, sexual orientation, national origin, age, pregnancy, disability, or status as a protected veteran and other bases as defined by federal regulations and UW System policies. We promote excellence by acknowledging skills and expertise from all backgroundsand encourage all qualified individuals to apply. For more information regarding applicant and employee rights and to view federal and state required postings, visit the Human Resources Workplace Poster website.

To request a disability or pregnancy-related accommodationfor any step in the hiring process (e.g., application, interview, pre-employment testing, etc.), please contact the Divisional Disability Representative (DDR)in the division you are applying to.Please make your request as soon as possible to help the university respond most effectively to you.

Employment may require a criminal background check. It may also require your references to answer questions regarding misconduct, including sexual violence and sexual harassment.

The University of Wisconsin System will not reveal the identities of applicants who request confidentiality in writing, except that the identity of the successful candidate will be released. See Wis. Stat. sec. 19.36(7).

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