Company:
Chronic kidney disease (CKD) is a serious and growing global health challenge, affecting approximately 1 in 7 people worldwide. In the absence of effective treatments, patients may progress to kidney failure, requiring dialysis or transplantation—placing a significant burden on patients, families, and healthcare systems. While recent advances have benefited certain subsets of kidney disease patients, many common forms of CKD still lack effective therapeutic options.
At Borealis Biosciences, Patients are our True North. Borealis was founded on the belief that the convergence of scientific and translational breakthroughs can unlock the potential of RNA therapeutics to address some of the most rare and underserved kidney diseases—and beyond. Borealis builds on the success of Chinook Therapeutics, a kidney disease company with a research site in Vancouver that was acquired by Novartis in 2023 for $3.5 billion. The Borealis team has strong leadership and academic advisors with deep experience and expertise in both kidney disease and RNA therapeutics. Headquartered in Vancouver, BC, Borealis operates
state-of-the-art wet labs equipped for molecular and cellular biology, in vivo pharmacology, chemistry, DMPK, bioinformatics, and analytical sciences.
We are a creative and innovative team that strives for excellence in all we do and has fun along the way. Our core focus is on helping patients and advancing science. For more information on Borealis, check out our sites
https://borealisbio.com & https://www.linkedin.com/company/borealis-biosciences-inc.
We seek applicants from all backgrounds to ensure we get the best, most innovative talent on our team. We are building a diverse and inclusive workforce – come and be a part of our growth! We strongly encourage candidates with less traditional backgrounds or those who may meet the qualifications in a different way to apply.
Position:
Reporting to the Director of Research Engineering, the Laboratory Systems Integration Specialist Contractor will be responsible for customizing and optimizing our Electronic Lab Notebook (ELN) system to streamline laboratory workflows and developing custom Python-based applications to extend functionality beyond the core ELN capabilities. This role will serve as a critical bridge between laboratory operations and technology infrastructure, ensuring seamless integration of laboratory systems and enabling efficient data flow across the research organization.
Responsibilities include:
- Customize and configure Benchling ELN system (both core and in vivo products) to optimize workflows for laboratory scientists and support evolving research needs
- Design, develop, and deploy custom Python-based applications including web applications, data ingestion pipelines, and other applications for functions not natively supported by the ELN
- Build and maintain integrations between Benchling and other internal custom-built applications to create a cohesive laboratory technology ecosystem
- Deploy and manage custom tools and applications in our AWS cloud environment, ensuring reliability, security, and scalability
- Collaborate closely with laboratory scientists and research teams to understand workflow requirements and translate them into effective technical solutions
- Provide technical support and training to laboratory users on ELN functionality and custom applications
- Document system configurations, custom applications, and integration workflows
- Stay current with Benchling platform updates and new features, evaluating and implementing relevant enhancements
- Participate in agile development practices and contribute to continuous improvement of laboratory systems
- Additional duties may include assisting with the development and maintenance of bioinformatics tools and pipelines, and related commercial and/or open-source platforms
- Understand and work to uphold Borealis' values, knowing that Patients are our True North:
- Acting with urgency, resilience and creativity to serve patients
- Being open to new ideas, honest conversations and two-way transparency
- Staying connected to team members and to science; being kind, humble, and taking risks together
Location:
This is a hybrid position located in Vancouver, BC, with preference to candidates in the Greater Vancouver area.
Education, Experience, and Skills
Required
- Bachelor’s degree in computer science, biological sciences, or related field
- Minimum 2 years of professional software development experience
- Strong proficiency in Python programming and application development
- Experience with laboratory automation systems and scientific software platforms
- Experience with cloud-based infrastructure, particularly AWS (EC2, S3, Lambda, RDS, etc.)
- Understanding of laboratory workflows and scientific research environments
- Strong problem-solving skills and ability to translate scientific requirements into technical solutions
- Excellent communication skills with ability to work effectively with both technical and scientific teams
- Self-motivated with ability to work independently and manage multiple priorities
Preferred:
- Experience working in a fast-paced biotechnology or pharmaceutical environment
- Hands-on experience with Benchling, or similar ELN/LIMS systems
- Experience with Infrastructure as Code (IaC) tools such as Terraform, CloudFormation, or CDK
- Familiarity with CI/CD pipelines and DevOps practices
- Experience with agile development methodologies
- Knowledge of data integration patterns and ETL processes
- Experience with containerization technologies (Docker, Kubernetes)
- Familiarity with RESTful APIs and web service integration
- Understanding of database systems (SQL and NoSQL)
- Experience with version control systems (Git) and collaborative development workflows
- Knowledge of laboratory informatics standards and best practices
Compensation: The hourly rate ranges from $50.00 to $65.00 per hour.
Borealis is an Equal Opportunity Employer, and we prohibit discrimination or harassment of any kind. We are committed to fostering an environment where ALL people are welcome and supported. We cultivate a culture of inclusion for all employees that respects their individual strengths, views, and experiences. We believe that our differences enable us to be a better team – one that makes better decisions, drives innovation, and delivers better business results. Creativity and innovation flourish in an environment of openness, inclusion, and mutual respect.
