INTERNAL APPLICATIONS ONLY

About OICR

OICR is Ontario’s cancer research institute. We bring together people from across the province and around the world to improve the lives of everyone affected by cancer. We take on the biggest challenges in cancer research and deliver real-world solutions to find cancer earlier and treat it more effectively. We are committed to helping people living with cancer, as well as future generations, live longer and healthier lives.

Launched in December 2005, OICR is an independent institute funded by the Government of Ontario through the Ministry of Colleges, Universities, Research Excellence and Security.

Job Details

Position: Software Developer II

Location: MaRS Centre, Toronto

Department: Global Alliance for Genomics and Health (GA4GH)

Reports To: Program Manager

Salary: Commensurate with level of experience; total compensation includes a competitive benefits plan, plus a defined benefit pension plan (HOOPP)

Hours: 35 hours/week

Job Type: Hybrid

Status: Full-Time, Permanent

Position Summary

The Ontario Institute for Cancer Research (OICR) is seeking a Software Developer II to join the Global Alliance for Genomics and Health (GA4GH) team.

GA4GH is an international, nonprofit alliance formed in 2013 to accelerate the potential of research and medicine to advance human health. Bringing together hundreds of contributors working in healthcare, research, patient advocacy, life science, and information technology, the GA4GH community is working together to create policy frameworks and standards to enable the responsible, voluntary, and secure sharing of genomic and health-related data. Learn more at www.ga4gh.org.

Based at OICR, this role is part of our technical team, led by our Chief Product Officer based at EMBL-EBI, to increase support for our large community of volunteer contributors. Working alongside staff colleagues, volunteers and expert volunteer leads, this role will support the development and implementation of open source technical standards for genomic data sharing. The outputs of this work will be deployed by genomic data projects around the world in order to improve health outcomes.

This role provides an excellent opportunity to work with global expertise from world-leading organizations and gain exposure to a range of technologies and topics. Examples of work in GA4GH include development work to support portable, cloud-based analytical workflows, modelling of data related to genomics and health in a manner compatible with electronic health records, providing secure data access and developing solutions capable of supporting large scale genomic data. Our work and Github repos can be accessed from our website.

Given the nature of global collaboration in this role, occasional international travel may be required. In addition, some flexibility with working hours is expected to accommodate meetings and calls across different time zones.

Position Responsibilities

• Support the delivery of high quality technical standards, by supporting projects throughout the development process;
• Develop open source implementations for GA4GH technical standards, including APIs and new bioinformatics file formats;
• Develop software to support the implementation of GA4GH technical standards worldwide, such as testbeds, user interfaces, and documentation tools;
• Write clear and comprehensive documentation;
• Join project calls with international collaborators to design new tools that will benefit the research community, and to provide updates and demonstrations; and
• Work alongside members of the volunteer community.

Position Requirements

• Bachelor’s degree in computer sciences, software engineering, bioinformatics, or recognized equivalent.
• Over two (2) years of experience with open‑source software development, version control (Git), and collaborative coding practices.
• Strong programming skills in languages commonly used for bioinformatics and web development (e.g., Python, Java).
• Experience developing REST API services using Flask, Spring Boot, or similar frameworks.
• Familiarity with version control management via Github.
• Proficient with collaborative project management and work platforms: Slack, Zoom, Github, etc.
• Experience with automated software testing and continuous integration (e.g. Travis CI).
• Strong communication skills (listening, written and verbal) with the capability to share and understand complex technical information while working with others.
• Collaborative team player who can work well with a wide range of people.
• Proactive, self-motivated, adaptable, versatile and willing to learn new technologies and topics.
• Ability to manage contributions to multiple projects simultaneously and efficiently.
• Ability to work effectively in a distributed, international team environment.

For more information about OICR, please visit the website at www.oicr.on.ca.

To learn more about working at OICR, visit our career page.

POSTED DATE: December 10, 2025
CLOSING DATE: December 15, 2025 at 3:00 p.m.

OICR is committed to fostering a climate of equity, diversity, inclusion, and accessibility. This commitment is central to, and mutually supportive of, our research excellence mandate. We welcome and respect the diversity of all members of our community and we support an inclusive culture for all. We welcome all applicants, and encourage applications from racialized persons, Indigenous Peoples, women, persons with disabilities, LGBTQ2S persons, and others who may contribute to furthering a diversity of ideas within our community. OICR is committed to fair assessment of a candidate’s abilities, and consideration for diversity of thought, method, and experience. Providing an accessible workplace and recruitment process is important to us, as described in our Accessibility Plan (https://oicr.on.ca/accessibility/). Should you require accommodation during any stage in the recruitment process, please complete the form at the bottom of page https://oicr.on.ca/careers/. Information received related to accommodation will be handled confidentially.

Resume Format: If you elect to apply, please click on the “Apply for this Job” button below. You will be required to enter contact details, and to attach your resume to your application. Please attach your resume as a .pdf or .doc file.

The Ontario Institute for Cancer Research thanks all applicants. However, only those under consideration will be contacted.