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Senior Software Engineer

University of Chicago · Chicago, IL · $80,000–$120,000 a year · Full time

Posted Sep 3, 2026 · We last checked this listing on Oct 6, 2026

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Likely interview questions for this role

Written from this job description, not a generic list. Each one notes what the interviewer is really checking.

About your past

You'd provide technical mentorship to interns and onboarding staff. How do you review someone else's code so they get better?

What they are checking: Whether they give code reviews that teach and explain, helping interns and new staff improve instead of simply pointing out mistakes.

You'd take part in hiring and give interview feedback. What do you look for in an engineer?

What they are checking: Whether they have a clear, fair standard for evaluating engineers, since hiring decisions shape the team for years.

What would you do

Working open source means your code is public and outside people use it. What does that change about how you write and review?

What they are checking: Whether they understand that public code needs clear design, documentation and careful review, because outside users rely on it.

You'd gather requirements from stakeholders who are researchers rather than product managers. How do you get to a workable requirement?

What they are checking: Whether they can turn researchers' goals into clear technical requirements by asking good questions and showing working examples early.

The posting states this position is funded by contractual grant funding renewed by the grantor, and asks for two to five years of experience with three or more preferred. Where do you sit, and what would you want to know about the funding term?

What they are checking: Whether they meet the experience level and understand that grant funding may not be renewed, so they make an informed decision.

About the work

This role builds open-source web platforms at a translational data science center. Walk me through a platform you have built or extended.

What they are checking: Whether they have built or extended a real platform themselves, since this senior role requires proven hands-on development experience.

The posting prefers Python, with Go or JavaScript a plus. Which language are you strongest in, and what have you shipped in it?

What they are checking: Whether they have shipped real work in the preferred languages, since claimed experience needs to match what the team actually uses.

The posting names representational state transfer interfaces, microservices and containers. How do you decide where a service boundary should go?

What they are checking: Whether they can explain how they choose service boundaries based on data and ownership, rather than repeating architecture buzzwords.

It also names Elasticsearch, PostgreSQL, Spark and Hadoop. Which have you run in production, and what broke?

What they are checking: Whether they have real production experience with these data tools and can describe failures honestly, since operations are harder than demos.

This platform serves researchers handling sensitive data. What does that change about how you design access and storage?

What they are checking: Whether they design for sensitive data with strong access control and careful storage, since mistakes could expose research participants.

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The full job description

As published by University of Chicago.

Department BSD CTD - Engineering - Plan X About the Department The Center for Translational Data Science (CTDS) at the University of Chicago is a research center whose mission is to develop the discipline of translational data science to impactful problems in biology, medicine, healthcare, and the environment. We envision a world in which researchers have ready access to the data needed and the tools required to make data driven discoveries that increase our scientific knowledge and improve the quality of life. We architect ecosystems of large-scale commons of research data, computing resources, applications, tools, and services for the broader research community to use data at scale to pursue scientific inquiry and accelerate discovery. Learn more at https://gdc.cancer.gov/, https://gen3.org/, https://stats.gen3.org/, and https://ctds.uchicago.edu/. Job Summary Senior Software Engineers perform web application development activities of open-source software platforms, including analyzing business and technical requirements, designing/developing/testing software, reviewing and testing code, supporting and maintaining applications, and providing appropriate written documentation of project development and programming code. All engineers are expected to be flexible for full-stack development, and some may have a specialty in back end or frontend technologies. This at-will position is wholly or partially funded by contractual grant funding which is renewed under provisions set by the grantor of the contract. Employment will be contingent upon the continued receipt of these grant funds and satisfactory job performance. Responsibilities • Responsible for technical tasks and timely delivery of such tasks, meeting the required level of quality. • Participation in complex and challenging activities, including design and implementation. • Provide support and maintenance for existing applications. • Provide technical mentorship to interns and onboarding staff and technical leadership in technical initiatives. • Actively participate in the hiring process and provide fair and productive interview feedback. • Elaborate on technical solutions internally and externally when required. • Investigates, analyzes and resolves day-to-day technical problems using standard procedures. • Works with stakeholders to gather and analyze requirements for developmental programs. Receives a moderate level of guidance to design applications to meet University and business requirements. • Performs code testing on components and works to ensure that appropriate implementation standards are met. Evaluates design alternatives for development cost and solutions using various methods. • Supports and maintains existing applications. Works with web developers and responds to requests from users. • Performs other related work as needed. Minimum Qualifications Education: Minimum requirements include a college or university degree in related field. Work Experience: Minimum requirements include knowledge and skills developed through 2-5 years of work experience in a related job discipline. Certifications: --- Preferred Qualifications Education: • Advanced degree in computer science, mathematics, statistics, engineering, or a relevant quantitative field. Experience: • 3+ years of relevant software development experience, full cycle, including design, coding, testing, and support. • Programming skills using Python (preferred), Golang/Javascript (a plus), or other languages like C/C++, Java, or C# with advanced skills in at least one of these languages. • Knowledge of web applications, REST API, microservices, and containers. • Knowledge of Elasticsearch, PostgreSQL, Spark, Hadoop, and data analysis. • Knowledge of configuration management utilities (Chef, Salt, Ansible) and container-based deployment solutions (Docker, Kubernetes). • High performance/cloud computing experience (AWS, GCP, Openstack). • Unix/Linux programming, open source, and version control experience. • Experience with cloud platforms (AWS, GCP, Openstack), CI/CD, and Agile methodologies. Preferred Competencies • Ability to collaborate and interact effectively with team members, following guidelines and best practices and ensuring accountability for deliverables and outcomes. • Ability to take multiple complex tasks and break them into smaller ones, estimating the effort needed to complete them, prioritizing them appropriately, and ensuring the completion of each task, meeting the required level of quality. • Ability to prioritize and manage workload to meet project milestones and deadlines. • Ability to adopt and support new structures or systems to meet objectives. • Ability to take and provide constructive and helpful input and feedback on technical issues. • In-depth knowledge in core technical areas, including in-depth knowledge of one or more modern programming languages, or having demonstrated the ability to achieve that level of proficiency in a short period of time. Working Conditions • Office environment. Application Documents • Resume (required) • Cover Letter (preferred) The University of Chicago uses AI-assisted tools to streamline and augment some recruitment processes; however, AI is not used to make hiring decisions. When applying, the document(s) MUST be uploaded via the My Experience page, in the section titled Application Documents of the application. Job Family Information Technology Role Impact Individual Contributor Scheduled Weekly Hours 40 Drug Test Required No Health Screen Required No Motor Vehicle Record Inquiry Required No Pay Rate Type Salary ​ FLSA Status Exempt ​ Pay Range $80,000.00 - $120,000.00 The included pay rate or range represents the University’s good faith estimate of the possible compensation offer for this role at the time of posting. Benefits Eligible Yes The University of Chicago offers a wide range of benefits programs and resources for eligible employees, including health, retirement, and paid time off. Information about the benefit offerings can be found in the Benefits Guidebook . Posting Statement The University of Chicago is an equal opportunity employer and does not discriminate on the basis of race, color, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender, gender identity, or expression, national or ethnic origin, shared ancestry, age, status as an individual with a disability, military or veteran status, genetic information, or other protected classes under the law. For additional information please see the University's Notice of Nondiscrimination. Job seekers in need of a reasonable accommodation to complete the application process should call 773-702-5800 or submit a request via Applicant Inquiry Form. All offers of employment are contingent upon a background check that includes a review of conviction history. A conviction does not automatically preclude University employment. Rather, the University considers conviction information on a case-by-case basis and assesses the nature of the offense, the circumstances surrounding it, the proximity in time of the conviction, and its relevance to the position. The University of Chicago's Annual Security & Fire Safety Report (Report) provides information about University offices and programs that provide safety support, crime and fire statistics, emergency response and communications plans, and other policies and information. The Report can be accessed online at: http://securityreport.uchicago.edu . Paper copies of the Report are available, upon request, from the University of Chicago Police Department, 850 E. 61st Street, Chicago, IL 60637.

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