Software Engineer, Platform (Developer Experience)
Backend Engineer · Mid · Full Time
Opens Benchling's application page
Role
What you'll do.
Benchling is seeking a Software Engineer for Platform (Developer Experience) to build and optimize developer tools and frameworks that enhance engineering productivity and enable rapid deployment cycles. As a technical leader in the Platform pillar, you'll design release tooling, implement quality feedback loops, and champion engineering best practices across the organization. This role requires 4+ years of software engineering experience with proficiency in web frameworks like Node.js or Python, and a strong commitment to understanding the challenges developers face while delivering measurable improvements to the path to production.
Responsibilities
- Design and Implement Release Tooling: Lead the design and development of release tooling and CI/CD infrastructure that enables code changes to reach production within 10 minutes, establishing Benchling as a leader in deployment velocity and continuous delivery practices.
- Build Developer Productivity Tools: Create and implement comprehensive tooling for efficient, frictionless development, testing, and packaging for production release, directly reducing friction in the development workflow and enabling engineers to ship features faster.
- Establish Feedback-Driven Development: Iterate on developer experience improvements using qualitative and quantitative feedback from engineering teams, implementing data-driven approaches to identify and prioritize the most impactful optimization opportunities.
- Integrate Quality into Workflows: Implement feedback loops and quality gates that integrate quality assurance and reliability practices directly into software development workflows, ensuring best practices are observed at every stage of the development lifecycle.
- Champion Engineering Patterns: Champion effective engineering and operational patterns across the entire Engineering organization, serving as a technical thought leader who helps establish standards and best practices for infrastructure, deployment, and development processes.
- Cross-Functional Collaboration: Collaborate with cross-functional teams including Developer Productivity, Release Engineering, product managers, and designers to address challenges in engineering workflows that impact developer happiness, productivity, and retention.
- Drive Organizational Growth: Support rapid scaling of the product and team by being an integral part of how Benchling matures its tooling, engineering processes, best practices, and hiring initiatives as the company grows its engineering organization.
- Technical Excellence and Mentorship: Contribute to a culture of technical excellence by helping establish and maintain high standards for code quality, architecture, and system design while mentoring junior engineers on platform-wide initiatives.
Qualifications
What we look for.
Technical
Web Framework Proficiency
Expert-level experience with at least one modern web framework, preferably Node.js or Python, with demonstrated ability to build production-grade applications and libraries.
CI/CD and Release Engineering
Strong experience with continuous integration, continuous deployment, and release engineering practices, including familiarity with tools and platforms that enable automated testing and rapid deployment cycles.
Software Architecture and Design
Proficiency in software architecture principles, system design, and the ability to design scalable developer tools and platforms that serve as infrastructure for other engineering teams.
Problem Solving and Debugging
Excellent problem-solving skills with the ability to diagnose complex issues, troubleshoot production systems, and iterate on solutions based on feedback and metrics.
Version Control and Git Workflows
Deep familiarity with Git workflows, branching strategies, and code review processes that enable efficient collaboration and quality code management at scale.
Education
Computer Science or Related Field
Bachelor's degree in Computer Science, Software Engineering, or a related technical discipline, or equivalent practical software engineering experience.
Life Sciences Knowledge
Interest and willingness to learn about life sciences, biotech R&D processes, and scientific workflows; prior domain knowledge is not required but curiosity and commitment to learning the space is essential.
Experience
Software Engineering Experience
Minimum 4+ years of professional software engineering experience, with a track record of shipping production code and delivering measurable impact on product quality and user experience.
Product-First Development Mindset
Demonstrated experience building tools and software with a product-first approach, prioritizing real-world impact, user feedback, and rapid iteration over perfection.
Ownership Mentality
Track record of taking ownership of key product components and system improvements, driving projects from conception through production deployment with accountability for outcomes.
Cross-Functional Collaboration
Experience working effectively in cross-functional teams, collaborating with product managers, designers, and other engineers to solve complex challenges and deliver integrated solutions.
Skills
Required
Node.js or Python
Production-grade expertise in Node.js or Python for building backend services, CLI tools, and developer infrastructure
CI/CD Pipeline Development
Strong experience designing and implementing continuous integration and deployment pipelines that reduce deployment friction and improve delivery velocity
System Design and Architecture
Ability to design scalable systems and developer platforms that serve as critical infrastructure for engineering teams
Problem Solving
Strong analytical and problem-solving abilities with experience debugging complex issues and iterating on feedback
Communication
Clear and effective communicator, especially in cross-functional settings with product managers, designers, and peer engineers
Customer Empathy
Demonstrated empathy for end users and customers, with curiosity about their challenges and how technology can solve real problems
Preferred
Kubernetes and Container Orchestration
Nice to haveExperience with Kubernetes, Docker, and container-based deployment infrastructure for managing complex distributed systems
Observability and Monitoring
Nice to haveProficiency with observability tools, metrics collection, and monitoring solutions that provide visibility into system performance and developer workflows
Terraform and Infrastructure as Code
Nice to haveExperience with Infrastructure as Code tools like Terraform for managing cloud infrastructure and enabling reproducible deployments
TypeScript
Nice to haveStrong TypeScript skills for building type-safe developer tools and applications that reduce errors and improve developer experience
Biotech or Life Sciences Background
Nice to havePrior experience or familiarity with biotech, pharmaceutical R&D, or life sciences workflows and challenges
Developer Tools Experience
Nice to havePrior experience building developer tools, CLIs, or internal platforms that improve engineering productivity and developer experience
Agile and DevOps Practices
Nice to haveExperience with Agile methodologies and DevOps practices that emphasize collaboration, automation, and continuous improvement
Tech stack
Languages
Frameworks
Databases
Tools
Other
Compensation
Pay and benefits.
Base·USD 173,000 – 234,000
Equity·Stock options
Benefits
Comprehensive Health Coverage
Medical, dental, and vision insurance plans with competitive coverage and low employee premiums
Retirement Planning
401(k) plan with employer matching to support long-term financial security and wealth building
Flexible Time Off
Unlimited PTO policy enabling employees to manage work-life balance and take time for personal needs
Equity Compensation
Stock options providing upside participation in Benchling's growth trajectory and long-term value creation
Professional Development
Learning budget and opportunities for conference attendance, certification programs, and skill development
Hybrid Work Flexibility
Flexible hybrid arrangement with 3 days per week on-site (Monday, Tuesday, Thursday) to enable collaboration and autonomy
Wellness Programs
Mental health support, fitness benefits, and wellness initiatives promoting employee well-being
Parental Leave
Generous parental leave policy supporting both maternal and paternal leave
Process
Interview steps.
- 01
Initial Screening Call
30-minute conversation with a recruiter to discuss your background, experience with developer tools and infrastructure, and interest in the Developer Experience role at Benchling
- 02
Technical Assessment or Exercise
Take-home or real-time technical challenge focused on designing a developer tool, improving a CI/CD pipeline, or solving a system design problem related to deployment infrastructure
- 03
AI Fluency Discussion
Brief discussion or exercise to understand how you think about and integrate AI into your engineering workflows, including tools and platforms you currently use
- 04
Behavioral and Cross-Functional Interview
1-hour interview with an engineer on the Platform team to assess problem-solving approach, communication skills, and ability to work across teams
- 05
System Design Interview
Technical conversation exploring your ability to design scalable developer platforms, implement CI/CD infrastructure, and think through trade-offs in complex systems
- 06
Hiring Manager Conversation
Final round with the hiring manager to discuss role expectations, team dynamics, growth opportunities, and alignment with Benchling's mission in AI-powered biotech
Full posting
Original listing.
We are rebuilding biotech for the AI era.
When a breakthrough is delayed, the world waits. Getting a molecule from discovery to patients, or a crop from lab to field, involves thousands of slow, manual, disconnected steps. AI has the potential to change this, compressing decades of R&D work into years. But that only happens when clean, structured scientific data and AI are built into how science gets done.
Benchling is the AI platform for biotech R&D. Scientists use Benchling to design experiments, capture structured data, and run AI agents and models directly in their workflows. Over 200,000 scientists around the world trust Benchling to power their most important work, from academic labs to Sanofi, Moderna, and more than half of the world's top 50 biopharma.
We’re building an AI scientist for our customers. We can’t do that if we haven’t built the muscle ourselves. AI fluency is the foundation we build on; it's core to how we work, and we're committed to helping every new hire integrate it into their day-to-day. As part of our interview process, you'll complete a brief AI-focused exercise or discussion so we can understand how you think about and use AI to drive impact in your role. Feel free to reference any tools, platforms, or workflows you use today.
ROLE OVERVIEW
Developer Experience is a crucial function that empowers our engineers to excel in their craft. As a technical leader in the Platform pillar, you’ll work closely with the Developer Productivity and Release Engineering teams to create tools and frameworks that enhance developer experience, with a focus on the Path to Production. Your success will enable our engineering teams to efficiently deliver high quality products. By understanding the unique challenges developers face and crafting solutions to streamline their workflows, you'll play a key role in driving innovation and fulfilling Benchling’s mission.
RESPONSIBILITIES
Build and implement tooling for efficient, frictionless development, testing, and packaging for production release.
Lead the design and development of release tooling that enables code changes to reach production within 10 minutes.
Iterate on developer experience improvements using qualitative and quantitative feedback.
Implement feedback loops that integrate quality into software development workflows.
Champion effective engineering and operational patterns across the Engineering org.
Collaborate with cross-functional teams to address challenges in engineering workflows that impact developer happiness and productivity.
Work closely with product managers, designers, and peers in engineering to make Benchling a delightful place to develop software.
Help rapidly scale our product and team. As a member of the engineering team, you'll be an integral part of how we mature our tooling, best practices, engineering processes, and hiring.
QUALIFICATIONS
You have 4+ years of experience in software engineering.
Build tools and software with a product-first approach. You ship code quickly and care about the real world impact of your code.
Expertise with at least one web framework, preferably node or python.
Have strong abilities in problem solving and iterating on feedback.
Enjoy ownership and building key pieces of product.
Have empathy for your customers and curiosity about their challenges.
Are interested in learning more about life science (prior knowledge is not required; desire to learn is a must).
Clear and effective communicator, especially in cross-functional settings
HOW WE WORK
We offer a flexible hybrid work arrangement that prioritizes in-office collaboration. Employees are expected to be on-site 3 days per week (Monday, Tuesday, and Thursday).
#LI-Hybrid
#BI-Hybrid
#LI-CG1
Benchling welcomes everyone.
We believe diversity enriches our team so we hire people with a wide range of identities, backgrounds, and experiences.
We are an equal opportunity employer. That means we don’t discriminate on the basis of race, religion, color, national origin, gender, sexual orientation, age, marital status, veteran status, or disability status. We also consider for employment qualified applicants with arrest and conviction records, consistent with applicable federal, state and local law, including but not limited to the San Francisco Fair Chance Ordinance.
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