Python Software Engineer AI-Hub

Would you like to help build an AI platform that makes education and research less dependent on big tech companies? As a developer, you’ll contribute to a groundbreaking service that we’re developing entirely in-house, with privacy and digital sovereignty as our guiding principles. Our platform is currently being tested in a pilot program by universities, community colleges, vocational schools, university medical centers, and research institutions. Will you join us in building the AI of tomorrow?

Where you will work

SURF is the ICT cooperative for Dutch educational and research institutions. Together with them, we work on digital services and complex innovation challenges to enhance the quality of education and research.

You’ll have the freedom to make architectural decisions, explore new technologies, and develop proofs of concept into production-ready solutions. You’ll also tackle issues related to cloud architecture, scalability, security, data integrity, and AI ethics. In this way, you’ll directly contribute to an infrastructure that makes Dutch education future-proof.

Working at SURF means working for a unique and open organization. You can see this in everything: the organizational structure, the composition of the project teams, the culture in our offices, and the atmosphere among colleagues. SURF offers excellent employment conditions and takes a flexible approach to work-life balance. Employees enjoy working independently. In addition, everyone is given the space and freedom to apply and develop their talents as effectively and broadly as possible.

The team you will join

You will join the High Performance Machine Learning Team team within the Advanced Solution for Resarch unit of SURF. The HPML team is responsible of many activites such as, the development of the Dutch AI Factory, the training of Large Language Models, the integration of AI large scale simulations and the creation of our AI-Hub. The team often collaborates with researchers to develop new AI solutions and to makes the nest of our compute infrastructure.

What you will do

As a Python Software Engineer, you’ll work at the intersection of software development, DevOps, and systems administration. You’ll develop in Python while also working to improve and automate developer workflows, deployments, and test pipelines. You’ll have a lot of freedom to make your own technical decisions and add new technologies to the stack.

You’ll work in an environment where not everything is planned out in detail in advance. That’s precisely why your curiosity is important: you’ll figure out what’s needed on your own, ask questions when necessary, and collaborate with your team members to arrive at the best solution. You don’t need to be familiar with every component of our tech stack just yet.

Other responsibilities

• You’ll develop and maintain software in Python;
• You’ll improve and automate developer workflows, deployment, and test pipelines;
• You’ll work with Docker and Docker Compose and contribute to the transition to Kubernetes;
• You’ll research new technologies and, together with the team, determine how they can be applied within our stack;
• You’ll help clarify requirements and, together with the team, translate them into technical solutions;
• You’ll work independently on complex problems and take responsibility for the quality and reliability of your solutions.

Your skills and experience

You are an experienced software engineer with a strong foundation in Python and extensive experience in development, testing, and DevOps. You enjoy working independently, are technically curious, and thrive on solving complex problems. You have a keen eye for quality and security and feel comfortable in a technical environment where English is the primary language.

• At least 5 years of work experience as a software developer;
• Extensive experience with CI/CD pipelines, preferably with Git and GitLab;
• Experience setting up and managing Docker environments;
• Extensive experience with unit, integration, and end-to-end testing;
• Experience with PostgreSQL, SQLAlchemy, and database migrations;
• Experience with the Linux command line;
• Experience with security-by-design principles;
• Proficiency in English.

It is a plus if you:

• Have experience with software in production environments;
• Have experience with Apptainer;
• Have experience with REST and streaming APIs;
• Have experience integrating AI into applications;
• Have experience with Slurm/cluster computing;
• Have experience with Kafka or a comparable technology.

Prior to starting this job, a VOG must be presented.

SURF takes pleasure in doing its recruitment itself; acquisition is therefore not appreciated.