Software Engineer, AI & ML (Contract)

By joining Bio-Techne, you’ll join a company with a powerful and positive purpose of enabling cutting-edge research in Life Sciences and Clinical Diagnostics. Bio-Techne, and all of its brands, provides tools for researchers to further treat and prevent disease worldwide. Pay Range: $19.20 - $26.40 Overview  ProteinSimple, part of Bio-Techne, is seeking a Contract Software Engineer with expertise in AI and Machine Learning. This role focuses on building AI-powered capabilities such as LLM-driven assistants, retrieval-augmented generation systems, and integrations with scientific data platforms and instrument software.  This is a six-month contract Software Engineer position based out of San Jose, CA, targeted to start in June 2026. Responsibilities  - Design and develop chat-based AI assistants using LLM frameworks  - Build RAG pipelines across scientific datasets  - Develop backend APIs (REST/MCP) for AI and system integration  - Integrate AI systems with internal databases and software platforms  - Implement semantic search using vector databases  - Develop real-time inference and data processing pipelines  - Collaborate with scientists and cross-functional teams  - Document architecture, APIs, and technical designs  Required Qualifications  - 2+ years of experience in software development  - Strong Python expertise (FastAPI or Flask)  - Experience with LLM frameworks (LangChain, LlamaIndex, etc.)  - Experience building RAG pipelines and vector search systems  - Knowledge of microservices and API design  - Experience with async processing and real-time systems  - Strong communication and collaboration skills  Preferred Qualifications  - Multi-agent AI systems experience  - Biotech or scientific software background  - Real-time streaming (WebSockets/SSE)  - Cloud platforms (AWS, Vercel, Render)  - LLM APIs (OpenAI, Anthropic)  - Caching strategies (Redis)  Education  Bachelor’s or Master’s degree in Computer Science or related field, or equivalent experience Why Join Bio-Techne: We offer competitive insurance benefits starting on day one: medical, dental, vision, life, short-term disability, long-term disability, pet, and legal and ID shield. We invest in our employees’ financial futures through 401k plans, an employee stock purchase plan (ESPP), Health Saving Account (HSA), Flexible Spending Account (FSA), and Dependent Care FSA. We empower our employees develop their careers through mentorship, promotional opportunities, training and development, tuition reimbursement, internship programs, and more. We offer employee resource groups, volunteer paid time off, employee events, and charity drives to build a culture of caring and belonging.  We offer an accrued leave policy with paid holidays, paid time off, and paid parental leave. We foster a culture of empowerment and innovation, where employees feel valued and encouraged to bring their new ideas to the table. Bio-Techne is an E-Verify Employer in the United States. All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, color, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, national origin, disability, or status as a protected veteran. To protect the interests of all, Bio-Techne will not accept unsolicited resumes from any source other than a candidate application. Any unsolicited resumes sent to Bio-Techne will be considered Bio-Techne property.