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Scientific Programmer Jobs in Houston, TX (NOW HIRING)

Viridien

Scientific Software Developer

Houston, TX · Hybrid

Master's degree or higher in Physics, Engineering, Mathematics, or Computer Science, or 5 years of hands-on experience in scientific programming * Fluency in C/C++ (Fortran also preferred)

Viridien

Scientific Software Developer

Houston, TX · Hybrid

Master's degree or higher in Physics, Engineering, Mathematics, or Computer Science, or 5 years of hands-on experience in scientific programming * Fluency in C/C++ (Fortran also preferred)

Cgg

Scientific Software Developer

Houston, TX · Hybrid

Master's degree or higher in Physics, Engineering, Mathematics, or Computer Science, or 5 years of hands-on experience in scientific programming * Fluency in C/C++ (Fortran also preferred)

Deloitte

Senior AI Engineer - SFL Scientific

Houston, TX · On-site

$99K - $137K/yr

SFL Scientific, a Deloitte Business, is looking to add a Senior AI Engineer to their vibrant environment. SFL Scientific is part of our broader Strategy Offering within the Strategy & Transactions ...

MD Anderson

Senior Data Scientist

Houston, TX · On-site +1

WORK EXPERIENCE Required: 5 years Experience in scientific software or industry programming with a concentration in scientific computing. or Required: 3 years Required experience with Master's degree ...

MD Anderson

Senior Data Scientist

Houston, TX · Hybrid

Required: 5 years Experience in scientific software or industry programming with a concentration in scientific computing. or * Required: 3 years Required experience with Master's degree. or

MD Anderson

Senior Data Scientist

Houston, TX · Hybrid

$123K/yr

Required: 5 years Experience in scientific software or industry programming with a concentration in scientific computing. or * Required: 3 years Required experience with Master's degree. or

MD Anderson Center

Senior Data Scientist

Houston, TX · On-site

Required: 5 years Experience in scientific software or industry programming with a concentration in scientific computing. or * Required: 3 years Required experience with Master's degree. or

Wood Plc

Environmental Scientist/Engineer

Houston, TX

$71K - $94K/yr

Overview / Responsibilities Wood Environment & Infrastructure Solutions is seeking an Environmental Scientist/Engineer with 4-8 years of environmental experience to join Texas office (Austin location ...

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Scientific Programmer information

See Houston, TX salary details

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How much do scientific programmer jobs pay per hour?

As of Aug 12, 2026, the average hourly pay for scientific programmer in Houston, TX is $38.07, according to ZipRecruiter salary data. Most workers in this role earn between $14.71 and $54.86 per hour, depending on experience, location, and employer.

What are the key skills and qualifications needed to thrive as a scientific programmer, and why are they important?

To thrive as a Scientific Programmer, you need a solid background in computer science, mathematics, or a related field, along with strong programming skills in languages like Python, C++, or R. Familiarity with scientific computing libraries (such as NumPy, SciPy), data analysis tools, and version control systems like Git is typically required, and experience with high-performance computing or parallel processing is a plus. Strong problem-solving abilities, attention to detail, and effective communication are key soft skills that distinguish top performers in this role. These skills and qualities are crucial for developing reliable, efficient code to support complex scientific research and for collaborating effectively within multidisciplinary teams.

What is the difference between Scientific Programmer vs Data Analyst?

AspectScientific ProgrammerData Analyst
Required CredentialsBachelor's or higher in Computer Science, Physics, or related fields; programming skillsBachelor's or higher in Statistics, Data Science, or related fields; analytical skills
Work EnvironmentResearch labs, scientific institutions, academia, industry R&DBusiness, finance, healthcare, marketing sectors
Employer & Industry UsageResearch organizations, universities, scientific companiesCorporations, consulting firms, government agencies
Common Search & Comparison IntentUnderstanding technical roles in scientific computingAnalyzing data to inform decisions

Scientific Programmers focus on developing software and algorithms for scientific research, often working with complex simulations and data modeling. Data Analysts interpret data sets to generate insights and support decision-making. While both roles require strong programming skills and analytical thinking, Scientific Programmers are more involved in software development for scientific purposes, whereas Data Analysts focus on data interpretation and reporting.

Is scientific programming a good career?

Scientific programming is a viable career that involves developing software for research, data analysis, and simulation in scientific fields. It requires strong programming skills, knowledge of scientific concepts, and often proficiency in languages like Python, C++, or MATLAB. The demand for scientific programmers is steady in academia, industry, and government research organizations.

What is a scientific programmer?

Scientific programmers are professionals who develop, implement, and optimize software solutions for scientific research and data analysis. They work closely with scientists and researchers to translate complex scientific problems into computational algorithms, scripts, and tools. Their work often involves programming in languages like Python, C++, or R, and may include tasks such as data processing, simulation, modeling, and visualization. Scientific programmers play a crucial role in advancing research by making scientific computations more efficient and reproducible.

What does a scientific programmer do?

The duties of a scientific programmer are to design a variety of tools for researchers to perform statistical and mathematical modeling on large datasets. They often work within a specific framework or software, and their responsibilities are to script tools that make it easier for scientists to use the programs or models. Their duties may include designing a new user interface or creating shell scripts for the UNIX or Linux operating systems. A scientific programmer also conducts code review and quality assurance tasks to ensure that programs are ready to be used. Qualifications include a bachelor’s degree in computer science, bioinformatics, or computational biology. If you want to specialize in a particular discipline, you may need additional experience or advanced qualifications.

How does a scientific programmer typically collaborate with researchers and other technical staff on projects?

Scientific Programmers often work closely with research scientists, data analysts, and IT teams to develop and optimize software tools for scientific studies. They participate in project meetings to understand research goals, translate scientific requirements into code, and troubleshoot issues that arise in computational workflows. Effective communication and teamwork are essential, as Scientific Programmers must ensure their solutions align with both technical standards and the scientific objectives of the research team.
More about Scientific Programmer jobs
What are popular job titles related to Scientific Programmer jobs in Houston, TX? For Scientific Programmer jobs in Houston, TX, the most frequently searched job titles are:
What job categories do people searching Scientific Programmer jobs in Houston, TX look for? The top searched job categories for Scientific Programmer jobs in Houston, TX are:
Scientific Programmer jobs near you
Infographic showing various Scientific Programmer job openings in Houston, TX as of August 2026, with employment types broken down into 1% Internship, 1% As Needed, 85% Full Time, 11% Part Time, and 2% Contract. Highlights an 79% Physical, 3% Hybrid, and 18% Remote job distribution, with an average salary of $79,185 per year, or $38.1 per hour.

Computer Programmer II (Biochemistry & Molecular Biology - Galveston)

UTMB Health

Galveston, TX • On-site

Full-time

Re-posted 23 days ago

UTMB Health rating

7.3

Company rating: 7.3 out of 10

Based on 168 frontline employees who took The Breakroom Quiz

268th of 887 rated healthcare providers

Job description

Minimum Qualifications:
Associate's degree or equivalent in related field and one-year related experience.
PREFERRED QUALIFICATIONS:
  • Master's degree in bioinformatics, computational biology, computer science, genomics, physics, or a related field (or equivalent practical experience)
  • Strong programming skills
  • Background in machine learning or statistical modeling (e.g., clustering, representation learning, deep learning)
  • Experience with large language models (LLMs), including retrieval-augmented generation, prompt engineering, agentic workflows, or fine-tuning
  • Familiarity with Linux/HPC environments and version control (e.g., Git)
  • Experience working with NGS data and large biological datasets
  • Experience with tools for comparative genomics across multiple species (alignment software, comparative browser, etc.)
  • Experience working with genome assemblies, liftover, or cross-species alignment
  • Familiarity with visualization of large genomic datasets (2D contact maps, embeddings, interactive browsers)
  • Experience integrating structured scientific datasets, scientific literature, or experimental metadata into computational workflows

Job Summary:
To provide technical skills in the preparation and use of programs for the solution of problems by electronic computers.
Job Duties and Responsibilities
Core duties:
  • Develops new programs.
  • Verifies solutions.
  • Prepares description of program, flow charts, and block diagrams.
  • Prepares program documentation and operating instructions for new programs.
  • Modifies existing programs.
  • Adheres to internal controls established for departments.
  • Performs related duties as required.

Project responsibilities will include:
1. System design. Develop architectures for AI systems that integrate biological datasets, scientific literature, experimental metadata, and large-language-model capabilities. These systems may include retrieval-augmented generation, agentic workflows, structured reasoning pipelines, or domain-specific interfaces for biological research.
2. Biological data integration. Identify, organize, and prepare relevant biological data sources for use in AI workflows. These may include genomic, epigenomic, proteomic, imaging, structural biology, or literature-derived datasets, depending on project needs.
3. LLM-based workflow development. Design and implement LLM-powered tools for scientific question answering, hypothesis generation, literature analysis, experimental planning, data interpretation, and automated report generation. The candidate will evaluate model outputs for scientific accuracy, traceability, and usability.
4. Prototype implementation. Build working prototypes, scripts, notebooks, APIs, or lightweight applications demonstrating the proposed AI systems. Prototypes should be sufficiently documented to enable the project team to review, test, and further develop them.
5. Evaluation and validation. Develop practical evaluation criteria for biological and scientific AI systems, including accuracy, reproducibility, citation grounding, failure modes, hallucination risk, and usefulness to researchers. The candidate will test systems on representative biological use cases and summarize results.
6. Documentation and recommendations. Prepare clear technical documentation that describes the system architecture, data inputs, model choices, workflows, limitations, and recommended next steps. Documentation should be suitable for internal scientific and technical review.
7. Collaboration. Meet periodically with project leadership and relevant scientific or computational collaborators to review progress, refine priorities, and incorporate feedback.
Deliverables
The candidate will provide one or more of the following, as requested by the project team:
  • Technical design documents for AI systems spanning biology and LLMs.
  • Prototype software, notebooks, scripts, or application components.
  • Curated or structured biological data inputs for AI workflows.
  • Evaluation reports describing system performance, limitations, and risks.
  • Written recommendations for future development, deployment, or publication.
  • Periodic progress summaries.

Expected Outcome
The work is expected to produce practical designs and early-stage prototypes for AI systems that support biological research with large language models, with an emphasis on scientific rigor, interpretability, reliable grounding in source material, and usability for researchers
DEPARTMENT MARKETING STATEMENT:
We are seeking a highly motivated programmer to support computational analysis of Hi-C and other sequencing datasets, with a particular focus on comparative genome organization across multiple species under the umbrella of the DNA Zoo Consortium (dnazoo.org). This role is ideal for someone who enjoys working at the intersection of genomics, chromatin architecture (1D and 3D), and data science, and who wants hands-on involvement in large, cross-species projects.
In addition, this role offers the opportunity to help shape AI systems that bring large language models to biological research, building tools that combine curated scientific data with modern LLM-based reasoning and retrieval to accelerate discovery.
Salary Range:
Actual salary commensurate with experience or range, if discussed and approved by hiring authority.
EQUAL EMPLOYMENT OPPORTUNITY:
UTMB Health strives to provide equal opportunity employment without regard to race, color, religion, age, national origin, sex, gender, sexual orientation, gender identity/expression, genetic information, disability, veteran status, or any other basis protected by institutional policy or by federal, state or local laws unless such distinction is required by law. As a Federal Contractor, UTMB Health takes affirmative action to hire and advance protected veterans and individuals with disabilities.

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