Overview
ProteinMaker is a precision instrument control suite for protein synthesis, developed at I&L Biosystems GmbH. The application controls a multi-channel liquid handling robot, enabling researchers to define, execute, and monitor automated protein synthesis methods.
Responsibilities
Over nearly three years as a Senior Software Developer, I was responsible for:
- Application maintenance — sustained reliability of a mission-critical industrial Qt desktop application used in laboratory environments across Europe
- Qt & library upgrades — led the effort to upgrade the Qt version and all dependent libraries, ensuring compatibility with modern toolchains without regressions in instrument control behaviour
- CMake build system optimisation — refactored the build system from a legacy setup to an optimised CMake configuration, significantly reducing build times and improving CI/CD pipeline efficiency
- Code refactoring — tackled complex legacy sections of the codebase to improve maintainability, testability, and long-term extensibility
- Cross-functional Agile — participated in weekly Agile ceremonies with an international team distributed across Germany and the UK, contributing to JIRA sprint planning and issue tracking
Application Features
- Methods editor — tree-based method authoring with sub-method grouping and step configuration
- Deck view — visual plate layout with concentration heatmap and real-time well status
- UV chart — dual-channel volume/absorbance plots with real-time and overview modes
- Manual control — direct instrument control for calibration and maintenance
- Log viewer — timestamped operational log with filtering
Tech Stack
- Qt / C++ — full application stack
- CMake — build system