Research Software Engineer

Based within the School of Mathematics & Statistics and reporting to the RSE Lead in the University's Research Computing as a Service (RCaaS) group, make a leading contribution to the creation and delivery of world changing research by applying digital and scientific expertise to provide data driven solutions for the Natural Environment Research Council (NERC) funded SenseH2O project, a collaboration between the University of Glasgow and the University of Stirling. The project's overall aim is to develop a scalable, low-cost systems-based approach for real-time water quality monitoring by integrating the latest sensor technologies with cybersecure communications, data pipelines powered by artificial intelligence (AI), and web-enabled data visualisation interfaces to deliver a solution that meets the needs of end-users across the water industry. The specific aims covered by this role will be the integration of various statistical and AI-driven modules into a robust analysis pipeline as well as the data visualisation aspect of the SenseH2O project. Main Duties and Responsibilities

1. Lead the design, implementation and maintenance of high-quality research software that satisfies the SenseH2O project, while conforming with University policies and more general best practice (e.g. as advocated by the Software Sustainability Institute).
2. Develop and execute a research software strategy for the SenseH2O project, including identifying and prioritising development activities, determining suitable management of resources, and ensuring impact through open software avenues.
3. Lead in development, maintenance, and innovation in research software using industry-standard languages and frameworks such as (Python, R, C, C++, Java), and others.
4. Translate complex research requirements to suitable software solutions, reporting progress to relevant research stakeholders as appropriate.
5. Develop and maintain comprehensive documentation of software designs, deployment, and standard operating procedures, ensuring the management, licensing, version control and deployment in suitable repositories of software outputs.
6. Provide leadership for the adoption of sector best-practices for the development of new research software including through the training and mentoring of staff.
7. Manage testing and quality assurance activities to ensure the reliability, security, and functionality of developed software, documenting test cases and results as needed.
8. Keep up to date with new developments in research software engineering as part of continuous professional development to enhance the support for both the SenseH2O project and wider college RSE efforts. This includes through engagement and membership within international groups, e.g. the Society of RSE.
9. Produce briefings, presentations and documents as required to keep the SenseH2Oproject stakeholders informed of progress.

A1 Ability to demonstrate the competencies required to undertake the duties associated with this level of post having acquired the necessary knowledge and skills in a similar role. Or: Scottish Credit and Qualification Framework level 9, (Ordinary Degree, Scottish Vocational Qualification level 4), or equivalent (including professional accreditation with relevant formal training), and experience of personal development in a similar or related role(s). A2 Expert Knowledge of the challenges and issues associated with building high quality research software or performing software based computational research within a Engineering/Computer Science or related discipline A3 Knowledge of a range of research programming languages and technologies such as Python, R, C, C++, Java, and web technologies, platforms and tools. A4 Knowledge of development tools: code repositories (GitHub) and IDEs (VS Code, PyCharm, RStudio). A5 Knowledge of database technologies: PostgreSQL, MySQL, MongoDB, SQL. Proven expert knowledge of developing software applications. A6 Comprehensive knowledge of modern data management and processing techniques including collaborative development of data management plans. A7 Detailed knowledge of (research) software engineering workflows, e.g. version control, continuous integration, containerisation etc A8 Knowledge of software licensing and effective promotion of software to generate impact. Desirable B1 A degree in Computing, Software Engineering, Computer Programming or Engineering programming. B2 Knowledge of Open Geospatial Consortium (OGC) standards and geospatial data formats and technologies (geoJSON, geospatial APIs, Leaflet). B3 Knowledge of digital accessibility requirements including WCAG standards. B4 Knowledge of Cloud Computing (AWS or Microsoft Azure). B5 Knowledge of front-end frameworks: e.g. Node.js, Vue.js, React, TypeScript. B6 Knowledge of developing and implementing Web Services. B7 Understanding of Trusted Research Environments. B8 Knowledge of developing parallel software for high performance computing setups. B9 Knowledge of DevOps including platforms such as GitHub or GitLab to manage projects, and continuous integration processes. Skills Essential C1 Extensive software engineering skills gained over a substantial period, working at higher levels of complexity within research intensive environments. C2 Proven technical problem-solving skills and attention to detail, with an expert ability to analyse complex requirements and design effective software solutions. C3 Proficient in maintaining and manipulating datasets. C4 Ability to deal with a large variety of end users with a range of technical knowledge including the ability to understand, conceptualise and interpret technical requirements to design and develop software solutions. C5 Ability to learn and adapt to changing technologies, policies/procedures and cyber threats. C6 Excellent analytical skills with confidence to challenge and continually improve, diving into the detail as necessary to understand issues (people, process, and technology). C7 Project management skills to lead technical service to meet and develop long term strategic objectives, whilst delivering a day to day service. C8 Highly effective communication and interpersonal skills, demonstrating creative and innovative thinking and influencing senior members of an organisation. C9 Ability to effectively teach and mentor both experts and non-experts in areas of software engineering best practice. C10 Provide accurate estimations of costs, including time, budget and resource, for significant software efforts to aid in long term project planning. Desirable D1 Software deployment such as via containers, cloud setups, and high-performance computing as appropriate. Experience Essential E1 Proven experience delivering sizable software projects in a (research) software engineering environment. E2 Significant experience in developing and deploying fully functional applications using current programming languages while adhering to best practices and industry standards. E3 Significant experience of testing and validation of software. E4 Experience leading and managing software projects. Desirable F1 Prior experience of working in a university or Higher Education environment. F2 Experience supporting application development for a variety of systems, e.g. Windows, Linux, MacOS, Android, iOS and hardware, e.g. GPU programming.

Salary will be Grade 7, £41,064 - £46,049 per annum. This post is full time (35 hours p/w) and open ended with funding to 6 June 2027. Closing date: 17 May 2026 The University of Glasgow has a responsibility to ensure that all employees are eligible to live and work in the UK. If you require a Skilled Worker visa to work in the UK, you will be required to meet the eligibility requirements of the visa route to be assigned a Certificate of Sponsorship.