Software Engineer
WORLD CHANGERS TOGETHER
Job purpose
A highly experienced and specialist Software Engineer who will play a leading technical role in the design and delivery of cutting edge processes for a new-generation genome analysis and annotation tool in collaboration with overseas project partners.
The role holder will be working directly with members of the Jbrowse 2 team to create a modern visual genome analysis and annotation editor built with React, TypeScript, NestJS, and Electron.
Experienced with UNIX systems, the role holder will feel at home both in the back-end and the front-end world, and apply technical expertise in delivering solutions to complex technical challenges.
The post is available for a highly experienced software engineer (Grade 8) but for applicants who do not yet have the prerequisite experience the post may be offered at a lower grade with training provided).
This position is funded until 02 October 2025.
Main duties & responsibilities
- Using in-depth technical expertise be responsible for the design and/or development of the codebase for a novel genome annotation tool in collaboration with project partners overseas.
- Apply senior level technical leadership in co-ordinating and managing the inputs from project partners to ensure the project remains on-track.
- Work, as the University representative, with collaborators at the Sanger Institute to maintain the codebase of the existing genome annotation tool (critical bug fixes and software upgrades) during transition to new tool.
- Develop and cultivate effective relationships with the scientific users and gain a sound understanding of their needs to identify gaps in existing systems and processes and ensure that the software solutions meet their requirements
- Present and communicate progress reports and plans effectively, through regular stand-ups and project-planning meetings
- Help develop and maintain external collaborations, nationally and internationally in line with the project goals
- Present research methodologies at national/international level as required.
- Accurately record and Document software and write user guides and training manuals.
- Actively participate in software reviews to ensure all developments meet required standards and are performed in a transparent manner.
Knowledge and qualifications
Skills
Essential
- Knowledge and Skills
- Excellent general software engineering skills.
- Excellent communication skills, both oral and written.
- Excellent interpersonal and presentation skills.
- Excellent time management skills.
- Ability to prioritise, manage workload, and deliver agreed activities consistently
- Ability to work independently and as part of a team.
- Willingness and aptitude to work in a multidisciplinary environment.
- Excellent problem-solving skills.
- Ability to plan and efficiently collaborate with others to develop and deploy software.
- Ability to contribute to an international consortium.
- Knowledge of modern JavaScript front-end technologies and frameworks like React, TypeScript, NestJS, and Electron
- Good attention to details
Desirable
- Knowledge of bioinformatics, particularly genomics
- Working knowledge of Java
Experience
Essential
- Extensive experience developing with JavaScript.
- Extensive experience in producing reliable work estimates
- Experience of the software development process and demonstrated outputs
- Extensive use of version control software, e.g., git, Sourcetree.
- Working experience in Unix/Linux-based environments.
- Experience of working in a research environment.
- Sufficient breadth and/or depth of knowledge to work wihin the genomics area.
- Track record working with end-users and other developers to define project requirements.
- Extensive track record of leading, and successfully completing software development projects.
Desirable
- Experience in writing reports or publications.
- Experience working with scientific datasets, ideally in a biological setting.
- Experience of working in a virtual team.
- Experience working within the academic/research sector.
- Experience of software development in the area of biology
Campus development plan
Our Vision
Over the next 10 years, the major investment will expand our campus footprint by 25%, creating a new urban quarter with the University at the heart of a revitalised west end. This is the largest development since the creation of the original campus in 1870.
This is a unique opportunity for a University to extend the boundaries of its historic core in a central city location. It will create:
- New learning and teaching facilities
- Refurbishment and repurposing of existing iconic buildings for specialist uses
- Identification and design of social spaces that support the student and community experience.
The expansion of our Gilmorehill campus into the 14 acre, former Western Infirmary site will transform the West End of Glasgow. The Masterplan for the site will incorporate:
- New learning and teaching facilities supporting our students and making sure they get the best in modern teaching and learning styles and approaches
- Creation of a Research Hub, housing large-scale multidisciplinary projects and incubator space for spin out collaborations with industry. This will encourage further innovation development
- New public cycle and pedestrian routes and a new central square which will link Byres Road to the up-and-coming cultural quarter for the West End, with new links to Kelvingrove and the newly-refurbished Kelvin Hall
- Refurbishment of five listed buildings: The Chapel, the Outpatients building, the Macgregor building, the Tennent Institute and Anderson College
- Commercial opportunities, including a hotel, restaurant, bars and cafes
- The state of the art Learning and Teaching Hub adjacent to the Boyd Orr building on University Avenue will be completed next year.
Find out more
Living in Glasgow
A UNESCO City of Music, a vibrant arts and culture scene, a food-lover’s delight, and a shopper’s paradise. Just some of the highlights of the ‘friendliest city in the world’. As well as that accolade by the Rough Guides poll, Glasgow has also been named a must visit destination by publications including the New York Times, The Guardian, and Wanderlust.
Music
The city hosts an average of 130 music events a week catering for every taste; from rock to rap, and classical to country. Glasgow also has a world class club scene playing host to some of the world’s top DJs.
Shopping
Outside of London’s West End, Glasgow is frequently voted the best place for shopping in the UK. A must-visit destination for any shop-a-holic, it houses high street chains, international designers, and independent retailers. The West End, home to the University of Glasgow, is bustling with vintage fashion, vinyl stores, and second-hand bookshops.
Arts and Culture
Glasgow’s arts scene has gone from strength to strength, and is the base for five internationally renowned performing arts companies including the National Theatre of Scotland and Scottish Ballet. The city has several world-class museums, which are free to the public, and the city’s architecture is a work of art in itself.
Food and drink
You can be in Glasgow and taste the world with its many diverse restaurants, cafes, and bars. And if you’ve yet to sample the delights of haggis and whisky, Glasgow is the place to be.
The City and Beyond
Glasgow has all the opportunities and excitement of a big city but its compact size means you can quickly travel from one vibrant district to the next. You could be relaxing in one of its many parks, before shopping in the quirky West End, and then dancing until the wee small hours in the Merchant City.
And when you fancy getting out of the city you can reach the stunning Loch Lomond in just 30 minutes, climb one of our many breath-taking Munros, play golf at one of Scotland’s many world-class courses, visit one of our ancient castles, or go further North and search for Nessie! Scotland has also just been named the world’s most beautiful country by Rough Guides.
Relocating to Glasgow
Choosing to relocate to Glasgow is a big decision. There are numerous things to be considered, such as the costs of moving, the cost of living, and where exactly to relocate to. We have created two guides to aide you in the decision making process.
The Relocation Guide identifies five of Glasgow's most popular residential areas. Alongside information detailing some of the general living costs in Glasgow, The guide also suggests which schools surround each area, how far away each area is from the University's main campus, and the average cost of housing.
The Scotland Handbook provides information about living in Scotland as a country; our cultures, our lifestyle, and our geography.
WORLD CHANGERS TOGETHER
WORLD CHANGING GLASGOW 2025
Our outstanding disciplinary breadth and expertise has enabled us to make world-changing advances in fields as diverse as medicine, physics, linguistics, public policy and global development.
The key to our success is our talented staff and students pushing back at the boundaries of knowledge and understanding together.
Our World Changers Together strategy recognises the fundamental importance of a culture of open cooperation: not just as colleagues and mentors or students and teachers, but as a community of discovery that reaches beyond its walls and draws inspiration and strength from its connections and partnerships worldwide: excellence that's part of something bigger. The strategy is articulated across three themes:
COMMUNITY
- People centred, globally engaged
CONNECTIVITY
- Collaboratively minded, digitally enhanced
CHALLENGES
- Solution focused, impact oriented
Find out more
How to apply
Full details of the role and how to apply can be found by visiting our website:
The closing date for applications is 15 February 2023.
It is the University of Glasgow’s mission to foster an inclusive climate, which ensures equality in our working, learning, research and teaching environment. We strongly endorse the principles of Athena SWAN, including a supportive and flexible working environment, with commitment from all levels of the organisation in promoting gender equity.
Our values
The future holds innumerable challenges for our sector, our society, and our world. We will have to adapt and change what we do and what we offer if we are to navigate these successfully. Our strategy and approach may evolve as the landscape changes, but our values will remain constant: a fixed point of certainty in uncertain times.
We have identified our values in consultation and partnership with our staff and student community. Living and upholding these values will ensure that we remain true to the spirit of our community and ourselves:
Ambition and Excellence
- We strive for excellence through our work
- We defend academic freedom globally
- We recognise and celebrate shared success
- We have an unrelenting focus on development
Curiosity and Discovery
- We innovate and solve problems together
- We lead by influence and example
- We engage with lifelong learning and personal development
- We learn from our mistakes
Integrity and Truth
- We uphold honesty, integrity and fairness
- We share our work widely and generously
- We do the right thing, not the easy thing - or we don’t do it
- We take responsibility
An Inclusive Community new
- We are one Glasgow team, and we care for and respect one another
- We advocate for diversity and believe in variety as a vital part of a healthy university
- We champion education as an engine for social progress
- We practise and advance sustainability