The Opportunity
We are looking for a Senior Research Software Engineer and two Research Software Engineers with experience developing, deploying and maintaining cloud-based data analysis services to join our team operating science platforms for multi-PB sky survey datasets used by the global astronomy community.
The Institute for Astronomy’s Wide-Field Astronomy Unit (WFAU) is involved in the production and curation of a number of large sky survey datasets and supports astronomers analysing them. Increasingly, this involves the use of science platforms, which couple notebook-style programming interfaces and virtualised compute resources. These positions relate to the science platforms for the European Space Agency’s Gaia mission and the Vera C. Rubin Observatory’s Legacy Survey of Space and Time (LSST), both of which use OpenStack and Kubernetes technologies.
The two Research Software Engineer (RSE) posts – one for Gaia and one for Rubin LSST – will focus on the development and maintenance of existing science platforms for the two surveys, while the Senior RSE position has a service delivery responsibility, ensuring smooth operation of the UK’s LSST Independent Data Access Centre.
All three posts are full-time (35 hours per week); however, we are open to considering part-time or flexible working patterns. The posts available from now to 31 December 2026, with the possibility of extension dependent on continuing funding streams. We are open to considering requests for hybrid working (on a non-contractual basis) that combines a mix of remote and regular on-campus working.
The salary for the Senior Research Software Engineer post is £49,250 to £60,321 per annum. pro rata if part time, and the salary for the two Research Software Engineer posts is £40,247 to £47,874 per annum, pro rata if part time.
Your skills and attributes for success:
- A degree in a relevant discipline.
- Experience of data-intensive research projects.
- Experience of cloud computing, virtualisation and distributed computing.
- Experience of good software engineering practice.
- Programming experience in Python.
Click below to view a copy of the full job descriptions:
- Senior Research Software Engineer LSST-UK – (opens new browser tab)
- Research Software Engineer (Rubin) – (opens new browser tab)
- Research Software Engineer (Gaia) – (opens new browser tab)
Application Information
Please ensure you include the following documents in your application:
- CV
- Cover letter, noting the position(s) for which you wish to be considered and summarising how you meet the essential and desirable criteria listed for each.
As a valued member of our team you can expect
- A competitive salary.
- An exciting, positive, creative, challenging and rewarding place to work.
- To be part of a diverse and vibrant international community.
- Comprehensive Staff Benefits, such as a generous holiday entitlement, competitive pension schemes, staff discounts, and family-friendly initiatives. Check out the full list on our staff benefits page (opens in a new tab) and use our reward calculator to discover the total value of your pay and benefits.
Championing equality, diversity and inclusion
The School of Physics and Astronomy at the University of Edinburgh is committed to encouraging equality and diversity among our workforce, and eliminating discrimination.
The School strives to create a more diverse, equitable and inclusive workplace for all and we are looking to actively diversify our staff. We welcome applications from all qualified candidates and in particular encourage applications from people of colour, women, people with disabilities, LGBTQ+ people and other minority and under-represented groups. We aim to ensure that our culture and systems support flexible and family-friendly working, as evidenced by our Juno Champion and Athena SWAN Silver awards.
The University of Edinburgh holds a Silver Athena SWAN award in recognition of our commitment to advance gender equality in higher education. We are members of the Race Equality Charter and we are also Stonewall Scotland Diversity Champions, actively promoting LGBT equality. The School of Physics and Astronomy is also an Institute of Physics Juno Champion.
Prior to any employment commencing with the University you will be required to evidence your right to work in the UK. Further information is available on our right to work webpages (opens new browser tab)
The University may be able to sponsor the employment of international workers in this role. This will depend on a number of factors specific to the successful applicant.