Help power free access to millions of family history records. We’re seeking Ruby on Rails developers, to support our volunteer-led platforms and shape the future of digital genealogy.
What difference will you make?
Our services are entirely free to access, and they rely on a combination of volunteer effort and robust, well-maintained technology. As demand for our services continues to grow, so too does the need for sustainable and scalable technical solutions.
By contributing your development expertise, you will directly support the ongoing availability and improvement of services used by thousands of people every day. Your work will help ensure that historical records remain accessible, searchable and useful for individuals, families and communities exploring their heritage.
You will also play a part in shaping the future of our platforms. We are actively modernising our technology stack and developing new services, and experienced developers are critical to ensuring these initiatives succeed.
Beyond the technical impact, your involvement helps strengthen our volunteer community. Sharing knowledge, mentoring others, and contributing to a collaborative environment are all valuable aspects of the role.
Ultimately, your contribution will help preserve and democratise access to historical information, ensuring it remains freely available for future generations.
What are we looking for?
We are looking for individuals with a strong interest in software development and a willingness to contribute their skills in a collaborative, volunteer-led environment.
Essential Skills And Experience
* Experience with Ruby/ Ruby on Rails, or the ability to learn quickly based on experience with similar frameworks (such as Python, JavaScript, or ASP.NET)
* Familiarity with version control using Git
* Experience of working with GitHub (or similar platforms), including pull requests and issue management
* Ability to work independently and communicate effectively in a remote team
Desirable Skills And Experience
* Experience with MongoDB
* Experience with JavaScript
* Familiarity with legacy systems or data-heavy applications
* Experience of working in volunteer or open-source environments
We are particularly keen to hear from developers who are retired or approaching retirement and are looking for a way to stay mentally active, contribute to a meaningful cause, and remain connected to a technical community. That said, we welcome applications from developers at any stage of their career, including those looking to build experience and develop their skills in a supportive environment.
You do not need prior experience in genealogy or charity work. What matters most is your willingness to contribute, collaborate, and apply your skills to support our mission.
A thoughtful, pragmatic approach to problem-solving and an appreciation for working with existing systems will be especially valuable in this role.
What will you be doing?
Free UK Genealogy is a volunteer-driven charity providing free online access to over 500 million genealogical records. Our platforms, including FreeBMD, FreeREG and FreeCEN, are used by researchers worldwide, and we are now entering an exciting phase of technical development.
We are looking for Ruby on Rails developers to join our distributed technical team. This is a flexible, remote volunteering role where you can contribute at a pace that suits you, working alongside experienced volunteers and contributors.
You will help develop, maintain and improve our core platforms, supporting both ongoing operations and new initiatives such as FreeBMD2 and FreePRO. Tasks may include enhancing existing features, improving performance, supporting data workflows, and contributing to new functionality.
Our development work is collaborative and managed via GitHub, with discussions on requirements, accessibility etc. forming a key part of how we work. You will have the opportunity to engage with a friendly and knowledgeable team, many of whom bring decades of experience across software development, genealogy, and data projects.
We particularly welcome interest from developers who are retired or approaching retirement and would like to continue using their skills in a meaningful, flexible and intellectually engaging way.
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