The Role
This is an exciting opportunity to contribute to impactful urban research that informs policy and improves lives. You’ll be part of a vibrant academic community, with access to professional development opportunities and the chance to work on diverse, real-world challenges.
This position plays the pivotal role in the running and development of the UO infrastructure and is critical in sustaining a nationally and internationally unique research facility. The UO underpins a wide range of high-impact, externally funded projects such as the Edge-AI Hub and the DARe Hub, which rely on robust, scalable, and secure data infrastructure. The post ensures the continuous operation, development, and innovation of this infrastructure, enabling real-time urban data collection, processing, and dissemination. Moreover, the UO supports long-term strategic partnerships with city and local authorities, providing essential data and insights that inform urban planning, sustainability, and policy decisions. Without dedicated technical management, the continuity and success of these collaborations and research outputs would be at significant risk.
We are seeking a skilled and motivated Software Engineer and researcher to join our interdisciplinary Urban Observatory team. This role is central to supporting a range of cutting-edge research projects that leverage urban data to understand and improve city life. You will work closely with researchers, data scientists, and external partners to develop and maintain robust software systems that underpin our data infrastructure and user-facing applications.
To find out more, please contact Philip James (Professor of Data Science) at
This role is fixed term for a period of 12 months.
Key Responsibilities
1. Manage and maintain Linux-based servers (primarily Ubuntu) used for data collection, processing, and storage
2. Design, implement, and maintain PostgreSQL databases, ensuring data integrity, performance, and scalability
3. Develop and maintain Python-based data processing pipelines and backend services
4. Build and enhance web applications and user interfaces for data visualization and interaction
5. Collaborate with researchers to understand project requirements and translate them into technical solutions
6. Ensure software systems are well-documented, version-controlled, and maintainable
7. Support the deployment and monitoring of software in production environments
8. Collaborate on a range of research projects and the production of research outputs
9. Contribute to a flexible, collaborative, and innovative research environment
Essential Skills and Experience
10. Proven experience with Linux server management (preferably Ubuntu)
11. Strong knowledge of PostgreSQL database design, management, and optimization
12. Proficiency in Python for software development and data processing
13. Experience with **web development** (HTML, CSS, JavaScript) and modern web UI frameworks (e.g., React, Vue.js, or similar)
14. Familiarity with version control systems (e.g., Git)
15. Excellent communication and interpersonal skills, with the ability to work effectively in a multidisciplinary team
16. Ability to manage multiple tasks and projects in a flexible and dynamic research environment
17. A PhD or other research or relevant experience
Desirable Skills
18. Experience with containerization tools (e.g., Docker)
19. Familiarity with RESTful APIs and microservices architecture
20. Knowledge of data visualization libraries or platforms
21. Experience working in academic or research settings
Qualifications
22. Fully completed and awarded PhD in relevant area
Newcastle University is a global University where everyone is treated with dignity and respect. As a University of Sanctuary, we aim to provide a welcoming place of safety for all, offering opportunities to people fleeing violence and persecution.
We are committed to being a fully inclusive university which actively recruits, supports and retains colleagues from all sectors of society. We value diversity as well as celebrate, support and thrive on the contributions of all of our employees and the communities they represent. We are proud to be an equal opportunities employer and encourage applications from individuals who can complement our existing teams, we believe that success is built on having teams whose backgrounds and experiences reflect the diversity of our university and student population.
At Newcastle University we hold a silver award in recognition of our good employment practices for the advancement of gender equality. We also hold a Bronze award in recognition of our work towards tackling race inequality in higher education REC. We are a employer and will offer an interview to disabled applicants who meet the essential criteria for the role as part of the offer and interview scheme.
In addition, we are a member of the Euraxess initiative supporting researchers in Europe.
Requisition ID: 28576