Job Description
Software Engineer (Backend-Focused)
12‑Month Fixed Term Contract
Location: Edinburgh (hybrid/remote UK)
Eligibility: Right to work in the UK required
The Opportunity
We’re working with a small, high‑impact data science organisation operating at the intersection of software engineering, satellite data and climate research. They build cloud‑hosted tools and platforms that help scientists and decision‑makers better understand environmental change.
This is a great opportunity for an established Software Engineer who enjoys working on meaningful problems, contributing across the stack, and collaborating closely with data scientists and researchers.
The Role
You’ll join a small engineering team and work closely with data scientists, researchers, and external partners. The role is primarily backend‑focused, with opportunities to contribute to frontend development where of interest.
Responsibilities include:
* Designing, developing, maintaining and supporting cloud‑hosted applications
* Implementing algorithms defined by data science and research teams
* Developing and maintaining internal and external web services and APIs
* Working with existing codebases and contributing to ongoing improvements
* Participating in code reviews and CI/CD processes
* Supporting cloud infrastructure and some internal IT systems
* Managing your own workload and contributing flexibly across a small team
About You
You’re a pragmatic, curious engineer who enjoys learning new domains and taking ownership of your work.
Essential experience:
* 2+ years’ professional experience in a software engineering role
* Strong Python development skills
* Experience with relational and/or NoSQL databases
* Designing and implementing REST APIs
* Working with large or established codebases
* Version control and CI/CD using Git
* Able to work independently and collaboratively in a small team
Desirable (but not required):
* Experience with Docker and modern CI/CD tooling
* JavaScript / TypeScript (e.g. React, Next.js)
* Cloud platforms (particularly GCP or similar)
* Linux systems administration or automation tools
* High‑performance or large‑scale data processing
* Background in scientific, geospatial or sensor‑based data (interest is more important than prior experience)
Working Environment & Benefits
* Flexible and hybrid working
* Edinburgh office with remote options
* Opportunity to work on projects with real‑world environmental impact