Senior Research Assistant in Software Development

Northumbria University; Newcastle upon Tyne; On-site; GBP 42,000 - 52,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Flexible working

Excellent pension scheme

Generous holiday entitlement

Athena Swan recognition

Job summary

Northumbria University is seeking a research-focused software developer to join a UKRI-funded project within the School of Design, Arts and Creative Industries. You will work with the Project Lead and a Senior Full-stack Developer to translate weaving and design knowledge into machine-executable software.

The role emphasizes teamwork across design, textile and fashion disciplines, software component development, testing, and documentation.

Qualifications

• PhD in computer science, software engineering, computational design, or a related discipline.
• Demonstrable specialist knowledge of software development, including programming, data structures, and software architecture.
• Willingness to learn and collaborate with design, textile, and fashion colleagues.
• Experience applying software to design, textile, or manufacturing processes is desirable.

Responsibilities

• Develop and test software components translating weaving and design knowledge into computational methods.
• Prepare loom-ready files and contribute to reports and publications.
• Support delivery of research activity on a UKRI funded project in a cross-disciplinary team.

Skills

Software development

Programming

Data structures

Software architecture

Education

PhD in computer science / software engineering / computational design

Job description

ABOUT THE ROLE

An opportunity for a researcher with a PhD in computer science, software engineering, computational design, or a related discipline to join a UKRI funded project within the School of Design Arts and Creative Industries. Working with the Project Lead and the Senior Full-stack Developer, you will develop software that turns design and weaving knowledge into machine-executable instructions. You will be part of a cross-disciplinary team and be open to learning from design, textile, and fashion expertise.

Job Description

Working as part of a multi-disciplinary team, you will support the Project Lead, Dr Yuyuan Shi, in the delivery of research activity on a UKRI funded project, working alongside the Senior Full-stack Developer. You will bring your software development expertise and your interest in learning from design and textile colleagues to the work, which includes developing and testing software components, translating weaving and design knowledge into computational methods, preparing loom-ready files, and contributing to reports and publications. This is a fixed-term post for up to 9 months, ending on 30 June 2027, at [0.6 / 1.0] FTE. There is potential for the contract to be extended, subject to performance and the availability of funding.

About The Team

Further information is available in the job description.

This research project is being delivered within the School of Design Arts and Creative Industries in the Faculty of Society and Culture, and is led by Dr Yuyuan Shi within the Fashion Engineering Lab.

About You

Applicants should hold a PhD in computer science, software engineering, computational design, or a related discipline. You will have demonstrable specialist knowledge of software development, including programming, data structures, and software architecture, and experience of developing software for research or commercial applications. You will be willing to learn, and open to knowledge from design, textile, and fashion disciplines, and you will enjoy working collaboratively in a cross-disciplinary team. Experience of applying software to design, textile, or manufacturing processes is desirable. You will keep careful records of your work, including clear documentation of your code.

If you would like an informal discussion about the role, please contact Dr Yuyuan Shi: [e-mail]

About Us

Join Northumbria University, a research-intensive institution unlocking potential and changing lives locally and globally. Named Times Higher Education's University of the Year in 2022 and Modern University of the Year in 2025, we rank top 25 in the UK for research power. Discover more about us.

With over 37,000 students from 140+ countries, we offer world-leading research, award-winning partnerships, and an outstanding student experience. We empower our exceptional staff, promoting a positive work-life balance and offering great benefits, including excellent pension schemes, flexible working, generous holiday entitlement and more.

Our Northumbria Values, co-created by our team, define who we are: Academic Excellence, Innovation, Inclusivity, Collaboration, and Ambition. Our Behaviours shape our work culture: We listen and learn, support one another, respect everyone, trust each other, and are bold.

Based in Newcastle upon Tyne and London, we are an on-campus organisation and offer flexible hours and location where the role allows. We pride ourselves on diversity and inclusivity, holding a Silver Athena Swan in recognition of our commitment to advancing gender equality, a bronze Race Equality Charter Award and we are a Disability Confident Leader. We also hold the HR Excellence in Research award for implementing the concordat supporting the career Development of Researchers and are members of the Euraxess initiative to deliver information and support to professional researchers. The University has implemented a range of flexible working arrangements, and we are happy to explore candidate requirements as part of the recruitment process.