Senior Software Engineer (Interoperability)

The University of Sheffield; Sheffield; On-site; GBP 60,000 - 80,000; Full time

Job summary

The University of Sheffield is seeking a Senior Software Engineer to lead the development of our core interoperability infrastructure. You will work within the AMRC team to unify legacy systems into a modern digital ecosystem, delivering robust APIs, data pipelines and scalable backend services.

You will collaborate with researchers, industry partners, and shop floor staff to translate connectivity needs into technical requirements, driving reproducible software practices and strong

Qualifications

• Bachelor's or master's degree in Computer Science, Software Engineering, or a related area, coupled with 2-3 years of practical software engineering experience.
• Proficiency in Python or Java with a portfolio of relevant work developed using Git and source control.
• Proven track record designing interoperable systems, APIs (REST/GraphQL/OpenAPI) and data integration pipelines.
• Advanced familiarity with reproducible software development, including testing, documentation, CI/CD and version control.

Responsibilities

• Design, develop, and implement software pipelines, APIs and middleware to enable seamless communication between disparate systems and datasets.
• Build data pipelines and orchestration layers with containerisation and microservices to ensure reliable data flow.
• Architect solutions to connect legacy manufacturing systems to a modern digital ecosystem.
• Evaluate infrastructure and recommend architectural improvements and communication standards (REST, GraphQL, MQTT, SPARQL).
• Write clean, scalable backend services and manage open-source repositories.
• Document architecture diagrams, API specifications, and data flows; maintain strong collaboration with engineers and researchers.

Skills

Python

Java

API design

REST

GraphQL

Git

CI/CD

Education

Bachelor's degree in Computer Science or Software Engineering

Master's degree in Computer Science or related field

Tools

OpenAPI

JSON/XML

Job description

The University of Sheffield is a remarkable place to work. Our people are at the heart of everything we do. Their diverse backgrounds, abilities and beliefs make Sheffield a world-class university.

We offer a fantastic range of benefits including a highly competitive annual leave entitlement (with the ability to purchase more), a generous pensions scheme, flexible working opportunities, a commitment to your development and wellbeing, a wide range of retail discounts, and much more. Find out more about our benefits (opens in a new window) and join us to become part of something special.

Overview

Are you a skilled software engineer who loves solving complex integration challenges and building seamless system architectures? We have an exciting opportunity for you to join us as a Senior Software Engineer and lead the development of our core interoperability infrastructure.

You will join the AMRC at the University of Sheffield, as part of a growing interoperability team currently funded by a UKRI Future Leadership Fellow. We are tackling critical system interoperability barriers preventing organisations from leveraging leading-edge technology, such as digital twins and AI, by unifying the current siloed infrastructures. While the wider project focuses on accelerating industrial interoperability approaches, this role is dedicated entirely to the core software infrastructure that underpins it.

As a Senior Software Engineer, you will lead the development of robust, cross-cutting software architectures that allow disparate systems, datasets, and platforms to communicate seamlessly. With 2-3 years of software engineering experience, you will collaborate with industry partners, and end‑user stakeholders to build the integration layers, APIs, and data pipelines necessary to deliver structured, reusable data outputs.

Main Duties And Responsibilities

• Design, develop, and implement software pipelines, APIs and middleware to ensure seamless communication between disparate systems, databases, and research tools.
• Build and manage data pipelines and orchestration layers (e.g. containerisation and microservices) that govern how information moves between systems, ensuring reliability and data integrity.
• Architect pragmatic solutions to connect and extract data from legacy manufacturing systems, enabling their transformation into a modern digital ecosystem.
• Evaluate existing infrastructure and recommend architectural improvements, protocols, and communication standards (e.g., REST, MQTT, GraphQL, SPARQL).
• Write clean, maintainable, and scalable software solutions to support integration projects, transitioning proof‑of‑concept scripts into robust backend services, including management of open‑source repositories.
• Champion modern software engineering practices within the team, including version control, automated testing, and CI/CD pipelines.
• Produce detailed and accurate technical documentation, including system architecture diagrams, API specifications, and data flow maps.
• Work closely with project engineers, researchers, and shop floor staff to understand their workflows and translate their connectivity needs into technical requirements.
• Lead technical project meetings and maintain strong communication channels with collaborators and partners.
• Make ethical and sustainable technical decisions, embedding the organisation's sustainability strategy into your working activities wherever possible.
• Carry out other duties, commensurate with the grade and remit of the post.

Person Specification

Our diverse community of staff and students recognises the unique abilities, backgrounds, and beliefs of all. We foster a culture where everyone feels they belong and are respected. Even if your past experience doesn't match perfectly with this role's criteria, your contribution is valuable, and we encourage you to apply. Please ensure that you reference the application criteria in the application statement when you apply.

Criteria

Essential Or Desirable

Stage(s) assessed at

Bachelor's or master's degree in Computer Science, Software Engineering, or a related area, coupled with 2-3 years of practical software engineering experience.

Essential

Interview / Application

Proficiency in one or more languages used in data integration and backend development (e.g., Python, Java, or equivalent), with a portfolio of relevant work developed collaboratively with source control (e.g. Git).

Essential

Interview / Application

Proven track record in designing and implementing interoperable software systems, APIs (e.g., REST, GraphQL, OpenAPI), message brokers, and robust data integration pipelines utilising standard data exchange formats (e.g. JSON, XML).

Essential

Interview / Application

Advanced familiarity with reproducible software development, including rigorous testing (unit/integration), comprehensive documentation, CI/CD, and version control.

Essential

Interview / Application

Solid practical skills in software architecture,