Developer - Engineering & Analysis

Energy Systems Catapult is an independent research and technology organisation. Our mission is to accelerate Net Zero energy innovation. Launched in 2015 by Innovate UK, the Catapult has built a team of more than 250 people, with a range of technical, engineering, consumer, commercial, incubation, digital and policy expertise. We use that ‘whole energy’ system capability to support innovative companies to test, trial and scale their new products and services.

The Catapult has developed analytical capabilities across the areas that affect the transformation to the energy system and is looking to add to its team. As a part of the Catapult team, you will focus on the maintenance and further development of existing and new software tools used within the ESC’s Infrastructure and Engineering team. This role offers an exciting opportunity to bring your strong software development, data management, analytical and problem-solving skills in a creative and forward-looking environment on the cutting edge of energy system innovation.

The Catapult is an impartial body with unrivalled capabilities in whole energy system and transport and energy system modelling and analysis. This means that we can play a key role in shaping and supporting evidence-based policy and investment decision making by a range of public and private sector partners. The Catapult is an exciting, rewarding and intellectually stimulating place to work.

Key Focus Areas:

• To contribute to the Infrastructure and Engineering team’s work and support the wider ESC activities by leading on the maintenance and development of internal software tools.
• Creating platforms and software tools to analyse and utilise large datasets.
• Maintaining and further developing software tools and databases.
• Converting project requirements into new software tools.
• Being the lead developer for internal software development projects, as required.
• Specifying functional requirements for outsourced software development activities.
• Identifying areas of improvement within existing tools and developing the implementation processes.
• Providing the necessary modelling outputs to the relevant teams as per project requirements.
• Working with other modelling teams to align software tools and maintain links between internal models.

Key Work Activities:

• Implement required changes to current software tools based on project requirements.
• Develop new software tools based on requirements and methodologies provided by the engineering teams.
• Maintain existing tools.
• Update modelling toolsets with latest versions of sub-models delivered by other teams.
• Provide modelling outputs to the project team.
• Support internal processes for software development and development of quality assurance procedures.
• Identify areas of improvement and modification and support the development of asset roadmaps.
• Establish processes and collaborations with other teams within the Catapult around software tools.
• Maintain relationships with external stakeholders and suppliers.
• Test and validate software programmes to ensure tool optimal performance, quality and repeatability.
• Design and maintain the databases used by the Infrastructure and Engineering Capability with data supplied by the engineering teams.
• Contribute to the development of the knowledge base, communications material and presentation of the Catapult’s knowledge to relevant stakeholders.

What credentials are we ideally looking for?

• Self-motivated, with extensive analytical and problem-solving skills, attention to detail, able to work in a fast-paced environment, with planning, organisational and communication skills.
• Educated to degree level (Bachelors, Masters or Doctoral level) in a relevant subject with strong mathematical optimisation experience gained within a software development environment.
• Strong mathematical modelling experience.
• Knowledge and experience of Python and other programming languages such as Matlab, C, C++, AIMMS.
• Knowledge and experience of data management (SQL, PostgreSQL etc).
• Knowledge and experience with software development tools (development environments, source code management etc.).
• Knowledge and experience of Agile processes.
• Demonstrated ability to convert customer requirements to software tools.
• A demonstrated ability to learn new programming languages.
• Working knowledge of data normalisation techniques and database management.
• Experience working with large sets of data is highly desirable.
• Systems thinking is highly desirable.
• Experience or knowledge of machine learning is desirable.
• Existing knowledge of the energy sector and energy system modelling is desirable – alternatively a genuine interest.

Skills:

• Strong analytical and problem-solving skills.
• Time management skills and ability to work with tight timescales.
• Attention to detail and ability to identify problems.
• Strong inter-personal skills – articulate and able to work with a diverse team of colleagues with backgrounds across science, engineering, business, and policy.
• Able to consider implications, anticipate problems and solve them pragmatically and with consideration of the wider needs of the team.
• Strong communication skills and the ability to produce clear, concise and accurate results.