At a Glance
- Tasks: Join a multi-disciplinary team to design and implement software for digital collections.
- Company: Be part of the British Library, the national library of the UK.
- Benefits: Enjoy 25 days holiday, flexible working, and a Civil Service pension scheme.
- Other info: We value diversity and inclusivity in our workplace.
- Why this job: Make a real impact on research and outreach while developing your tech skills.
- Qualifications: Experience in software development or digital humanities is preferred.
The predicted salary is between 43867 - 43867 £ per year.
We are looking for a Digital Humanities Research Software Engineer (DH RSE) to become an integral part of the Digital Research Team at the British Library. As a member of a multi‑disciplinary team, you will help identify requirements, design and implement software to showcase our collections, answer research questions, and support the application of novel methods across team activities.
You will create outputs, tools and interfaces for digitised collections, crowdsourcing and annotation tasks for subject matter specialists, academics and public users. Examples of past activities can be found in our Research Reports and blog.
We seek someone with a good understanding of digital scholarship, preferably from a research library, academic or similar environment. Experience as a research software engineer, software developer, creative technologist, data or visualisation specialist or digital humanities researcher is desirable. Excellent technology skills, especially with tools that support digital scholarship and AI/ML, are required. Strong oral and written communication skills are essential.
As with other Research Software Engineer roles, this position offers the opportunity to develop your skills and contribute to research and outreach, including publications.
We are the national library of the UK and we are here for everyone. Our shelves hold over 170 million items – a living collection that grows every day. Our mission is to collect everything published in the UK today, tomorrow and into the future, making it accessible for everyone to spark new discoveries, ideas and to help people do incredible things.
What we can offer you:
- 25 days’ holiday plus 2.5 privilege days.
- Access to a defined benefit Civil Service pension scheme.
- Flexible working arrangements, including flexi‑time.
We are unable to provide sponsorship under the UK Skilled Worker visa for this role. Successful candidates must undergo a criminal record check (DBS check). Artificial intelligence can support your application, but all examples and statements must be truthful, factually accurate and derived from your own experience. Plagiarism or AI‑generated content presented as your own may result in withdrawal of the application.
We particularly welcome applications from Black, Asian, Mixed Race and other ethnically diverse candidates and disabled candidates. Creating an inclusive workplace is a core value and essential to achieving our aims.
The position will close at 23:59 on Friday 19th July 2026.
For any questions, please contact BL‑recruitment@bl.uk.
Research Software Engineer employer: The British Library
The British Library is an exceptional employer, offering a vibrant work culture that fosters innovation and collaboration within a multi-disciplinary team. As a Research Software Engineer, you will enjoy flexible working arrangements, generous holiday allowances, and access to a defined benefit pension scheme, all while contributing to meaningful projects that enhance public access to our vast collections. With a strong commitment to inclusivity and employee growth, the British Library provides a unique opportunity to develop your skills in a supportive environment dedicated to advancing digital scholarship.
