Physics jobs in Scotland

Job Specification

• Role: Software Engineer
• Location: Glasgow, UK
• Salary: £38k-£50k
• Contract: Permanent appointment

About Synaptec

We are a highly innovative company based in Glasgow, Scotland. Founded in 2015, our goal is to reduce outages and the operational cost of modern, clean power networks by providing advanced monitoring and control systems based on our patented core technologies. Grid operators and clean power generators use our systems across a range of diverse environments on- and off-shore to instantly know the health and performance of their assets over unprecedented distances. To achieve our goals, we recruit the most talented individuals and develop their abilities to the full.

We are committed to boosting productivity and competitiveness through fairness, equality, and sustainable employment. We aim to take full advantage of diversity of experience and thought and to ensure that no applicant or employee receives less favourable treatment on the grounds of gender, age, disability, religion, belief, sexual orientation or identification, marital status, or race. We are proud to be an accredited Living Wage Employer and member of the Living Wage Foundation.

We conduct ourselves according to four core values:

• Technical excellence: We are committed to recruiting the most outstanding engineers, physicists and seasoned industry specialists, and investing in their continuous development.
• Openness: We work hard to sustain a culture of openness that underpins honesty, respect, and directness with each other and all stakeholders.
• Responsiveness: We thrive on challenge and seek to deeply understand customers’ problems and drivers and respond with creative, robust solutions.
• Continuous improvement: We constantly evaluate how we can improve, and we firmly believe that only by continuously adapting and improving can we remain at the frontline of our discipline.

Overview of Role

The Software Engineer will be part of a growing team led by technical and business experts and will be involved in significant parts of the development cycle of Synaptec’s sensing technologies, from simulation to field deployment.

The role is focussed on software design and development to support Synaptec’s instrumentation technology for the power industry. In particular, the role will contribute directly to the creation of new analysis and visualisation tools for the power grid and renewables industries. Prior experience and confidence in software development will be important.

The Engineer will be closely involved in Synaptec’s core product development and testing processes and will be given autonomy to design and conduct experimental or development activities. Ultimately, the role will involve ownership of key product areas.

The Engineer should be flexible and capable of contributing to, and performing, a wide range of, activities. As Synaptec is a young, growing company, these activities could include assisting with writing proposals, meeting with industrial clients and prospects, or representing the company at project meetings. It is expected that the Engineer will gain invaluable interdisciplinary experience and will take opportunities to develop new skills and input at a growing level to Synaptec’s success.

The post will report on a day-to-day basis to the company’s Lead Software Engineer and will be expected to provide updates to the wider team on technical progress, and to participate in the preparation of reports or presentations to external clients.

This is a full-time post based at the company’s premises in Glasgow. Occasional site visits and short-term working at client or supplier sites may be required.

The principal objectives of the role are:

• Contribute to the company’s day-to-day software development activities to the best standards possible
• Support the development, deployment and maintenance of new data analysis features within the company’s software products
• Help develop and improve the software tools used to configure and manage the company’s hardware products, incorporating feedback from customers and internal teams
• Support delivery of the company’s projects
• Ensure that software quality standards and best practices are implemented and adhered to throughout all software delivery activities

Essential criteria

The candidate must be able to demonstrate:

• Strong programming skills and experience, such as Python, Go, C/C++, Hava, or similar
• Experience in database software such as PostgreSQL, and in advanced systems such as TimescaleDB, other timeseries databases, NoSQL databases, or GIS databases
• Experience with Docker
• Experience with cloud platforms, such as AWS
• Experience with security and managing certificates
• Self-motivation and an ability to work autonomously, efficiently, and rigorously
• An excellent academic qualification in engineering, computer science, physics, or a relevant subject
• Confidence with team-working in a high-technology environment
• Excellent communication skills and attitude, with an ability to discuss technical information in clear and simple terms with colleagues and customers
• Ability to prepare concise, accurate, high-quality documents and presentations, with excellent attention to detail

Differentiating criteria

• Experience with data analysis techniques, such as machine learning, and their application to sensor or monitoring data
• Experience with web-based technologies and web design
• Experience managing server hardware
• Experience working with embedded or real-time software for hardware-integrated systems
• Experience with power system engineering and/or analysis, particularly within the electricity generation, Transmission or Distribution sectors
• Experience of working with agentic AI development tools (for example, AI coding assistants and agents) to accelerate software design, development, and testing

Benefits

• Ethical private healthcare
• Occupational maternity and paternity pay
• Invention bonus scheme
• Flexible working
• Cycle-to-work scheme and secure bicycle parking
• Free secure underground car parking
• Electric car scheme and free onsite charging stations
• Workplace Nursery Scheme
• Option to purchase up to an additional 5 days of annual leave
• On site subsidised gym membership

About our location

• Glasgow location with excellent public transport links.
• Glasgow has a famously vibrant arts and culture scene and holds UNESCO Creative City of Music status.
• We are an hour's train ride from the east and west coasts of Scotland, home to some of the most beautiful islands in the world.
• To the north, we’re an hour from Loch Lomond and access to the Scottish mountains.

Pay: £38,000.00-£50,000.00 per year

Benefits:

• Casual dress
• Company pension
• Cycle to work scheme
• Enhanced maternity leave
• Enhanced paternity leave
• Free parking
• On-site parking
• Sick pay
• UK visa sponsorship

Ability to commute/relocate:

• Glasgow G31 3AU: reliably commute or plan to relocate before starting work (required)

Experience:

• Python, Go, C/C++, Hava, or similar: 1 year (preferred)
• Docker: 1 year (preferred)
• database software such as PostgreSQL: 1 year (preferred)

Work authorisation:

• United Kingdom (required)

Work Location: In person