Lead Software Engineer: VELA Project
- Job Number
- SU01457
- Contract Type
- Fixed Term
- Salary
- £39,355 to £45,413 per annum
- Working Pattern
- Full Time
- Faculty/Directorate
- Faculty of Medicine, Health and Life Science
- Location
- Singleton Campus, Swansea
- Closing Date
- 24 Mar 2026
- Interview Date
- 31 Mar 2026
- Informal Enquiries
-
- Marcos Del Pozo Banos m.delpozobanos@swansea.ac.uk
- Kenvil Souza k.c.souza@swansea.ac.uk
- Marcos Del Pozo Banos
About The University
Swansea University is a research-led university that has been making a difference since 1920. The University community thrives on exploration and discovery and offers the right balance of excellent teaching and research, matched by an enviable quality of life.
Our stunning waterfront campuses and multicultural community make us a desirable workplace for colleagues from around the world. Our reward and benefits, and ways of working enable those who join us to have enriching careers, matched by an excellent work-life balance.
About The Role
The Mission: Building Intelligent Data Infrastructure
Medical breakthroughs are often delayed by fragmented data infrastructure. VELA (Versatile Extraction & Logic Abstraction) is being built to solve this through three integrated capabilities:
- Smart Query Orchestration: Translating data requests into optimized queries across multiple Trusted Research Environments (TREs)
- Domain Knowledge Integration: Capturing and surfacing expert guidance about data quality, limitations, and best practices
- Automated Quality Reporting: Ensuring researchers understand the data they're accessing and its limitations
The result? A unified Python interface to billions of health records across the UK's most secure data havens (e.g., SAIL, UK LLC, DataLoch), with built-in research quality safeguards.
This is a systems engineering role, not a research position. You'll transform a functional R prototype into production-grade Python infrastructure that will power national initiatives including the UK Government's Mental Health Goals, DATAMIND, and the National Centre for Suicide Prevention.
The Team: Fast-Paced, High-Impact
We work at a fast pace with iterative delivery cycles, backed by the stability and prestige of a Tier-1 research institution.
- Collaborative, High-Achieving Group: We manage over £20M in funding and maintain high quality standards with iterative delivery cycles.
- Team lead: The Team is led by Prof. Ann John, director of DATAMIND and NCSR, chair of the National Advisory Group on suicide and self-harm prevention to Welsh Government, member of SAGE, and Samaritans Trustee.
- Direct Partnership: You will be the Lead Technical Architect on this project, working in close collaboration with project founder Dr. Marcos DelPozo-Banos. You own the technical roadmap, the architecture, and the execution.
- Extension potential: Our team has successfully secured ongoing funding for previous high-performing team members, and we anticipate continued development of VELA beyond the initial contract period.
- Technical community: While you'll be the lead architect for VELA, you'll be part of our broader research/software engineering community and have access to our extensive network (Government, NHS, funding bodies)."
Who you are:
Essential Technical Skills:
- 3+ years professional software engineering with a track record of delivering complex, mission-critical systems.
- Expert Python skills in object-oriented design, library development, and API development (you build production-grade systems, not scripts).
- Deep database experience with large-scale relational databases, query optimization, and data modelling.
- System design thinking to architect multi-component systems with clear separation of concerns.
- Engineering rigor with SOLID principles, comprehensive testing, and documentation practices.
Desirable Skills:
- Experience with knowledge representation, metadata systems, or automated documentation.
- Familiarity with secure research environments (TREs) or health data governance.
- Background working with domain experts to formalize tacit knowledge.
Your mindset:
- You're self-motivated and ambitious, driven by challenging technical problems.
- You balance engineering rigor with pragmatic delivery, thrive with technical ownership while collaborating closely with stakeholders.
- You are energized by building systems that enable real-world research impact.
Equality, Diversity & Inclusion
The University is committed to supporting and promoting equality and diversity in all its practices and activities. We aim to establish an inclusive environment and welcome diverse applications from the following protected characteristics: age, disability, gender reassignment, marriage and civil partnership, pregnancy and maternity, race (including colour, nationality, ethnic and national origin), religion or belief, sex, sexual orientation.
As an inclusive and welcoming workplace, we value people for their skills regardless of their background. Applications are welcome in Welsh and will not be treated less favourably than those submitted in English.
Welsh Language Skills
The Welsh language level required for this role is Level 1 - A little. The role holder will be able to pronounce Welsh words, answer the phone in Welsh (good morning/afternoon) and use very basic everyday words and phrases (thank you, please etc.). Level 1 can be reached by completing a 1 hour course.
The University is a proud bilingual institution, our Welsh Language Strategy outlines our aspiration to promote the language and enable our staff to engage with the language as an additional workplace skill and as a gateway to new cultural and social opportunities. Applications are welcome in Welsh and will not be treated less favourably than those submitted in English. Welsh speakers have the right to an interview in Welsh. Applicants for a role where Welsh skills are essential are expected to present their application in Welsh and will be interviewed in Welsh, if shortlisted.
Additional Information
Applications for this role will take the format of a CV submission and cover letter.
Please address your relevant experience and motivation in your cover letter and link to code portfolio or GitHub (if available).
Location & Lifestyle: The Swansea Advantage
Swansea is a hidden gem in the UK. We offer a flexible hybrid model in a coastal city with low cost of living and exceptional quality of life.
- Nature on your doorstep: You are minutes away from the Gower Peninsula, the UK’s first Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty.
- World-Class Environment: You will be based at Swansea University Medical School, ranked #1 in the UK for Research Environment (REF 2021).
- Rewards: On top of your salary, you will enjoy 31 days of annual leave (plus bank holidays) and access to the USS Pension, with a substantial 14.5% employer contribution.