Join Us

epiGenesys is a not-for-profit software development company wholly owned by the University of Sheffield. We believe in working in a collaborative environment, and being honest and transparent with our customers and staff.

Software development for customers is at the heart of our daily activities. We work on projects that make a real difference, from increasing the efficiency of complex operations, to assisting in the development of pioneering research.

We use agile practices and encourage our staff to self-organise, however we have some processes and guidelines in place to ensure everyone shares a common approach. We aim to constantly improve the way we do things and encourage all of our staff to have input into this. If coming to work is not enjoyable and rewarding (most of the time), something is wrong.

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Benefits

Flexible Hours

We trust our staff to manage their own time around the needs of their role and the team. We recognise the importance of fitting work around family commitments.

Comfortable Offices

Our newly refurbished offices are located at Cathedral Court in the city centre. They offer a relaxed working environment with air conditioning, spacious desks, and a variety of plants.

Generous Leave

Our staff receive 28-32 days annual leave each year, plus all UK public holidays and four closure days. The team self-organises to accommodate each other's leave preferences.

Transparent Management

We like to be open with our staff. Our schedule is on whiteboards to encourage team ownership, and our financial performance is regularly published in our company Slack.

Supportive Environment

We aspire to be a great place to work, and we think we get a lot of things right. In the last six years only two permanent members of the team have moved on.

Regular Training

We offer our staff a training budget of at least £1,200 each year. This is used to take courses, or attend conferences such as Full Stack Fest (Barcelona) and Lean Agile Scotland.

Community Focus

We actively support Sheffield's digital community. Our staff organise events and meetups including Geeks in the Pub, the Sheffield Ruby User Group, and Startup Weekend Sheffield.

Welcoming Team

Our staff enjoy getting together for our annual summer barbecue and Christmas party. We also like the occassional team lunch or boardgame in the office.

Fast Infrastructure

Our offices benefit from technology including Gigabit Ethernet networking, 802.11ac Wi-Fi, and VoIP telephony. We also have high speed internet access via the University of Sheffield.

Modern Tools

We use the best tools for the job including open source and commercial products such as GitLab and Slack. We have also created epiManage, our bespoke project management tool.

High Spec Hardware

We provide our staff with the equipment they need including laptops, large monitors, and smartphones. Our team use either an Apple MacBook Pro, or a Dell XPS running Ubuntu.

University Facilities

Our staff have access to IT, library and study facilities at the University of Sheffield. These include The Diamond, the Information Commons, and the Western Bank Library.

Current Vacancies

Software Engineer (Ruby on Rails)

We are seeking a diligent and enthusiastic person who would like to contribute to a variety of projects. You will need to work collaboratively with the team, and communicate effectively with customers to understand their needs. The position is varied and will encompass activities such as:

  • Liaising with customers and users to ensure our software meets their needs.
  • Turning conversations into user stories that capture goals and acceptance criteria.
  • Designing and implementing software, and using automated testing to ensure high quality results.
  • Deploying software regularly and encouraging feedback from customers and users.
  • Giving constructive feedback on projects being undertaken by other team members.
  • Ensuring information is easily available, including documenting procedures and updating our staff handbook.
  • Maintaining existing software and providing technical support to users.
  • Supporting teaching activities, including preparing learning material and assisting in classes.
  • Identifying opportunities to improve processes and implementing changes.

Requirements:

  • Good verbal and written communication skills in English.
  • Ability to work with customers and colleagues in a friendly and professional manner.
  • Experience with one or more dynamic programming languages.
  • Experience with CSS, HTML, JavaScript, and one or more web application frameworks.
  • Knowledge of database design, version control, and automated testing.
  • Educated to degree level in a relevant discipline, or equivalent experience.
  • Work experience in the software development industry (minimum of one year).

Desirable:

  • Experience with Ruby on Rails, RSpec, PostgreSQL, and Git.
  • Experience of UX design and techniques.
  • Experience of agile software engineering practices.
  • Experience of Linux server administration.
Duration: Permanent, subject to six months probationary period.
Location: Sheffield, United Kingdom.
Working Pattern: Full time, Monday to Friday, 35 hours per week (excluding lunch). Part time can be considered.
Notice Period: Two months (one month during probationary period).
Typical Starting Salary: £24,000-£28,000 per annum. Some of this can be taken as childcare vouchers.
Annual Leave: Minimum of 40 days (28 days, plus all UK public holidays, plus four closure days).
Pension: Company scheme with matched contributions (5% of salary).
Training Budget: £1,200 per annum.

Senior Software Engineer (Ruby on Rails)

We are seeking a capable and thoughtful person who is able to contribute to a variety of projects. You will need to work collaboratively with the team, and communicate effectively with customers to understand their needs. The position is varied and will encompass activities such as:

  • Leading some of our more complex projects, and possibly turning bespoke projects into products.
  • Improving our software engineering practices, including mentoring less senior team members.
  • Liaising with customers and users to ensure our software meets their needs.
  • Turning conversations into user stories that capture goals and acceptance criteria.
  • Designing and implementing software, and using automated testing to ensure high quality results.
  • Deploying software regularly and encouraging feedback from customers and users.
  • Giving constructive feedback on projects being undertaken by other team members.
  • Ensuring information is easily available, including documenting procedures and updating our staff handbook.
  • Maintaining existing software and providing technical support to users.
  • Supporting teaching activities, including preparing learning material and facilitating classes.
  • Identifying opportunities to improve processes and implementing changes.

Requirements:

  • Good verbal and written communication skills in English.
  • Ability to work with customers and colleagues in a friendly and professional manner.
  • Experience of leading projects in a team environment.
  • Experience with one or more dynamic programming languages.
  • Experience with CSS, HTML, JavaScript, and one or more web application frameworks.
  • Experience of database design, version control, and automated testing.
  • Experience of UX design and techniques.
  • Experience of agile software engineering practices.
  • Educated to degree level in a relevant discipline, or equivalent experience.
  • Work experience in the software development industry (minimum of three years).

Desirable:

  • Experience with Ruby on Rails, RSpec, PostgreSQL, and Git.
  • Experience of Linux server administration.
Duration: Permanent, subject to six months probationary period.
Location: Sheffield, United Kingdom.
Working Pattern: Full time, Monday to Friday, 35 hours per week (excluding lunch). Part time can be considered.
Notice Period: Two months (one month during probationary period).
Typical Starting Salary: £30,000-£34,000 per annum. Some of this can be taken as childcare vouchers.
Annual Leave: Minimum of 44 days (32 days, plus all UK public holidays, plus four closure days).
Pension: Company scheme with matched contributions (5% of salary).
Training Budget: £1,500 per annum.

How To Apply

Please note that we do not accept applications from recruitment agencies.

To apply for any position please send your covering letter and your curriculum vitae, as two documents in PDF format, to [email protected].

Please ensure that your covering letter states the position for which you wish to apply, indicates your salary requirements, and confirms the nature of your eligibility to work for us in the United Kingdom. Before a contract of employment is signed you will be asked to provide acceptable evidence of your eligibility to work; please refer to UK Visas and Immigration for full details: https://www.gov.uk/government/organisations/uk-visas-and-immigration

Please ensure that your curriculum vitae includes your full contact details, summarises your education, lists grades for all academic/professional qualifications at GCSE level (or equivalent) and above, outlines your relevant skills, describes any relevant work experience, and includes contact details for a minimum of two references. Personal details such as your date of birth, gender and nationality must not be included. Applicants with a first language other than English should include grades for any English language qualifications.

Applications will be reviewed at the earliest opportunity, and if we have any queries you may receive a request to forward additional information or participate in a telephone interview. If you do not receive a response then unfortunately we are not able to offer you a position at this time.

Applicants who pass the initial review stage will be invited to visit our Sheffield offices. You will be asked to participate in practical activities (e.g. pair programming) and a panel interview, and you will have an opportunity to ask any questions. Following this you will be notified as soon as possible of our decision.