Merge pull request #7 from RSE-leaders/career-stages

Career stages

README.md

@@ -7,32 +7,19 @@ set up their own Research Software Engineering (RSE) group.
 
 ## How is it organised?
 
+The material in this repository is grouped by career stage:
+* Junior RSE
+* RSE
+* Senior RSE
+* Head of RSE
+
+Note that there exists a range of different job titles and descriptions that broadly fit into the RSE category, and the folder names with "RSE" stand for all of these.
+
 Each exisiting RSE group that has contributed material to the bank has created their own directory
-with the information and resources. The information and resources will differ from group to 
+with the information and resources, which have been sorted into these categories. The information and resources will differ from group to 
 group as their are many different ways to setup and run such a group.
 
-Each resource contributed to the evidence bank should be tagged according to its *Goal*, its
-*Type* and its *Audience*. The tags are described in more detail below.
-
-### Resource tagging
-
-Each piece of information or resource is tagged by according to:
-
-* *Goal*: The goal(s) that this contribution is relevent to. Goal tags are:
-  - **Setup**
-  - **Impact**
-  - **Status**
-  - **Career**
-* *Type*: The type of contribution. Contribution tags are:
-  - **Case study**
-  - **Testimonial**
-  - **Statistics**
-  - **Tactics**
-  - **Business case**
-* *Audience*: The audience(s) the contributions were written for. Audience tags are:
-  - **HR**
-  - **Management**
-  - **Funders**
+Similarly, the categorisation into junior/mid-level/senior and salary bands vary from institute to institute.
 
 ## Can I contribute?
 
@@ -53,17 +40,7 @@ individual group how they structure the information within their subdirectory.
 
 You can contribute by forking the repository, adding your material and then issuing a pull 
 request against this repository. Alternatively, you can send your material to
-[[email protected]](mailto:[email protected]) and it can be added directly.
-
-## RSE Groups
-
-This section will list the RSE groups that have provided information into the evidence bank.
-
-### [EPCC](EPCC/)
-
-EPCC is a large RSE group (~100 staff) at the University of Edinburgh. It is not part of central computing services, rather it is a institute with the same status as an academic school within the University.
-
-[More on EPCC...](EPCC/)
+[[email protected]](mailto:[email protected]) and it can be added directly.
 
 ## External resources
 
@@ -79,3 +56,5 @@ discussion at:
 
 * [Evidence Bank discussion notes, Int. RSE Leaders Workshop, ATI, Jan 2018](discussion/Notes_IntRSEWorkshop_Jan2018.md)
 
+In an RSE Leaders meeting in December 2021, it was then discussed that it would useful to update and extend the data base in order to reflect the RSE career ladder. The RSE leaders asked the Society of Research Software Engineering to take ownership of and lead this.
+

head-of-rse/EPCC/README.md

@@ -0,0 +1,63 @@
+# EPCC
+
+* EPCC currently has around 100 staff of which approximately 80 perform RSE-like work.
+
+## Position within University of Edinburgh
+
+EPCC is officially an instute within the College of Science and Engineering at the University of Edinburgh.
+This position gives EPCC the same status within the University as an academic school.
+
+## Organisation and Structure
+
+EPCC is split into a number of different groups (although staff can and do span multiple groups
+at times depending on their work):
+
+* Applications Group: software projects (majority of RSE work)
+* Systems Group: responsible for running and maintaining the systems and services EPCC host as well as infrastructure (cooling, networking, power, etc.)
+* Commercial Group: responsible for liaising with commercial contacts and also have a key role in writing large funding applications (e.g. EC funding)
+* Administration Group: Financial, HR, administrative support for EPCC
+
+A matrix management system with a project-based approach is used with many staff working on multiple
+projects at once. A monthly scheduling meeting is used to assign staff to projects based on skills
+and availability.
+
+## Progression and Promotion
+
+### Tags
+
+* **Goal:** Setup, Career
+* **Type:** Job Description
+* **Audience:** HR, Management
+
+All posts (with a tiny number of exceptions) at EPCC are appointed as open-ended postions - generally staff are initially 
+employed on 2 year contracts that automatically convert to open-ended contracts at their end. As EPCC pre-dates the
+RSE term, the names of the different roles do not currently incorporate the term RSE. Progression for the RSE-type
+roles at EPCC follows the following structure:
+
+* [Application Developer (UoE Grade 6)](job-desc/appdev.md)
+* [Application Consultant (UoE Grade 7)](job-desc/appcon.md)
+
+After Grade 7 the progression path splits into a technical path and a managerial path. Most staff at Grade 8 and 
+beyond are actually neither purely technical nor purely managerial and their official job title usually 
+reflects which side they lean more towards.
+
+Technical path:
+
+* [Architect (UoE Grade 8)](job-desc/arch.md)
+* [Principle Architect (UoE Grade 9)](job-desc/parch.md)
+
+Managerial path:
+
+* [Project Manager (UoE Grade 8)](job-desc/projman.md)
+* [Programme Manager (UoE Grade 9)](job-desc/progman.md)
+
+Beyond these posts lie senior managment roles such as Technical Director, Director and these are not generally linked
+to a particular grade.
+
+For promotion/regrading, staff also need to consider the University of Edinburgh general grade and competencies criteria, see:
+
+* Generic grade profiles: https://www.ed.ac.uk/files/atoms/files/grade-profiles_updated_august_2018_v.6.pdf
+* Generic competencies: https://www.ed.ac.uk/human-resources/learning-development/planning-your-development/competency-framework
+
+
+

head-of-rse/EPCC/parch.md

@@ -0,0 +1,79 @@
+# Job Description: Principal Architect
+
+## Job Details
+
+   - Job title: Principal Architect
+   - Unit: EPCC (College of Science and Engineering)
+   - Line manager: Technical Director
+
+## Job Purpose
+
+To provide advanced technical expertise and technical leadership across a wide range of EPCC's activities including both academic and industrial projects. To advise the senior management of EPCC on critical technical issues. 
+
+## Main Responsibilities
+
+Approx. % of time:
+
+   - 40%: Team leadership and management of activities with particularly challenging technical dimensions to produce novel technical solutions and high-quality deliverables. Expected to provide the intellectual energy and independent thinking necessary to lead and deliver a programme of cutting edge research. 
+   - 30%: Advanced technical contribution to projects including acting as project Architect to ensure successful completion of projects that are particularly challenging.  For example, projects where significant research is required for the project to succeed.  Designing, building and maintaining software tools to aid the operational procedures of EPCC and its associated projects.
+   - 10%: Shape technical strategy of EPCC and relevant projects to ensure successful project results. Provide strategic technical advice to EPCC, including the Director and Technical Director. Contribute to and lead strategic proposals ensuring alignment with technical strategy. 
+   - 10%: Contribute to teaching and supervision activities for postgraduate students to meet the School’s teaching and research objectives and to advance the technical development of EPCC staff and postgraduate students.
+   - 5%: Oversee the development of the software design processes used by EPCC staff in the course of software development projects to ensure best practice is followed.
+   - 5%: Apply technical analysis to solve difficult problems faced by EPCC’s technical staff. Perform technical investigations and analysis as requested by management. Provide technical assistance and trouble-shooting for staff.
+
+## Planning and Organising
+
+   - Technical management and team leading activities. Planning strategic team activities for up to one year in advance. 
+   - Reporting on team progress on a regular basis to both senior EPCC management and to external organisations including funding bodies.
+   - Supervising and mentoring of EPCC staff and MSc/PhD students.
+
+## Problem Solving
+
+   - Research into new techniques for exploiting HPC systems.
+   - Produce novel approaches to problems.
+   - Design overall technical solutions for projects as a whole.
+   - Designing and building software tools for use by EPCC staff.
+   - Design and implement detailed solutions for key project components.
+
+## Decision Making
+
+   - Decide on development and research activities to be pursued by team members.
+   - Make major architectural decisions on technical projects and significant design and implementation decisions.
+   - Decide on prioritisation of requirements and technical tradeoffs within a project.
+   - Decide on project scoping and timing in collaboration with the Project Manager.  
+
+## Key Contacts/Relationships  
+
+   - Represent the University to external academic and commercial clients.
+   - Represent the University to funding bodies such as the EU, RC UK, SE.
+   - Represent the University at national and international level in project technical fields, for instance at conferences, workshops and by general contacts.
+
+## Knowledge, Skills and Experience Needed for the Job
+
+### Essential
+
+   - Experience of research and development in HPC computing, covering a variety of HPC and novel computing architectures.
+   - Experience of software design and development. 
+   - Significant in-depth knowledge of all major computing languages used in HPC such as C/C++, Fortran, Python and Java.
+   - Experience of low-level programming such as assembly language, device drivers and networking
+   - Wide ranging knowledge of technical areas relevant to EPCC business areas and the ability to investigate new technical areas at short notice.
+   - Experience of Unix/Linux system administration including an understanding of the particular issues associated with management of HPC systems.
+
+### Desirable
+
+   - Postgraduate qualification in computational science.
+   - Strong interpersonal skills including motivating, negotiating, influencing and relationship building. 
+
+## Dimensions 
+
+   - Technical leadership on 2-4 strategic projects of duration 2 – 6 years.
+   - Technical leadership and mentoring to 6-12 technical staff on these projects.
+   - Responsibility for technical deliverables and quality on projects and sub-projects totalling around £500k p.a.
+   - Develop and lead strategic proposals to funding bodies and commercial clients aligned with and implementing EPCC’s technical strategy.
+
+## Job Context and any other relevant information
+
+   - EPCC operates in a very fast-moving, highly technological field. 
+   - The activities of EPCC have a high profile both nationally and internationally. 
+   - Most of the centre's funding is self-generated and so projects must operate successfully within tight financial constraints.
+

head-of-rse/EPCC/projman.md

@@ -0,0 +1,75 @@
+# Job Description: Project Manager
+
+   - Job title: Project Manager
+   - Unit: EPCC (College of Science and Engineering)
+   - Line manager: Programme Manager
+
+## Job Purpose
+
+Manage technology transfer and research projects in the Applications Group at EPCC, for academic and commercial clients both within and without the University. The job is very outward-facing and job holders have a large degree of autonomy working with external clients. 
+
+## Main Responsibilities
+
+Approx. % of time:
+
+   - 30%: Project manage novel technology projects so that results are delivered to external clients in a timely fashion and within budget.
+   - 25%: Provide specialist technical expertise and leadership on projects to ensure best practice and effective technology solutions are employed.
+   - 15%: Line manage Application Consultants and Application Developers to provide for career development and pastoral care.
+   - 15%: Liaise, communicate and build effective relationships with external contacts and collaborators to contribute to the development of new proposals and disseminate project results thereby contributing to the success of EPCC and its various projects.
+   - 15%: Provide quality assurance for project deliverables to ensure customer satisfaction.
+
+## Planning and Organising
+
+   - Plan detailed project work up to 18 months ahead, taking into account internal and external factors (for instance rearranging project schedules to account for late delivery of third-party software).
+   - Plan detailed team activities and supervise teams on a weekly basis.
+   - Plan external meetings, reviews and workshops as required.
+   - Contribute to generation of funding for new projects through coordinating bids and/or workplans.
+
+## Problem Solving
+
+   - Work with the project team to solve technical and design problems.
+   - Negotiate with external collaborators and clients to understand and prioritise goals and requirements.
+   - Perform detailed risk analysis and produce active risk management plans for projects.
+
+## Decision Making
+
+   - Decide how best to deploy resources – staff, computing resources, cash budgets – within a project to meet changing requirements. 
+   - Decide on necessary tradeoffs within a project, for instance between time and scope. 
+   - Make recommendations to Programme Manager for major decisions that have significant implications for a project’s financial budget or timescales.
+
+## Key Contacts/Relationships  
+
+   - Represent the University to external academic and commercial clients.
+   - Represent the University to funding bodies such as the EU, UKRI, SE.
+   - Represent the University at national and international level in project technical fields, for instance at conferences, workshops and by general contacts.
+
+## Knowledge, Skills and Experience Needed for the Job
+
+### Essential
+
+   - At least 3 years experience of project management processes, including planning, tracking and risk assessment.
+   - High quality technical programming and design skills.
+   - Experience of HPC or novel computing areas including: parallel computing; cloud computing; dataflow computing; web services; machine learning; numerical simulation; database design.
+   - High quality teamwork, communication and people skills.
+   - Professionally qualified/relevant degree. 
+
+### Desirable
+
+   - Significant line management experience.
+   - Experience of research and development in an academic or industrial context.
+   - Experience of resource management i.e. staff, computing resources and cash budgets.
+
+## Dimensions 
+
+   - Job-holder has 3-4 line staff and up to 6 project staff reporting directly within EPCC.
+   - Job-holder may also have up to ## project staff from other collaborating organisations reporting directly (project dependent).
+   - Job-holder has budget responsibility for projects totalling around £250k - £500k p.a.
+   - Job-holder will work with 1-3 major external client organisations per annum.
+   - Lead and write project proposals to funding bodies and commercial clients. Contribute to large collaborative bids for example EC proposals.
+
+## Job Context and any other relevant information
+
+   - EPCC operates in a very fast-moving, highly technological field.
+   - The activities of EPCC have a high profile both nationally and internationally. 
+   - Most of the centre’s funding is self-generated and so projects must operate successfully within tight constraints.
+

head-of-rse/ucl/job_advert.md

@@ -0,0 +1,18 @@
+# Job advert
+
+The UCL Research Software Development Group, founded in 2012, was the first of its kind, and is one of the leading university-based research programming groups in the UK. We are currently a team of 11 RSEs and we are looking for more people to join us!
+
+We work across college developing high-quality software in collaboration with scientists, engineers and scholars from all research domains.
+
+Whether this means using Python to build up a database of ancient Sumerian writings, parallelising Fortran codes for surface catalysis simulations, adding red blood cells to a supercomputing simulation of brain blood-flow, refactoring DNA forensics code in R, or designing and building a big data image processing library in C++11 and Python, we do it all, bringing specialist programming expertise, modern development practices (CI, TDD, Agile…), and engineering rigour to academic software. We provide expert software engineering consulting services to world-leading research teams, and collaborate with scientists and scholars to build software to meet new research challenges.
+
+If the following describes you, then you should consider working with us:
+
+* You have created and maintained software to address research problems in one or more fields.
+* You can rapidly assimilate understanding of new scientific questions, and quickly connect research needs to software requirements.
+* You are committed to software development best practices, and know how to adapt these to research contexts.
+* You are expert in one or more languages and platforms used for scientific computing, and are keen to expand your knowledge.
+* Please note that, on this occasion, we are also interested in interviewing candidates with experience of front-end web development, with or without a research background. If you are looking into applying your skills into education and research, we’d love to hear from you.
+
+For more details check out this advert. Applications must be received by 14th October 2018. This position is permanent but subject to the availability of continued funding sourced from appropriate research collaborations, and is funded for two years in the first instance, with salary negotiable up to £46,359. We would also welcome applications from candidates interested in a part-time position.
+

head-of-rse/ucl/roles.md

@@ -0,0 +1,6 @@
+# Roles at UCL
+
+* Research Software Developer (G7)
+* Senior Research Software Developer (G8)
+* Senior Research Software Developer – Data Science Specialist (G8)
+* Head of Research Software Engineering (G9)

head-of-rse/university_of_nottingham/roles.md

@@ -0,0 +1,12 @@
+# Full-time roles at University of Nottingham
+
+* Research Software Engineer (level 4)
+* Data Analyst (level 4)
+* Senior Research Data Scientist (level 5) (no job spec in this repo)
+* Senior Research Developer (level 5)
+* Digital Research Team Leader (level 5)
+* Head of Digital Research Service (level 6)
+
+# Part-time roles at University of Nottingham
+
+* Data Analyst Intern (UniTemps rated) (no job spec in this repo)