Lead Engineer (Digital Library)

This position is being re‑advertised following a change in circumstances with a previous candidate. We are pleased to reopen the opportunity and warmly encourage suitable applicants to apply for this exciting opportunity.

The interviews are expected to be held on 23 and 24 April 2026

This role will be based on the university campus with scope for it to be undertaken in a hybrid manner. We are also open to discussing flexible working arrangements.

We are seeking a dynamic and highly skilled Lead Engineer with extensive Python skills to lead the project work of a development team for Digital Library services. Are you an enthusiastic and driven individual with a desire to deliver high-quality IT solutions to support digital access to the Libraries’ Cultural Collections?

The University of Leeds is one of the top 80 universities in the world.  We have a truly global community, with more than 39,000 students from 170 different countries and over 9,000 staff of 100 different nationalities.   

The University’s Cultural Collections comprise hundreds of thousands of rare books, manuscripts, archives, art works and museum artefacts.  Our collections offer a rich resource for researchers, students and the wider research community.

As the Lead Engineer you will lead the delivery of the technical infrastructure and services of the Digital Library Infrastructure Project (DLIP) during and beyond the project’s lifetime. DLIP is a cornerstone project to support the University in meeting the objectives set out in the Digital Transformation component of the Universal Values, Global Changes, University of Leeds Strategy 2020 to 2030. It implements the Digital Futures strand of the Libraries Vision. 

The Digital Library Infrastructure Project will deliver a sustainable digital libraries research and education infrastructure; respond to the rapidly changing expectations of our students, staff, and partners and support the aims of the University’s strategy. 

You will be a key project member of DLIP, leading the work of a small technical team in the implementation of: 

• An updated Cultural Collections website to improve user experience, access, and opportunities for digital creativity and cultures, featuring digital content presented in the International Image Interoperability Framework (IIIF) standard; 
• A modern data platform to merge data from different sources into a linked data format (Linked Art) and, combined with a graph-based search engine, to improve search, discovery and analysis for research, and teaching; 
• Improvements to the process for storing and managing digital surrogates and digital born content to reduce risk and increase access in the Oxford Common File Layout (OCFL) standard; 
• A foundational cloud infrastructure for digital humanities research and teaching.

You will utilise your skills, knowledge and experience to provide high quality and proactive application development. You will have extensive skills and experience in full-stack application development and implementation, using Python and MS SQL Server.  You will be both ‘hands on’ in application development and provide support and guidance to a small team of Application Engineers.  

You will engage in close liaison with internal stakeholders, with the project’s technical suppliers and consultants and with peer institutions with whom the project may collaborate or share expertise. 

DLIP is implementing innovative approaches and, in order to apply appropriate technical solutions, you will develop and apply a strong digital library domain knowledge and an evolving understanding of the landscape, including the field of digital asset management and digital scholarship, use of data schemas and of interoperable standards such as IIIF (the International Image Interoperability Framework). 

Working in a complex environment, your work will involve ensuring user documentation is developed and maintained in line with standard operating procedures to ensure alignment with industry best practice, IT standards and regulatory compliance.

What we offer in return

• 26 days holiday plus approx.16 Bank Holidays/days that the University is closed by custom (including Christmas) – That’s 42 days a year!
• Generous pension scheme plus life assurance– the University contributes 14.5%
• Health and Wellbeing: Discounted staff membership options at The Edge, our state-of-the-art Campus gym, with a pool, sauna, climbing wall, cycle circuit, and sports halls.
• Personal Development: Access to courses run by our Organisational Development & Professional Learning team.
• Access to on-site childcare, shopping discounts and travel schemes are also available.

And much more!

To explore the post further or for any queries you may have, please contact:

Amanda Lassu, Operations Manager

Email: A.Lassu@leeds.ac.uk