GIS Software Engineer

Salary: £42,000 – £54,000 per year

Our client focuses on the delivery of research, development, demonstration and training on precision agriculture and engineering for the livestock, arable, horticulture and aquaculture sectors.

Agri-tech is the use of technology for farming that is developed to improve efficiency and profitability and our client is the ‘go to’ enabler of innovation in precision agriculture.

They are a member-based organisation and currently work with more 170 members to deliver Research and Development projects in agriculture by way of four UK Hubs (Edinburgh, Newport – Shropshire, Shepton Mallet – Somerset and Cranfield – Bedfordshire) – each developing its own distinct Agri-Tech focus. Data lies at the heart of the business and is the fundamental asset upon which meaningful insight and innovation is developed.

Our client has invested in a Farm Network to collect vast farm datasets to enable the digital transformation that can add value to the sector. The farms are testbeds for research and development to aid the development of solutions that improve productivity and operational efficiency within the sector. The network measures variances in production yields within each farming system using cutting edge precision agriculture equipment and sensors.

GENERAL JOB DESCRIPTION

In this role you will be a key part of a new effort to leverage the measurement resources of our client to create a unique dataset and supporting systems. This dataset will be a continuously updated, high-quality resource used to accelerate the development of new agricultural technologies. Once running at full capacity this will be a unique for agri-tech in the UK, enabling researchers to design the best possible tools for farmers and validate them across a highly diverse selection of farms.

Your role will primary be centred around the creation of tools and code to enable the automation of data collection from a wide variety of sources available, some of which are simple whilst others will require complex approaches. Their system will be based upon FME and some geospatial tools but with a strong requirement to build bespoke code for their needs. The role will also extend to working with academic and commercial partners, helping to access the data needed to enable their developments on their farm network and to some analysis. As such we are looking for someone with a strong Python background but also some skills in working with GIS data and relational databases.

KEY RESPONSIBILITIES

• Building automated data collection pipelines for multiple agricultural data sources.

• Assisting with the development of data systems.

• Creating analysis reports for project partners.

• Maintenance and operation of the data source integrations.

PERSON SPECIFICATION

• Degree in highly numerate subject. Masters or PhD desirable focussing on GIS
• Python development; Database design including SQL
• Knowledge of API integrations using FME
• Maintain Linux system
• Strong version control, unit testing and documentation experience
• Fluent in English
• Interest in Agri-Tech sector

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