Staff Engineer

About Materials Nexus

Materials contribute to 50% of the world’s CO2 emissions, those critical to the net-zero transition being the biggest culprits. Our AI platform leverages quantum calculations to model and design novel materials that are cheaper, higher performing and more environmentally friendly. We are accelerating materials discovery from decades to months.

Case study: https://www.materialsnexus.com/news/magnex-rare-earth-free-permanent-magnet

Recent press: https://www.popularmechanics.com/science/green-tech/a61147476/ai-developed-magnet-free-of-rare-earth-metals/

The opportunity

At Materials Nexus, we have big ambitions. Our mission is to accelerate the change to net-zero. Our vision is to do this through the disruption of materials discovery and production.

Our current team largely consists Scientific Software Developers who are pioneers in their fields of research and some experience of software development in industry/commercial settings. You will play a leading role in championing software excellence and scalability so the team can focus on and leverage their scientific prowess.

Your role will span across the breadth of the technical team, from quantum calculations to ML tools to front-end development. You will act as an engineer, architect, collaborator, and mentor, working to build the best software possible.

What you will be doing:

• Ensure our technology remains scalable and maintainable at both technical and team level.

• Champion software development best practices, including: thorough code review, comprehensive testing strategies, detailed documentation, architectural design, and promoting a culture of engineering excellence.

• Implement robust quality assurance processes to ensure the accuracy, reliability, performance, and security of our software.

• Identify opportunities for process improvement across the tech team, maximising our impact potential.

• Mentor and guide other members of the tech team to help them develop their software development skills, fostering a culture of continuous learning and growth.

• Stay updated on industry trends and emerging technologies, and assess their potential impacts on our roadmap.

What we think you will need to be successful:

• Experience in large multi-developer environments, with an extreme eye for detail and passion for building functional, scalable, market-ready products.

• Python & JavaScript - excellent grasp of their advanced language features and development best-practices.

• Software engineering principles, including design patterns, data structures, and algorithms, and their optimal usage in different environments.

• Linux environments and terminal interfaces.

• API design and best-practices.

You may have some experience with or desire to learn:

• High-performance languages such as Fortran, C++, or Julia.

• DevOps and deploying software in cloud environments. 

• Some understanding of containerisation technology (e.g., Docker).

What’s in it for you:

📈 Stock Options: We value our employees and you to share in the success of the company. You will be a vested partner in our future achievements. 

🌴 Flexible holidays: 33 days annual leave/year which can be used on UK public holidays or on more convenient days for you.

🎂 Your birthday day off: Enjoy a well-deserved day off to celebrate and recharge.

✈️Work abroad: Travel the world while you get your job done - see family, or simply explore a new place!

💻 Flexible work arrangements: our shared office space in Shoreditch is here to help foster collaboration and community. Most of the team is in 2-3 days a week, but we are happy to discuss alternatives as necessary.

📒 Continuous learning and growth: We’re pioneers in our field, so you'll be encouraged to expand your knowledge and skills in new areas too.

The process:

First step: A 30 minute video call with Julia, our People Associate, to learn a bit more about you and what you are looking for!

Second step: A 45 minute video call with our technical team - Get to know each other + short code review

Third step: 45 mins live coding assessment + deeper dive into your experiences