We are looking to appoint a full-time Research Assistant to work as a Software Engineer on the Isaac online education platform, a collaboration between the University of Cambridge and the Raspberry Pi Foundation. The role involves designing, building and running an online platform to teach STEM subjects.
The Isaac platform uses recent developments in web technology and computer-based educational techniques to improve physics, chemistry, biology, maths and computer science teaching in schools. Our online platform currently reaches tens of thousands of students and thousands of teachers; in peak periods we receive over 5 million question attempts a month. For further information see isaacphysics.org and adacomputerscience.org.
The Isaac platform includes:
Delivery of material through written text, video and interactive games/simulations,
Diagnostic feedback for students through interactive questions and problem solving,
Assessment to elicit student progress,
Models of student progress to recommend further teaching materials or exercises,
Feedback to improve content quality through usage analyses, and
Experimental LLM integration, e.g. AI-guided feedback.
We use the platform to measure learning outcomes at scale, publish results in the academic literature and drive further innovation on our platform in an evidence-based way. By understanding the fundamentals, we aim to improve online learning outcomes not just on our platform but for society at large.
We release all our software for this project under an open-source licence (see: https://github.com/isaacphysics).
The successful applicant will work with the Technical Director, Professor Alastair Beresford, as well as a dedicated six-person research and development team in the Department of Computer Science and Technology in Cambridge. You will also collaborate with the content and product teams at the Raspberry Pi Foundation and in the Department of Physics, and with groups of researchers across the broader EdTech and computing education research communities.
You'll need to have good programming and technical skills, an appetite to learn what you don't know, and a commitment to make a difference for the young people who use our platform. Day-to-day activities will include researching and implementing new features and performing regular maintenance activities.
Key responsibilities:
Range of full-stack development work, including user experience design and back-end development
Collaboratively develop, test and deliver high-quality working software
Work with other Software Engineers to improve processes and code quality across our products
Help plan the development of our products
Develop a detailed understanding of our systems and processes; suggest improvements
Build consensus and take accountability for delivering product features
Share knowledge with clear communication, technical credibility, and empathy
Collaborate with colleagues and stakeholders across other teams to help resolve support issues.
We strive to make the University a place where talented people who care about our mission can do the best work of their careers. If we offer you a role here at the University of Cambridge, we'll make it work for you, and you can be confident that you'll be working with exceptional people.
We have a flexible and collaborative approach to all aspects of our work, if you have research, technical or other interests, we strive to make Isaac a supportive place for you to explore a broad range of projects. There will also be opportunities for teaching within the department, e.g. through tutoring undergraduates in small groups and assisting with practical assessment and marking.
Fixed-term: The funds for this post are available until 31 July 2026 in the first instance.
Click the 'Apply' button below to register an account with our recruitment system (if you have not already) and apply online.
Requirements Candidates will be considered at the Research Assistant level, suited to recent graduates. Some knowledge of Java or TypeScript is desirable, but not essential. The ability to adapt and select appropriate software, languages and tools is more important than previous experience. (For reference, we are currently working with React/TypeScript, RestEasy, Maven, Git, and PostgreSQL.) Previous experience managing or contributing to open source projects is an advantage but not a necessity. Candidates must be able to work independently or as part of a team as appropriate. We welcome applicants with a passion for EdTech, blended learning and/or computing education.
41 days holiday inclusive of public holidays
Membership of the generous USS career-average pension scheme
Paid teaching opportunities at the University
The potential to undertake private consulting work or pursue other projects
Investment in professional development through University programmes and funding for external courses
Flexible work hours as needed, to fit around childcare or other commitments
A rich and vibrant University community with many intra- and inter-Department activities throughout the year
We are flexible in our approach to in-person working with some colleagues regularly using our offices in Cambridge while others working remotely. We use a combination of Google Meet, Trello, Monday and Slack to facilitate blended working. Although the role is intended to be long term, please be aware that the posts are subject to continued funding, currently until 31st July 2026.
Please ensure that you upload your Curriculum Vitae (CV), a covering letter in the Upload section of the online application.
If you have any questions about this vacancy please contact Alastair.Beresford@cst.cam.ac.uk.
If you have any queries about the application process please contact
personnel-admin@cst.cam.ac.uk.
The closing date for applications is: midnight on 23rd May 2024.
Interviews will be held: shortly after the application close date.
Please quote reference NR41401 on your application and in any correspondence about this vacancy.
The University actively supports equality, diversity and inclusion and encourages applications from all sections of society.
The University has a responsibility to ensure that all employees are eligible to live and work in the UK.