Technical Specialist / Technical Expert - OSS Developer

University of Bristol; Bristol; On-site; GBP 43,000 - 59,000; Full time

Job summary

A prominent educational institution in the UK seeks a Development Specialist to lead the BOMNADO project, a Python/Django-based software for managing bills of materials. This hands-on role combines technical development with community engagement, requiring expert skills in Python and Django. You will drive the development and quality assurance of features while collaborating across multiple teams. The position offers competitive pay, generous benefits, and opportunities for professional growth in a supportive environment.

Benefits

Competitive pay

Generous leave entitlements

Attractive pension scheme

Development opportunities

Wellbeing initiatives

Qualifications

• Expert-level experience in Python and Django in production environments.
• Proven track record of releasing and maintaining OSS.
• Strong analytical skills for problem-solving and debugging.

Responsibilities

• Lead front-end development of BOMNADO.
• Engage with OSS community through events and streams.
• Ensure adherence to development standards and practices.

Skills

Expert-level Python development

Expert-level Django development

Strong knowledge of Git/GitHub

Experience with OSS packaging and documentation

Solid grounding in CI/CD

Excellent problem-solving skills

Ability to represent projects at community events

Continuous learning attitude

Education

Degree in Computer Science or related field

Job description

Technical Specialist / Technical Expert - OSS Developer

We’re looking for a Development Specialist to take the lead on BOMNADO, a Python/Django-based bill of materials management software on an open-source platform. You’ll be hands‑on in building new features, driving releases, and ensuring code quality, while also representing ‘BOMNADO’ in the wider community through events and collaborations. This is a rare chance to combine deep technical work with open‑source stewardship, shaping a product used well beyond our walls.

This role will be based in the Digital Communications team with the responsibility for working with H&E Inventions, the pro² network+ team and target end users for the software to make it suitable for use by individuals and small companies for fabricating and replicating digital devices. This person will play a leading role across a breadth of products and services, ranging from experimental prototypes to delivering live services while championing a user‑centred approach. It will be a self‑starting role, ideal for someone that is comfortable liaising across multiple teams and differing stakeholders, including industry, academics and people within the maker/hacker community.

They will work closely with several IT teams to develop and implement standards, tools and working practices that will set the bar for the quality of front‑end development at the University, ensuring that internal colleagues and third parties adhere to them.

Depending on your skills, experience, and knowledge, this position will be designated as either a Technical Specialist (Grade J - £43,482 - £50,253 per annum) or Technical Expert (Grade K - £50,253 - £58,225 per annum)

What will you be doing?

• Lead the front end development of ’BOMNADO’, a solution for managing and integrating Bills of Materials (BOMs), assembly instructions, quality control, and supply chain details for digital device production.
• Have a comprehensive working knowledge of the BOMNADO tech stack including Python and Django and carry out refactors, for example converting to Stencil or React.
• Use open‑source software (OSS) development skills and tools such as release notes, readmes, issue tracking and community events/streams to engage with the community of people who will ultimately use the software.

You should apply if

Key Skills & Experience:

• Expert‑level Python and Django development in production environments.
• Proven track record of releasing and maintaining open‑source software.
• Strong knowledge of Git/GitHub (or GitLab) workflows, including community contributions.
• Experience with packaging, documentation, licensing, and versioning of OSS projects.
• Solid grounding in CI/CD, automated testing, and software best practices.
• Ability to engage with and represent projects at community events, conferences, or forums.
• Excellent problem‑solving and communication skills. Problem‑Solving and Debugging: Strong analytical skills and a methodical approach to diagnosing issues and delivering efficient, maintainable solutions.
• Continuous Learning: A proactive attitude towards learning and applying new programming languages, frameworks, and development best practices.
• Be the main point of contact for front‑end development solutions, working alongside the H&E Inventions team to ensure relevant tools, techniques and services are part of a technical roadmap and can be implemented effectively within the team.
• Manage technical reports on the performance and status of BOMNADO.

Why should you apply for this role?

We are proud to be one of the most popular and successful universities in the UK, currently ranked 54th in the QS World University Rankings 2025. As the second‑largest employer in Bristol, we offer competitive pay and rewards, an attractive pension scheme, generous leave entitlements, and a range of development opportunities. Additionally, we prioritise the wellbeing of our staff through various initiatives designed to support a healthy work‑life balance.

To find out more about what it’s like to work in the Faculty of Engineering, and how the Faculty supports people to achieve their potential, please see our staff blog:

Depending on your skills, experience, and knowledge, this position will be determined based on the skills, qualifications, and experience you bring to the position.

School/Unit: Science and Engineering Faculty Team

This advert will close at 23:59 UK time on Wednesday 7th January 2026.

Interview dates will be confirmed in due course but are expected to take place between 12th and 23rd January 2026.