Overview

Ecosystem Project – Volunteer Software Engineer

The Ecosystem Project is a community-driven initiative designed to empower local residents, businesses, and researchers with meaningful insights into wellbeing, sustainability, and economic activity. Our platform combines data science, gamification, and participatory research to map how communities function and flourish, starting with St Neots and scaling across the UK.

We work at the intersection of social innovation, technology, and community building — helping restaurants, small businesses, and residents share and benefit from collective data. By joining us, you’ll contribute to a project that blends real-world impact with cutting-edge software design, supporting a new way for people to connect, measure, and grow together.

Role Description

We are seeking a Volunteer Software Engineer to join our remote-first team.

As a Software Engineer, you will play a key role in developing and maintaining the back-end services that power the Ecosystem Project web app. This includes writing efficient, scalable code, contributing to new feature development, and collaborating with data scientists, UX designers, and community researchers.

Day-to-day tasks may include:

• Designing and implementing RESTful APIs and database interactions.
• Writing clean, well-documented, and testable code.
• Participating in code reviews and contributing to technical discussions.
• Supporting integration of gamification, survey tools, and community dashboards.
• Collaborating with a multidisciplinary team to translate research needs into technical solutions.

This is a remote, volunteer role, ideal for someone who wants to contribute to a meaningful social impact project while building their portfolio and network.

Qualifications

• Proficiency in Computer Science fundamentals (algorithms, data structures, OOP).
• Experience in back-end web development (Node.js, Python/Django, or similar frameworks).
• Solid understanding of object-oriented programming (OOP) and design principles.
• Familiarity with databases (SQL/Postgres, NoSQL) and cloud hosting (Vercel, Supabase, AWS).
• Excellent problem-solving skills and attention to detail.
• Ability to work independently and manage tasks remotely.
• Strong communication skills for collaborating with a distributed team.
• Bonus: experience with collaborative software projects, open-source contributions, or community platforms.

What you gain

• Hands-on experience with a live, innovative platform.
• Contribution to a project that blends data science, social impact, and technology.
• Opportunity to work with a diverse team of researchers, engineers, and community leaders.
• Visibility as a contributor in a project that will scale regionally and nationally.

Application closes on the 20th of October 2025. Please contact zion@stneotsinitiative.org.uk if you have any inquiry.