Merge pull request #21 from AaltoSciComp/rkdarst/rse-collaboration

Two posts about RSE collaboration and RSE work rotations

content/2024/rse-collaboration.rst

@@ -0,0 +1,152 @@
+:blogpost: true
+:date: 2024-10-08
+:author: Richard Darst
+:category: rse
+
+
+Future RSE collaboration in Finland
+===================================
+
+The Aalto University School of Science has a successful
+:external:doc:`Research Software Engineering service <rse/index>`
+serving the whole university.  This service has proven its value and
+there are an increasing number of questions of how others can form
+their own teams in Finland and work together.  This post gives some
+thoughts on the matter.
+
+This page is the opinion of the author and not Aalto itself.  It's not
+an open offer for collaboration.  The author is happy to help with any
+questions you may have (``[email protected]`` or various chat
+systems).
+
+
+
+What is "research software engineering"?
+----------------------------------------
+
+Universities have academics: the traditional core, making ideas and
+new results.  Much research, even not "computer science", needs
+computational tools.  However, the skills needed even for basic
+computation can be so complex that not all academics can master it to
+do cutting-edge research.  A Research (Software) Engineer (RSE) can
+bridge that gap: academics focus on their primary work, and the RSE
+makes the computing seamless.
+
+For more info, see the :external:doc:`Aalto RSE site <rse/index>`.
+This is not that different from research engineers supporting complex
+physical equipment.
+
+
+
+rkdarst's recommendations for RSE team starters
+-----------------------------------------------
+
+We've found there are plenty of qualified people to hire.  The harder
+part is mentoring them to transition from a researcher (focused on
+single projects with emphasis on own publications) to supporter
+(supporting a wide variety of people with respect and compassion).
+This transition needs active mentoring.
+
+See the companion post about
+:doc:`work rotations for RSE mentoring </2024/rse-work-rotations>` -
+if you are in Aalto University then start there.
+
+You should decide if you want (a) wide-ranging support which may
+include helping with basics or (b) specialist support for a
+limited audience.  I would argue that our most important impact is
+(a): this has gotten us the most benefit overall, and a steady stream
+of more advanced projects as work advances.
+
+.. figure:: https://github.com/AaltoSciComp/aaltoscicomp-graphics/blob/master/figures/rse-types.png?raw=true
+   :alt: Two by two grid with axes generalist/specialist and wide/local audience
+
+   A possible categorization of research engineers roles.  Where do
+   you want your hire to fit in here?  (This is not designed to
+   classify people, it's designed to plan how people might be
+   located.)
+
+
+
+Collaboration possibilities: no funding
+---------------------------------------
+
+Let's say you want your own RSE team at your own organization.  How
+can you and Aalto RSE work together?
+
+Even without joint funding, some of us Aalto people would be happy to
+talk and give some advice, and be part of a broader general network.
+For example:
+
+- How our team works, what makes it work, advice for your team
+- Joint RSE seminars to build skills, for example as part of
+  :external:doc:`tech/index`, `Nordic-RSE seminar series
+  <https://nordic-rse.org/events/seminar-series/>`__, or something new.
+  Both of these are good for professional development and community.
+- All the advice and practices on :external:doc:`the Aalto RSE site
+  <rse/index>`.
+- Professional networking and so on.
+
+However, without funding, Aalto needs to focus on its own work.
+
+
+
+Collaboration possibilities: with funding
+-----------------------------------------
+
+With joint funding, it might be possible to make a collaboration.
+
+Any higher level collaboration needs to be discussed with management.
+Assuming these discussions go well, we might join a collaboration
+together so that we can actually share projects between the team.
+There should always be a strong local presence, because
+that gets the best value.  This opens more possibilities.
+
+The more experienced or larger teams could provide:
+
+- Mentoring possibilities for new research engineers and their teams
+  (see :doc:`/2024/rse-work-rotations`).
+- A base for professional networking.
+- A larger base of knowledge, for more advice and help with specialist
+  problems.  A very important part of our team is that for almost any
+  problem, someone has seen it and can solve it quickly.  Then we
+  train others to solve it.
+- Joint support sessions such as our :external:doc:`help/garage`,
+  which allowed a wider support base for problems, covering the
+  previous point.
+
+The newer or smaller teams could provide:
+
+- Funding via some joint project.
+- More staff around to help fill in the gaps when needed (these staff
+  also get training in these projects they experience).
+- Specialty domain knowledge (both for support of academics and for
+  professional development).
+
+A collaboration with larger funding could have a joint project flow:
+there is one place to submit new projects requests, and the right
+people in any organization will work on them.
+
+
+
+Lighter collaboration
+---------------------
+
+We would welcome observers in our support sessions, especially from
+other staff at Aalto.  The `Nordic-RSE chat
+<https://nordic-rse.org/about/getinvolved/>`__ is also a good way to
+ask questions and see what we are up to for those outside Aalto
+University.
+
+
+
+What's next?
+------------
+
+We know of various opportunities being considered for national
+(Finland) or international RSE collaborations.  The above are some
+basic thoughts, but any model would be tailored to the actual funding
+and partners.  There is definitely a benefit to starting off
+together.
+
+For more information, contact the author at ``[email protected]``
+and read :external:doc:`rse/index` for more info.

content/2024/rse-work-rotations.rst

@@ -0,0 +1,66 @@
+:blogpost: true
+:date: 2024-10-08
+:author: Richard Darst
+:category: rse
+
+
+RSE work rotations
+==================
+
+Let's say you want to start a Research (Software) Engineer team in
+your own unit.  How do you set your new hires off on the right
+path?  A proposal is outlined below.
+
+This is a companion post to :doc:`/2024/rse-collaboration`.
+
+
+
+Getting started
+---------------
+
+You need to find the right person to hire for the role.  Most likely,
+this means someone with the skills you need but the mindset to
+transition from their own work to making other work possible.  You can
+find hiring resources on :external:doc:`the Aalto RSE page
+<rse/index>` and some brief thoughts in the companion post
+:doc:`/2024/rse-collaboration`.
+
+Let's say you have hired someone.  What's next?
+
+
+An apprenticeship proposal
+--------------------------
+
+This proposal is much easier for someone inside of Aalto University
+than outside, but possibly could be negotiated for others.
+
+- Your new hire works as part of the existing School of Science RSE
+  team initially, perhaps ~1 year.
+- The hire is paid, organizationally supervised in, and sits in your
+  own unit.  It is absolutely critical that they maintain close
+  connections to your own unit, the membership in our team is only
+  virtual.  (Our team is remote-first, so this is easy).
+- They focus on projects from your own unit, but as part of our daily
+  flow.  This could mean asking your audience to join our
+  :external:doc:`help/garage` for help and requesting that new big
+  projects come via our project management systems.
+- Your new hire will learn all about how we work.
+- Your new hire will experience a tremendous diversity of projects and
+  work with experts on them.
+- After the initial ~1 year period, we sit down and decide what is
+  next.  Does your new hire stay working as part of our team (with a
+  greater focus on your own unit's projects)?  Or do they split off
+  and start doing their own thing in your unit?  Or some combination?
+
+This gives you the most important part of our onboarding and training.
+There is no better way to develop the right mindset.  If we split
+later, your staff will know who to ask for harder problems that come
+up later.
+
+
+
+What's next?
+------------
+
+If this sounds interesting to you, contact the author of this article
+(``[email protected]`` or various chat systems).