Yes, you read that correctly! We are looking for someone to take the lead in organising RSECon26 – the tenth annual conference for Research Software Engineering – due to take place in September 2026. We are looking for enthusiastic members of our community to step forward and help us deliver this prestigious event.

Last year, we trialled a Call for Programme Chair(s) for the first time with a small number of volunteers. This year, we are delighted to announce an open call for any member of the Society who wants to take on this role.

• The call is open now and will remain open until midnight (GMT) on Friday 31st January 2025.
• Please read the information below before applying.

The Programme Chair(s)

The Programme Chair leads the Conference Committee alongside trustees and other volunteers. Their main responsibility is to set the venue, tone and themes for the conference and to make sure that the committee delivers on their responsibilities to make the conference the best event it can be.

Co-chairs

Chairing the conference is a big responsibility and can be a large amount of work. If you are concerned about bandwidth/workload, then the role can be shared with a co-chair, and the Society encourages you to consider this option. It is up to the co-chairs to decide how to divide responsibilities between themselves.

Please contact potential co-chairs to discuss your plans before applying to make sure that you share a vision for the conference and will be able to work well together.

Additional Information

We have compiled information about the conference, committee and the role of programme chair, which you can read at the links below.

• Information for Programme Chairs includes information about the role.
• Volunteer at RSECon is a hub for additional information about the conference and the committee.

Also, please read the following documents:

• Terms of Reference, which describe the Society’s expectations of the Programme Chair
• Venue Specification, including our requirements for hosting the conference, including location, venue, accessibility and more

Application Process

The Conference and Events team will appraise all the applications and invite suitable candidates for interview. Applicants will be asked about their vision for the conference, the venue and their experience of conference/community organisation. The Conference & Events team will then deliberate and make a recommendation to the board of trustees to approve the appointment.

We hope to have the programme chair in place by March 2025, ~18 months before the conference. The trustees will then support you as you begin selecting key members of the steering committee, booking the venue, finding sponsors, etc.

Please note: We plan to put out a ‘save the date’ announcement as soon as an agreement with the venue has been confirmed, but the location and host of RSECon26 will not be officially announced until the last day of RSECon25. It will be necessary to discuss the conference with potential committee members, sponsors, etc., but we ask that you do not make any public announcements until this time.

Before You Apply

In addition to reading the information above, we ask all applicants to consider the following. It may be necessary to have an initial conversation with your line manager and local events support team to get approval and answers to some of these questions before applying.

Do you have a suitable venue?

In 2024, the conference attracted around 450 in-person delegates. The venue needs to accommodate all delegates in one place for plenary sessions, as well as spaces for parallel sessions, including talks and workshops.

If you do not have access to a suitable venue, then we suggest that you find a co-chair who can host the event and put together a joint application with them. If you need help finding a co-chair, please contact the events team and we’ll do our best to help you.

What is your vision for the conference?

Are there any themes you would like to focus on? What activities would you include? What outcomes would you hope to achieve?

How will you celebrate?

This will be the 10th year of RSECon, and the Society will be planning some special activities, but what could you do to celebrate this milestone?

Take some time to prepare your application.

Finally, we suggest you look at the application form (linked below) to see the questions you will be asked when you apply. Please take some time to consider your answers and prepare your application before applying. Remember, there is likely to be a lot of interest and the application process may be competitive. Please provide as much information as possible to help us make our decision

Questions?

If you have any other questions about the role of Programme Chair or the application process, please contact the Conference and Events team: [email protected].

Apply

• When you are ready to apply, click “Apply Now” below to submit your application.
• The call will be open until midnight (GMT) on Friday 31st January 2025.

Please provide as much information as possible to help us make our decision.

Follow Us

If you want to be a volunteer, session chair or part of the Conference Committee, follow us on Slack, our various social media accounts and the newsletter to make sure you hear about the calls when they are announced.