Meet Our Team
Building software for specialist life science projects demands more than strong engineering, it requires a team who genuinely understand the science, the regulatory landscape, and the stakes involved.
Your software team for hire…
Enhance your internal team with our domain knowledge.
Many of us have worked in laboratories, published peer-reviewed research, or built careers at the interface of science and technology before specialising in software; which means we speak your language from day one!
Whether you need custom medical device software or SaMD development, instrumentation software for a biotech instrument, GxP-compliant life sciences software, or AI-powered tools for research workflows, we have the depth of experience to deliver solutions that are reliable, scalable and meet end users requirements.
Meet the team
Darren Troy
Director
Barry McHoull
Director
William Acton
Director
Ruaidhrí Primrose
Director
Matt Connelly
Director
Isabel Vincent
Market Development Manager
Lesley Smith
Marketing Executive
Lauren McHoull
Executive Assistant
Adam Ostrowski
Project Manager
Raminta Kazlauskaitė
Project Manager
Steven Swan
Software Engineer
Richard Addison
Software Engineer
Noura Elhakim
Software Engineer
Jonny Reading
Software Engineer
Andrew Kirkwood
Software Engineer
Jimi Wills
Software Engineer
Phil Tolland
Software Engineer
Hansel Kang
Software Engineer
George Trenev
Software Engineer
Katy Smith
Software Engineer
Matt Probert
Software Engineer
Savan Agrawal
Software Engineer
Kevin McHugh
Software Engineer
Bryan Ghosh
Software Engineer
Harry Maxwell
Software Engineer
Matt Brammall
Software Engineer
James Carter
Software Engineer
Our board of advisors
Dr. James Hopgood
James is the Director of Electronics and Engineering at the University of Edinburgh. He works in the disciplines of Data Science and Machine Learning within the field of Statistical Signal Processing. Since September 2011, James has been the Editor-in-Chief for the IET Journal of Signal Processing. James has worked closely with the Firefinch team since 2014 on a Data Science research project.
Dr. Donna McDade Walker
Donna is Vice President, Global Marketing & Product Management at biomodal. She is an accomplished Commercial Leader with nearly 20 years’ experience in the biotechnology & life science industries. Skilled in go-to-market strategy, product commercialisation and brand development within fields such as molecular diagnostics, sequencing, and synthetic biology, Donna has worked with the Firefinch team since 2020.
Thinking of joining us?
We are always on the lookout for talented individuals to join our dynamic team.
Our team of problem solvers and innovators not only possess a deep knowledge but also know what a good solution looks like for a customer – and how to deliver it. At Firefinch, you’ll find lots of opportunities to use and develop your skills and contribute to interesting and impactful projects.
Direct applicants only. No recruitment or outsourcing agencies please.
Benefits of working for Firefinch
Flexible working hours
A family (and life) friendly environment with flexible working of 32-36 hours per week within core hours. You can also compress your hours into 4 days rather than a 5 day working week.
In person, remote, or hybrid working
The opportunity to work flexibly that is either fully remote or at our fantastic city centre office in Edinburgh – or take a hybrid approach.
Charitable giving
Matched charity donations of up to £500 per year.
Enhanced maternity and paternity leave
Supporting you in balancing your professional and personal lives, ensuring the time and resources to nurture your family.
Continual support and development
Providing you with the right tools for the job – high-performance laptops and licenses as well as a generous training budget.
Plus the usual
Including 32-days holiday per year (including bank holidays), a company pension, and cycle to work scheme.
Our Solutions
Cloud-based applications
Desktop instrument control systems
Customer-facing products
Internal business systems
Darren Troy
Director
With 18 years of software development experience, Darren brings a rare combination of deep technical expertise and hands-on life science industry knowledge.
Alongside a decade working at Lab901/Agilent on automated gel electrophoresis platforms building software at the intersection of hardware, imaging and science, he has spent a further 8 years at Firefinch delivering software across a wide range of life science applications.
Darren’s technical strengths lie in image and signal processing, instrument control, machine learning, and UI/UX design, and he has co-authored peer-reviewed research in chromatographic imaging published in IEEE Transactions on Biomedical Engineering. He holds a BSc in Computer Science from the University of Auckland.
A firm believer that simplicity in design leads to long-term maintainability, day to day, Darren oversees project quality and technical direction at Firefinch, ensuring that software meets users’ real-world needs at every stage of development. Outside work, what time isn’t spent with family tends to be spent in the kitchen or at the gym.
Barry McHoull
Director
Barry brings 18 years of software engineering experience and a background as a software project manager at a biotech company to the Firefinch team, giving him a thorough understanding of the full lifecycle from concept to delivery in a regulated, science-driven environment.
His particular passion is algorithms and the elegance of well-crafted software architecture. He holds a BEng from the University of Edinburgh and has contributed to peer-reviewed published research titled “Multi-Snapshot Imaging for Chromatographic Peak Analysis” alongside fellow Directors Darren and Matt. Barry’s blend of curiosity and commercial pragmatism makes him a trusted guide for clients navigating complex technical decisions.
When not thinking about software, Barry can be found watching horror films.
William Acton
Director
Will has 16 years of experience writing software, largely within life science environments. His particular expertise is in instrumentation interface and control, and colour science, and he has built a reputation as the team’s UI/UX champion: ensuring that every piece of customer-facing software is elegant, intuitive and genuinely pleasant to use.
Will’s work typically bridges the gap between R&D scientists and end-users, translating complex instrument behaviour into elegant interfaces. He holds a BSc in Computer Science from the University of Manchester and is a strong advocate for thoughtful, detail-conscious design.
Outside work, Will’s great pleasure is culinary exploration, seeking unfamiliar flavors and traditional local cuisine on his travels.
Ruaidhrí Primrose
Director
Ruaidhrí is an experienced software architect and developer with 19 years in the industry and a record of leading Agile teams across the full development lifecycle, from product design through to production deployment and ongoing maintenance. He has broad expertise across cloud platforms (Azure and AWS), medical device software and heavily regulated environments, and is comfortable at every level of the stack.
His experience at Firefinch across life science software projects, underpinned by his BSc in Computer Science & AI from the University of Edinburgh and an MSc in Science, means he brings both deep technical rigour and a strong appreciation for the scientific context his software operates in. He is Firefinch’s go-to authority on cloud architecture and operations.
In his spare time Ruaidhrí unwinds by running, gaming, and reading.
Matt Connelly
Director
Matt is a unique presence in life science software: a director who has spent 14 years as an industrial biochemist developing and validating assays before making the move into software engineering. He brings 9 years of software development experience and holds an MSc with Distinction in Bioinformatics from Sheffield Hallam University as well as a BSc in Plant Sciences, a genuinely rare combination of wet-lab and computational expertise.
His particular strength is data analysis: he is happiest sifting through complex datasets to find real-world solutions, calling on his breadth of experience and is a committed R advocate. He has co-authored peer-reviewed work in chromatographic imaging for IEEE Transactions on Biomedical Engineering and brings a scientist’s rigour to everything he builds.
Outside work, Matt plays mandolin, Irish bouzouki, guitar, and analogue synthesisers.
Isabel Vincent
Market Development Manager
Lauren McHoull
Executive Assistant
Lesley Smith
Marketing Executive
Outside work, Lesley can be found camping, visiting art exhibitions, or at punk gigs.
Adam Ostrowski
Project Manager
Raminta Kazlauskaitė
Project Manager
Since then she has led R&D management roles and overseen innovation programmes across Scotland, and now brings that experience to bear as a project manager at Firefinch. Her role focuses around supporting clients navigating the software development process while keeping a close eye on scope, timelines and delivery quality. Her interests span agile project management, regulated software and pitch development.
When not working, Raminta explores cafes and bakeries across Scotland and beyond.
Steven Swan
Outside work, he plays piano and is an enthusiast of combat games.
Richard Addison
His strengths lie in translating complex business requirements into robust technical solutions, mentoring engineers, and improving development practices across teams. At Firefinch, he has built up significant life science software experience and plays a central role in shaping the technical direction of projects.
Outside work, Richard enjoys keeping up with technology trends and staying active outdoors.
Noura Elhakim
Outside work, she enjoys photography, drawing, and spending time with her family.
Jonny Reading
Andrew Kirkwood
When not developing, Andrew plays instruments and synthesisers and spends time cycling and outdoors.
Jimi Wills
At Firefinch, Jimi is known as a strong team player who is deeply motivated by delivering genuine client value and maintaining high product quality. He also attends TabletopScotland and Edinburgh Pride, makes music with his kids, and crochets.
Phil Tolland
His technical strengths include software architecture, test-driven development and cross-platform development across C#, SQL, JavaScript/TypeScript, WPF, Avalonia, React, React Native and Azure. Phil describes himself as thinking about data flowing through software the same way an engineer thinks about fluid in pipes, a mental model that lends itself well to building robust, high-throughput systems.
Outside the office, he boulders, plays board games, and runs tabletop RPG sessions.
Hansel Kang
He works across JavaScript/TypeScript, C#, Java, Python, React, WPF and CSS, with particular skills in Figma and front-end UI/UX design. Hansel’s architectural training gives him a natural eye for structure, space and usability, all of which translate well to software interface design.
Outside work, he is a talented photographer who enjoys travelling and hiking.
George Trenev
His technical interests span IoT devices, GUI development, system and UX design, and Linux, and he works across JavaScript/TypeScript, C#/.NET, Java, Python, React, React Native and Azure.
Outside work, George woodworks, does leathercraft, and has a fondness for repairing things that may or may not be broken.
Katy Smith
She works in C#/.NET, Python, JavaScript/TypeScript, React and Azure, with a strong interest in design principles, usability, and the intersection of data science, machine learning and life science. Katy has contributed to peer-reviewed research in materials science and is a committed advocate for greater diversity in tech.
Outside work, she plays hockey, sings in a choir, and travels.
Savan Agrawal
His technical strengths lie in AI, machine learning, LLM development, image processing and embedded systems, working in Python, C, C++, C# and Azure DevOps with Docker. Savan’s combination of academic research and practical development experience makes him particularly well-suited to projects involving complex algorithms, sensor systems or AI-powered applications.
Outside work, he hikes, explores nature, and enjoys time with friends and family.
Matt Probert
Savan holds an MSc in Robotics and Artificial Intelligence from the University of Glasgow as well as a B.Tech in Computer Science and Engineering, and brings 3 years of professional development experience alongside an ongoing role as an Honorary Research Assistant at the University of Glasgow. His technical strengths lie in AI, machine learning, LLM development, image processing and embedded systems, working in Python, C, C++, C# and Azure DevOps with Docker. Savan’s combination of academic research and practical development experience makes him particularly well-suited to projects involving complex algorithms, sensor systems or AI-powered applications.
Outside work, he hikes, explores nature, and enjoys time with friends and family.
Kevin McHugh
Kevin’s broad industry background means he is well-practised at picking up new domains quickly and delivering solid, reliable software in contexts with demanding data and compliance requirements.
Outside work, Kevin reads comic books, follows punk rock, and enjoys horror films.
Bryan Ghosh
He works primarily in C# .NET, Azure, Angular and React, and has a strong track record in delivering maintainable, scalable systems. Bryan’s philosophy of clean code and clear communication means he works well in teams and client-facing roles alike.
Outside work, Bryan writes and performs stand-up and sketch comedy, and plays cricket (self-described: pretty badly).
Harry Maxwell
Harry’s technical stack centres on C#, SQL, React, Angular and WPF, and his collaborative, client-focused approach makes him well-suited to projects where understanding user needs is as important as technical execution.
Outside work, Harry is chair of his village hall committee, treasurer of the PTA, a keen DIYer and gardener, and enjoys cooking and festival production.
Matt Brammall
He works primarily in C#, JavaScript/TypeScript, Python, React, AWS and Azure, and brings a mathematician’s love of rigour and clarity to his work. Matt’s deep quantitative background makes him particularly well-suited to analytically complex or data-intensive projects.
Outside work, he reads widely, learns languages, and has a keen interest in music.
James Carter
James’s experience in demanding, safety-critical industries gives him a rigorous and methodical approach to software quality. He holds a BSc (Hons) and has built a career on tackling technically complex problems across a range of platforms and environments.
Outside work, James is an avid television lover.