boffin
An engineer or scientist, especially one engaged in technological or military research.
informal
In fact, a fighting friend of mine said that he could hardly walk in any direction in this war without tumbling over a scientist who had got in the way. In the Royal Air Force, where the concentration of scientists is perhaps greatest, they have a pet name for them. They call them “Boffins.” Why, I do not know. I said to a young friend of mine in the Air Force, “Why do you call scientists ‘Boffins’?” He said, “I don’t know. What else would you call them?”
A person with specialized knowledge or skills, especially one who is socially awkward.
informal
The opportunities for producers in the interactive multimedia environment are boundless. The boffins writing software programs for interactive multimedia will not be the producers of corporate communications. They need today's producers to bring their communication skills to the interactive domain, […]
A person with specialized knowledge or skills, especially one who is socially awkward. — an intellectual; a smart person.
informal
Where it comes from
Origin unknown; a number of possible etymologies have been suggested, but no conclusive evidence exists. One strong theory conjectures a connection from the "Mr. Boffins" of English novels, such as in Dickens' Our Mutual Friend.
Adapted from the Wiktionary entry boffin (CC BY-SA 4.0).