Lead Software and Systems Development Engineer

• Lead software and systems within our R&D team, bringing structure to existing practices while maintaining pace
• Define and establish how code is written, reviewed, merged, tested and released
• Own Git and repository governance across the department, including branching, reviews, merging and releases
• Drive a modular architecture with clearly defined interfaces to support code reuse across our product range
• Introduce verification and validation at module level as well as system level
• Review colleagues code, using authority and diplomacy
• Lead and mentor our software and systems team
• Work closely with physicists, controls engineers and electronics engineers
• Shape the technical roadmap, including the GUI stack and containerisation, and longer-term plans for more connected, secure and updatable systems
• Hand clean, validated and traceable work over to engineering for production
• Write and ship code hands-on initially, with coding expected to decrease as the team grows

Technologies:

• Docker
• Git
• Support
• Linux
• Qt

More:

We design and build complex defence systems. Our R&D team of around eight engineers works three to five years ahead of live programmes, exploring future customer requirements, and we are now growing the team. This is a newly created leadership role with scope to shape how the department develops software and build the team. The work includes real-time computation, sensor data and physics-heavy systems, with collaboration across disciplines and a director who actively supports modernising our approach. The position is on-site in Norfolk, with a salary of £65,000-£85,000 and flexibility above or below that range for exceptional candidates. Defence experience is not required.

• Strong software engineering background in C++ on Linux; Qt/GUI experience is a bonus
• Experience setting up and improving software processes, including Git workflows, code review, testing and release management
• Architecture-first, modular mindset
• Containerisation experience, ideally Docker on Linux
• Verification and validation experience, ideally with real-time or mission-critical software
• Background in complex products, preferably in a regulated domain such as defence, aerospace, medical or automotive
• Some people leadership experience, formal or informal, alongside technical leadership
• Willingness to travel occasionally within the UK and internationally
• Eligibility for SC clearance; you do not need to hold it already