C++ Software Engineer

KO2 Embedded Recruitment Solutions LTD; Glasgow; Hybrid; GBP 59,000 - 72,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Hybrid work

International collaboration

Senior role influence

Small Glasgow team

Job summary

KO2 Embedded Recruitment Solutions LTD in Glasgow is seeking a Senior C++ Software Engineer to modernise a core C++ codebase and turn complex scientific algorithms into high-performance code. You will mentor juniors and collaborate with teams in Germany and France.

The role offers a hybrid 50/50 split between home and office, with a focus on architecture and code quality in a small, growing Glasgow team.

Qualifications

• Significant commercial modern C++ experience.
• Architectural mindset with OOP, SOLID principles and design patterns.
• Strong code review skills with constructive feedback.
• Solid understanding of concurrency and multithreading.
• Experience with Linux toolchain: CMake, GCC/Clang, gdb, and dynamic linking.

Responsibilities

• Maintain and modernise a legacy C++ codebase, migrating to modern C++.
• Implement new cheminformatics algorithms as specified by SMEs.
• Review algorithm specifications for feasibility and clarity before implementation.
• Act as a primary code reviewer to protect architectural consistency and code quality.
• Own the test strategy including unit/integration tests and edge cases.
• Maintain the CMake build system and Linux tooling.
• Mentor junior developers on clean code and design patterns.
• Collaborate with colleagues in Glasgow, Germany and France.
• Document implementations clearly.

Skills

Modern C++

Architectural mindset

Multithreading

Code review

Linux tooling

Tools

CMake

GCC/Clang

gdb

clang-tidy

Valgrind

Sanitisers

Docker

Job description

Location: Glasgow, hybrid WFH (50/50 split between home and office)

Salary: Up to £65,000 DOE

KO2's client develops advanced cheminformatics software. Their software helps scientists understand and work better with chemical data. They're looking for an experienced Senior C++ Software Engineer to join their small, growing team in Glasgow. You'll modernise their core C++ codebase and turn complex scientific algorithms into robust, high-performance code.

The company is international and close-knit. The Glasgow team works closely with colleagues in small offices in Germany and France, so you'll be part of a collaborative, multicultural engineering group.

You'll work closely with chemistry subject-matter experts and implement their algorithms using sound design patterns and modern C++. You'll be one of the main code reviewers, protect the quality and consistency of the architecture, and mentor junior developers as they continue to grow.

Key responsibilities

• Maintain and modernise a legacy C++ codebase, migrating it gradually to modern C++
• Implement new cheminformatics algorithms specified by the SMEs
• Review algorithm specifications for feasibility and clarity before implementation
• Act as a primary code reviewer, protecting the team's architectural consistency and code quality
• Own the test strategy for your work, covering unit and integration tests, edge cases and regression protection
• Maintain the CMake build system and related Linux tooling
• Mentor junior developers on clean code, architecture and design patterns
• Work with colleagues in Glasgow, Germany and France
• Document your implementations clearly

Essential skills and experience

• Significant commercial modern C++ experience, 17 onwards ideally.
• An architectural mindset, with OOP, SOLID principles and design patterns as part of your everyday work
• Confidence applying modern idioms to legacy code you didn't write
• Strong code review skills. You give thorough, constructive feedback and can spot subtle logic errors and design drift
• A solid understanding of concurrency, including writing, debugging and reasoning about multithreaded code, synchronisation and data races
• Experience with the Linux development toolchain: CMake, GCC/Clang, gdb, and dynamic linking (RPATH, SONAME)
• Familiarity with static and runtime analysis tools such as clang-tidy, Valgrind and sanitisers

Desirable skills

• Experience of AI-assisted development, such as using Claude Code and directing coding agents on architectural decisions
• Implementing algorithms from specifications, and reasoning about their efficiency and complexity
• Network programming (TCP/IP and sockets)
• Python, and testing frameworks such as pytest and Catch2
• Docker and containerised build environments
• Maintaining CI/CD pipelines

What's on offer

• A competitive salary, depending on experience
• Flexible hybrid working, split 50/50 between home and the Glasgow office
• A small, growing Glasgow team that you can help shape
• Working with international colleagues in Germany and France
• Challenging, meaningful work on scientific software
• A senior role with real influence over architecture and code quality