Controls & Software Engineering Lead

3 Peaks Recruitment Ltd; Dungannon; On-site; GBP 70,000 - 110,000; Full time

Job summary

3 Peaks Recruitment Ltd has partnered with an established engineering and manufacturing business to appoint a Controls & Software Engineering Lead. You will provide technical leadership across control strategy, embedded software and electronics development for diverse vehicle platforms.

You will shape architectures, validate across HIL/SIL, and drive software standardisation while coordinating across ECUs, motors, sensors and energy storage systems.

Qualifications

• Extensive experience in controls/embedded software for complex machinery or vehicle systems.
• Proven ability to lead engineering teams and influence design decisions.
• Experience with HIL/SIL testing and functional safety practices.

Responsibilities

• Provide senior technical leadership across controls, embedded software and electronic systems.
• Define control systems and software strategy across multiple product platforms.
• Translate requirements into robust software architectures and specifications.
• Lead ECU/motor/actuator integration including HIL/SIL testing.
• Ensure communication protocols (CAN, SAE J1939, Ethernet) are robust across systems.

Skills

Controls engineering

Embedded software

Systems engineering

Technical leadership

V&V testing

Education

Degree in Electronic/Software/Electrical Engineering

Tools

CoDeSYS

Danfoss PLUS+1

MATLAB

Simulink

Stateflow

Vector CANalyzer

CANopen

Job description

We are working with an established engineering and manufacturing business to appoint a Controls & Software Engineering Lead to take a senior role within its engineering function. This is a key technical leadership position with responsibility for helping shape the development of advanced control systems and embedded software across a range of complex mobile equipment and vehicle platforms. Working across conventional, hybrid and fully electric technologies, you will provide technical direction across control strategy, software architecture, electronic systems integration, validation and functional safety. The technology incorporates ECUs, motors, drives, engines, actuators, energy storage systems, sensors and increasingly sophisticated autonomous and connected systems. This is not simply a PLC programming position. The successful individual will be expected to operate as a senior engineering authority, influencing technical decisions, driving engineering standards and supporting the successful delivery of multiple development programmes. You will work closely with electrical, mechanical and wider engineering teams, helping create scalable and standardised control solutions that can be deployed across future product platforms.

Key Responsibilities:

• Provide senior technical leadership across controls, embedded software and electronic systems development.
• Help define the overall control systems and software strategy across multiple product platforms.
• Translate vehicle and machine functionality requirements into functional software specifications and robust software architectures.
• Develop control solutions using platforms such as CoDeSYS, Danfoss PLUS+1, MATLAB and Simulink.
• Define electronic systems and select appropriate hardware platforms, balancing technical performance, environmental requirements, reliability and cost.
• Lead the integration of ECUs, motors, drives, engines, actuators, energy storage systems and sensors.
• Ensure reliable communication between electronic systems using technologies and protocols including SAE J1939, CAN, CANopen and Ethernet.
• Provide technical guidance throughout the complete development lifecycle, from initial concept through integration, testing, validation and final delivery.
• Promote structured software development methodologies including the V-Model, model-based design, functional safety and security principles.
• Support the development of autonomous, connected and remotely monitored vehicle technologies.
• Drive software standardisation and the reuse of proven software components across multiple product ranges.
• Develop and maintain technical specifications, engineering standards and associated documentation.
• Establish robust approaches to software configuration, documentation, traceability and change control.
• Lead and support vehicle-level validation, including Hardware-in-the-Loop (HIL) and Software-in-the-Loop (SIL) testing.
• Support fault insertion testing, functional validation and design verification activities.
• Provide technical input into engineering project plans and support the delivery of multiple programmes.
• Work collaboratively with Electrical, Mechanical, Manufacturing and other engineering disciplines to develop fully integrated systems.
• Support prototype development and testing in both workshop and field environments.
• Contribute to engineering risk and root-cause activities including FMEA, 8D, risk assessments and cause-and-effect analysis.
• Act as a senior technical point of reference, helping raise engineering capability and best practice across the wider team.

Requirements:

We are looking for an experienced controls, embedded software or systems engineering professional who is ready to take on a highly influential technical leadership position.

Ideally, you will have:

• A degree in Electronic Engineering, Software Engineering, Electrical Engineering, Controls Engineering or a related discipline, or equivalent industry experience.
• Significant experience within an OEM, Tier 1, automotive, off-highway, mobile machinery or similar engineering environment.
• Strong experience developing control or embedded software for complex machinery or vehicle applications.
• Experience taking electronic and control systems from initial concept through development, integration, validation and delivery.
• Strong working knowledge of CoDeSYS and/or Danfoss PLUS+1 or comparable control development environments.
• Experience with MATLAB, Simulink and Stateflow within embedded or control systems.
• Knowledge of vehicle communication protocols including CAN, J1939, CANopen and/or Ethernet.
• Experience integrating software with ECUs, sensors, motors, drives, actuators and other electronic hardware.
• A good understanding of functional safety and structured software development processes.
• Experience with HIL and SIL testing, functional testing and fault insertion testing.
• Strong understanding of design verification and validation.
• Experience with vehicle interface and diagnostic tools such as Vector CANalyzer, CANfox or similar.
• Experience delivering complex engineering projects and working across multiple programmes simultaneously.
• The technical credibility and communication skills to influence engineering decisions and provide direction to other engineers.
• Experience with hybrid or electric vehicle systems, energy storage, autonomous technologies, remote diagnostics or connected vehicle systems would be particularly attractive.

This is an opportunity to move beyond a conventional Senior PLC or Controls Engineer position and take on a role with much greater technical ownership and influence.

You will have the opportunity to help shape how controls and software engineering is approached across the business, influencing architecture, development standards, technology selection, validation and future product strategy.

The breadth of technology is a major attraction. You could be working across diesel, hybrid and fully electric platforms, integrating everything from ECUs and drives through to energy storage, sensors, remote diagnostics and autonomous technologies.

It would particularly suit someone who has built strong technical expertise in controls, embedded software or vehicle systems and now wants to operate at a senior leadership level alongside other engineering leaders, while remaining close enough to the technology to influence key technical decisions.

For the right person, this represents an opportunity to become a key technical figure within the engineering organisation and play an important part in developing the next generation of products and engineering capability