Forward Deployed Software Engineer - C++ & Java

Wave Recruitment; Cambridge; Hybrid; GBP 54,000 - 66,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Pension

Share scheme

Private medical

Dental

Life insurance

Travel insurance

Season ticket loan

Cycle to work

Gym membership loan

Monthly socials

Annual event

Charity days

Job summary

Wave Recruitment in Cambridge is seeking a hybrid Engineering and Technical Customer Support professional to bridge the core product team and clients. You will run technical demonstrations, prototype integrations, and translate customer needs into clear specifications.

The role covers cross-platform C++ development for embedded Linux and Android, with some travel, and offers up to £60,000, 23 days holiday rising with service, and a benefits package.

Qualifications

• 3+ years of commercial software engineering experience.
• Cross-platform C++ experience; strong OO language (e.g., Java).
• Familiarity with Linux toolchains and Android build systems.
• Excellent verbal and written communication; comfortable demos.
• Willing to travel occasionally, up to a week per trip.

Responsibilities

• Run technical demonstrations and rapid prototyping sessions for customers.
• Recommend technical approaches per project, including CarPlay/Android Auto.
• Liaise with consortia and certification programmes.
• Develop cross-platform C++ for embedded Linux and Android.
• Build demo apps to prove new integrations.
• Translate customer needs into detailed specifications for engineering.
• Coordinate delivery back to the customer; feed roadmap ideas.

Skills

C++ cross-platform

Java or OO language

Linux toolchains

Network programming

Multithreading

Communication

Education

CS degree or equivalent

Tools

Android build systems

Job description

A Cambridge software business building connected vehicle and infotainment technology used by many of the world's largest automotive manufacturers and their tier-1 suppliers. Their platforms sit inside tens of millions of vehicles and are now moving into adjacent spaces including emergency services, in-cabin entertainment and energy.

Company mission

Build the software that connects devices, vehicles and people across platforms and operating systems.

Role Overview

A hybrid engineering and customer-facing role sitting between the core product team and clients. You will run technical demonstrations, prototype integrations, work through detailed specifications with customers, and feed requirements back into the engineering roadmap. Reporting into the sales engineering team of 5 inside a 25-person business. Travel is light, roughly 5 days a year to customer sites or exhibitions across the UK, Europe, North America and the Far East, so most of the client contact is over email, phone and video.

What You'll Own

Technical Customer Support

• Running technical demonstrations and rapid prototyping sessions for customers
• Recommending the right technical approach per project, from proprietary in-car solutions to industry standards such as CarPlay and Android Auto
• Liaising with external stakeholders including consortia and certification programmes

Engineering and Prototyping

• Cross-platform C++ development targeting embedded Linux and Android (mobile, embedded and automotive builds)
• Building demo applications to prove out new integrations
• Working with the newest silicon, devices and pre-release OS versions

Product and Requirements

• Translating customer needs into detailed specifications for the core engineering team
• Coordinating delivery back to the customer
• Tracking trends across infotainment, telematics and multimedia and feeding ideas into the product roadmap
• 3+ years of commercial software engineering experience
• Recent C++ work targeted at cross-platform use, and/or strong Java or a modern object-oriented equivalent
• Familiarity with Linux toolchains and Android build systems
• Working knowledge of network programming, protocol design, multithreading and audio/video codecs
• A relevant technical degree (Computer Science or similar) or equivalent experience
• Strong written and verbal communication, comfortable running demos and presentations
• Willing to travel occasionally, a handful of trips a year, up to a week each

Useful

• Prior exposure to pre-sales, technical consulting or field applications engineering
• Mobile app development on Android or iOS
• Linux kernel work, driver debugging, or custom Android ROM builds
• Set-top box or streaming multimedia work, codec development, or performance tuning around latency and audio/video sync
• Hobby projects: mobile apps, games, IoT builds on Raspberry Pi and similar
• European or Asian language skills

The Setup

• 35-hour week
• 50% WFH from Cambridge office (20-minute walk from Cambridge North)
• Up to £60,000
• 23 days holiday rising to 28 with service, plus option to buy 5 more
• Contributory pension, share scheme, private medical, dental, life and travel insurance
• Season ticket loan, cycle to work, gym membership loan
• Monthly socials, an annual larger event, and charity give-back days