Lead Software Engineer

Bright Purple; City of Edinburgh; Hybrid; GBP 55,000 - 65,000; Full time

Job summary

A leading space technology firm in the UK seeks a Lead Software Engineer for flight systems to guide a flagship product across multiple space missions. Ideal candidates will have strong embedded software skills, excellent C programming abilities, and experience in leading teams. The role offers a salary up to £65,000, flexible working, and a supportive culture. If you're passionate about impacting space missions and developing innovative software solutions, apply now with your CV.

Benefits

Salary up to £65,000

Flexible working

36 days' annual leave

6% employer pension contribution

Health cash plan, life assurance, and enhanced sick pay

Ongoing investment in learning and development

Supportive inclusive culture

Qualifications

• Strong background in embedded software engineering with significant professional experience.
• Excellent C programming skills, especially with embedded platforms.
• Solid understanding of operating systems and low-level hardware interaction.

Responsibilities

• Guide technical direction of flagship flight software product.
• Lead and develop a team of flight software engineers.
• Manage full software lifecycle from requirements to delivery.

Skills

Embedded software engineering

C programming

Operating systems knowledge

Technical design leadership

Software lifecycle management

Linux development

Clear communication

Job description

Lead Software Engineer - Flight Systems, Space Technology

Does the idea of working at the forefront of the space industry excite you? Bright Purple are hiring for a leading UK-based space technology scale-up, with a 10+ year history of developing software used on real spacecraft missions worldwide. Its products help organisations develop reliable, reusable flight software more quickly, using modern engineering approaches. The business is employee-owned, growing rapidly, and driven by a strong culture of technical excellence, collaboration and long‑term thinking. Don\'t worry - you do not require prior space or satellite experience. The skills we are looking for are those of a senior embedded software engineer, industry‑agnostic!

What is in it for you:

• Salary up to £65,000
• Flexible working with the occasional visits to Edinburgh office
• 36 days’ annual leave
• 6% employer pension contribution
• Health cash plan, life assurance and enhanced sick pay
• Employee ownership and a genuine voice in the business
• Ongoing investment in learning, development and conferences
• A supportive, inclusive culture where your work directly impacts space missions

The Role:

• This is a senior, hands‑on technical leadership role with responsibility for a flagship flight software product used across multiple space missions.
• You\'ll guide its technical direction, influence future product development, and work closely with engineers, customers and commercial teams to ensure the software continues to meet demanding real‑world needs.
• Alongside product ownership, you\'ll lead and develop a team of flight software engineers, setting technical standards, supporting career growth and creating an environment where high‑quality engineering thrives.

Must‑Have Skills & Experience:

• Strong background in embedded software engineering, with significant professional experience
• Excellent C programming skills, including work on embedded platforms (e.g., ARM‑based systems)
• Solid understanding of operating systems, multitasking and low‑level hardware interaction
• Experience leading technical design and solving complex engineering problems
• Comfortable working across the full software lifecycle, from requirements to delivery
• Experience working in a Linux‑based development environment with version control and CI principles
• Ability to communicate clearly, lead by example and support the growth of other engineers
• Confident communication skills

Please APPLY NOW with your most up‑to‑date CV for consideration.

Bright Purple is an equal opportunities employer: we are proud to work with clients who share our values of diversity and inclusion in our industry.