Lead Software Engineer

KO2 Embedded Recruitment Solutions Ltd; Manchester; Hybrid; GBP 59,000 - 72,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Hybrid work arrangement

Travel to Germany

Competitive compensation

Job summary

KO2 Embedded Recruitment Solutions Ltd in Salford seeks an experienced Software Engineer to lead a major Windows-to-Linux migration across an embedded Linux platform. You will provide architect-level direction while remaining hands-on with C# and C/C++ code.

The role requires strong Linux expertise, Debian workflow, and collaboration with the Germany office, including occasional travel. Hybrid in-office work 3 days/week is supported.

Qualifications

• Experience guiding teams through Windows-to-Linux migrations, delivering architecture direction.
• Hands-on development in C/C++ and C# for embedded Linux environments.
• Proven ability to work across borders with Germany office and travel when required.

Responsibilities

• Provide technical leadership to a Windows-to-Linux migration team.
• Shape platform architecture with Linux expertise and Debian-based tooling.
• Modify C# code to run on Linux and contribute embedded C/C++ development.
• Collaborate with Germany office to align platform and application development, including travel.
• Elicit requirements, write technical specs, and document systems for cross-functional teams.
• Support defect resolution with the Software Test Team.
• Lead technically while staying hands-on with code.

Skills

Linux

C/C++

C#

Embedded systems

Git

Debian

CI/CD

MVVM

Windows-to-Linux migration

Technical leadership

Tools

Visual Studio

XAML/WPF

Debian ecosystem

Job description

Location: Salford — Hybrid, 3 days/week minimum in office

Salary: Up to £65,000 + Benefits

The Role

An exciting opportunity has arisen for an experienced, technically-led Software Engineer to join a leading global supplier of industrial equipment to the food and beverage market. This is a genuinely significant project: the business is undertaking a large-scale migration of its core platform from Windows to Linux, and you'll provide the technical leadership to make it happen.

This is not a people-management role — it's about technical leadership. You'll be the architect-level authority the team looks to, someone who's been through a Windows-to-Linux migration before and can bring that hard-won experience to guide roughly 30–40 team members through the transition, while remaining genuinely hands-on with the code yourself.

Key Responsibilities

• Provide technical leadership and guidance to a development team currently working in Windows, as they transition to developing for Linux


• Bring architect-level Linux expertise to shape the platform's technical direction — ideally from having led or been closely involved in a similar migration previously


• Get hands-on with modifying existing C# code to run on Linux, alongside embedded C/C++ development


• Liaise closely with the company's Germany office, who have led the Linux platform project, to ensure alignment between platform and application development — including occasional travel to Germany


• Work collaboratively with the applications team leader to develop platform architecture and take full advantage of a Debian-based Linux platform


• Elicit requirements from stakeholders, produce technical specifications and documentation


• Support defect identification and resolution alongside the Software Test Team


• Architect-level experience with Linux — genuine, hands-on "been there, done it" migration experience is essential


• Strong hands-on embedded Linux background, with proficiency in C/C++


• Minimum 3 years' commercial object-oriented development experience in a C-like language (C++ or C#)


• Minimum 5 years' experience developing for embedded Linux systems, with in-depth system architecture knowledge


• Experience developing for resource-constrained embedded platforms


• Experience with git version control on large-scale applications


• Comfortable providing technical (not line-management) leadership to a sizeable team while staying hands-on with development


• Experience modifying or porting C# applications to run on Linux


• Development within the Debian ecosystem, including CI/CD


• Experience with GUI/HMI applications for embedded Linux


• Familiarity with Microsoft Visual Studio, XAML/WPF (MVVM)


• Agile methodologies such as SAFe


• Knowledge of M2M protocols (Fieldbus, industrial Ethernet, MQTT)

What's on Offer

• Salary up to £65,000 + benefits


• Hybrid working, 3 days/week minimum in the Salford office


• The chance to lead a major, high-visibility technical migration on next-generation products


• Close collaboration with an international platform development team, including travel to Germany

If you've genuinely led a Windows-to-Linux migration before and want to bring that experience to a business investing seriously in its next-generation platform, we'd love to hear from you.