Lead Software Engineer

Motorsport Network, LLC; Wantage; On-site; GBP 110,000 - 170,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

generous holidays

vibrant staff events

a subsidised onsite restaurant

a range of car schemes

24/7 access to our gym

free fitness classes like outdoor boot

free parking

sprawling green spaces

Job summary

At Atlassian Williams F1 Team, a Lead Software Engineer will guide a 3–5 person team, owning technical direction, architecture, and delivery for high-performance software supporting Aerodynamics, Vehicle Dynamics, and Vehicle Performance.

The stack spans C++/C#, React/TypeScript front-ends, Python analysis tools, and backend services in C++, Rust, F#, and C#. Cloud-native modernization and data platforms are central to innovation.

Qualifications

• 10+ years of software development experience, with at least 2 years in a senior or lead role.
• Comfort across full stack, with low-level C++/Rust and Python for data analysis.
• Strong architectural knowledge across distributed systems and real-time streaming tech.
• Familiarity with functional programming (F#) and end-to-end ownership.
• Experience with modern DevOps: CI/CD, containers, and IaC.

Responsibilities

• Lead the technical direction of your team and set architectural standards.
• Mentor engineers through coaching and feedback.
• Manage technical dependencies and risks across concurrent projects.
• Bridge engineering and performance functions, translating problems into software solutions.
• Contribute to technology strategy across Performance Technology and the wider group.

Skills

Distributed systems

Real-time streaming

Kafka

WebSockets

Data persistence

C++

Rust

Python

F# (functional programming)

End-to-end ownership

DevOps (CI/CD)

Containerisation

Infrastructure as code

Education

Bachelor's degree in Computer Science or related field

Tools

Docker

Kubernetes

CI/CD tooling

Job description

Write code that shapes what happens on track.

Atlassian Williams F1 Team is looking for a Lead Software Engineer to join our Performance Technology group. This is a rare opportunity to lead a team of engineers building bespoke, high-performance software that directly supports our Aerodynamics, Vehicle Dynamics, and Vehicle Performance functions. At Williams, software and data are central to our mission of advancing up the grid, and this role puts you at the heart of both.

The Role

You’ll lead a team of 3-5 engineers, taking ownership of technical direction, architecture, and delivery across a diverse and sophisticated software estate. From real-time data systems and state-of-the-art simulations to bespoke analysis tools and cloud-native modernisation, the problems you’ll solve are genuinely complex and genuinely consequential. You’ll remain hands‑on, contributing directly to design and code while setting the technical standard for those around you.

Our stack is deliberately broad: desktop applications in C++ and C#, web applications in React/TypeScript, Python-based analysis tools, and backend services in C++, Rust, F#, and C#. We use the right tool for the right job, and we’re on an exciting journey adopting cloud-native technologies and modern data platforms.

What you’ll be doing

• Leading the technical direction of your team: making architectural decisions, choosing frameworks and patterns, and setting quality standards through code review and hands‑on contribution
• Mentoring and developing your engineers through coaching, knowledge sharing, and regular feedback
• Managing technical dependencies and risks across concurrent projects, balancing feature delivery against technical debt
• Acting as the bridge between engineering and the performance functions you support, translating their problems into deliverable software
• Contributing to technology strategy across Performance Technology and the wider software group

Company Description

For almost 50 years, Atlassian Williams F1 Team has been at the forefront of one of the fastest sports on the planet, being one of the top three most successful teams in history competing in the FIA Formula 1 World Championship. With an almost unrivalled heritage of engineering and racing F1 cars and unforgettable eras that demonstrate it is a force to be reckoned with, the British squad boasts 16 F1 World Championship titles to its name.

Since its foundation in 1977 by the eminent, late Sir Frank Williams and engineering pioneer Sir Patrick Head, the team has won nine Constructors’ Championships, in association with Cosworth, Honda and Renault. Its roll call of drivers is legendary, with its seven Drivers’ Championship trophies being lifted by true icons of the sport: Alan Jones, Keke Rosberg, Nelson Piquet, Nigel Mansell, Alain Prost, Damon Hill and Jacques Villeneuve. The team has made history before and is out to make it again with a long‑term mission to evolve and return to the front of the grid.

Qualifications

What we’re looking for

• 10+ years of software development experience, with at least 2 years in a senior or lead engineering role
• Comfort working across the full stack, including performance‑critical low‑level code in C++ or Rust, as well as Python for data analysis and exploratory workflows
• Strong architectural knowledge across distributed systems, real‑time streaming technologies (Kafka, WebSockets), and data persistence strategies spanning relational, document, and time‑series stores
• Familiarity with or genuine curiosity around functional programming, including languages such as F#
• A proven track record designing and delivering scalable, maintainable systems with end‑to‑end technical ownership
• A pragmatic, outcome‑driven approach with a strong desire to engage directly with users and stakeholders
• Experience with modern DevOps practices including CI/CD, containerisation, and infrastructure‑as‑code

Nice to have

• A degree in Computer Science, Engineering, Mathematics, or a related discipline
• Experience in motorsport, aerospace, engineering, or other domains where software performance has direct physical‑world consequences

Additional Information

• generous holidays
• vibrant staff events
• a subsidised onsite restaurant
• a range of car schemes
• 24/7 access to our gym
• free fitness classes like outdoor boot camps, Pilates, and Yoga
• free parking
• sprawling green spaces

Join a fast-paced, future-thinking team that’s driving innovation and pushing past engineering boundaries.

Atlassian Williams F1 Racing Team is an equal opportunity employer that values diversity and inclusion. We are happy to discuss reasonable job adjustments.

Atlassian Williams F1 Team is an equal opportunity employer that values diversity and inclusion. We are happy to discuss reasonable job adjustments.