Senior Software Engineer

Collins Aerospace; Plymouth; Hybrid; GBP 70,000 - 110,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Flexible working arrangements

Private healthcare

Life assurance

25 days annual leave

Job summary

Collins Aerospace in Plymouth is seeking a Senior Software Engineer to own embedded software components across the full lifecycle. You will work with multidisciplinary teams to shape software architecture and resolve complex technical challenges for real-time navigation and control systems.

You will develop in C with some C++, contribute to verification and integration, and collaborate across hardware interfaces while supporting testing, documentation and delivery of engineering work packages.

Qualifications

• Degree in software engineering or related discipline is required.
• Experience across the full SDLC including complex software activities.
• Experience designing, developing, integrating and verifying real-time embedded software.
• Strong C programming with exposure to C++ for tools and support systems.
• Familiarity with IDEs and good technical documentation skills.
• Excellent communication and teamwork abilities.

Responsibilities

• Lead requirements analysis for assigned software components.
• Decompose system requirements into software requirements with traceability.
• Develop user stories and use cases aligned with system needs.
• Design embedded software architectures and evaluate trade-offs.
• Produce test specifications and verification procedures.
• Develop embedded software in C, with some C++ for tools and interfaces.
• Verify software against requirements and resolve defects.
• Coordinate software-hardware integration activities across interfaces.
• Support performance qualification and validation testing.
• Develop software test tools and improve testing efficiency.
• Collaborate across cross-functional teams and contribute to design reviews.
• Provide input to project planning and risk identification.

Skills

C programming

C++

Embedded software

Real-time systems

SDLC experience

IDE usage

Team collaboration

Requirements analysis

Education

Degree in Software Engineering or related field

Tools

Git

SVN

GNAT Pro Studio

Ada knowledge

MATLAB

Simulink

Visual Studio

Job description

Collins Aerospace, a Raytheon Technologies company, is a world leader in advanced and intelligent solutions for the global aerospace and defence industries. With a comprehensive inertial sensing and integrated navigation technology portfolio and deep domain expertise, we deliver cutting-edge systems that solve our customers’ toughest stabilisation, flight control and navigation challenges and help shape the future of aviation and defence.

This is a hybrid role based at our Plymouth site, where we design and manufacture control, navigation, and guidance systems for both air and surface applications. Our world-class products include MEMS-based Inertial Measurement Units (IMUs) and the TERPROM® Digital Terrain Reference Navigation System.

Our growth plan includes development and extension of our current technologies into state of the art military and civil aircraft applications and we’re looking for exceptional engineers to join us on that journey.

What You Will Do

As a Senior Software Engineer, you will take technical ownership of defined embedded software components and engineering work packages across the full software development lifecycle. Working across multidisciplinary engineering teams, you’ll contribute to software architecture and design decisions, resolve complex technical challenges and support the successful integration and verification of real-time embedded software solutions.

Key responsibilities include:

• Leading requirements analysis activities for assigned software components and ensuring requirements are clearly defined and understood.
• Translating system requirements into detailed software requirements, including requirements decomposition, analysis and traceability.
• Developing user stories and use cases, ensuring alignment with system-level requirements and operational needs.
• Designing embedded software architectures and detailed software designs, taking technical ownership of assigned design decisions and evaluating technical trade-offs.
• Producing test specifications and verification procedures, contributing to verification strategies and ensuring appropriate test coverage.
• Developing embedded software, primarily in C, with some C++ for support systems and tools, including the design and optimisation of complex real-time embedded software components.
• Verifying software against requirements and design specifications, investigating complex defects and ensuring technical issues are resolved.
• Taking technical responsibility for defined hardware and software integration activities, including resolving complex integration challenges across software and hardware interfaces.
• Supporting performance qualification and validation testing, including analysis of results and resolution of technical issues.
• Developing software test tools and utilities, identifying opportunities to improve testing efficiency and software quality.
• Working effectively within cross-functional engineering teams, providing technical guidance, contributing to design and code reviews and supporting less experienced engineers.
• Providing technical input to project planning, software development estimates, risk identification and delivery of assigned engineering work packages.

What You Will Learn

At Collins Aerospace, your career development is as important as our technical innovation. You’ll benefit from:

• Exposure to cutting-edge navigation and sensing technologies.
• Mentorship and training from industry-leading experts.
• Opportunities to work on mission-critical systems used globally.
• A supportive environment that encourages continuous learning and career progression.

Qualifications & Experience

• Degree qualification in Software Engineering, Computer Science, Electronics, Aerospace Engineering or a related discipline, or equivalent industry experience.
• Demonstrated experience across the full Software Development Life Cycle (SDLC), including independently delivering complex software engineering activities.
• Experience designing, developing, integrating and verifying complex real-time embedded software applications.
• Strong programming skills in C, with exposure to C++, including experience resolving complex software design and development challenges.
• Familiarity with Integrated Development Environments (IDEs).
• Excellent communication and technical documentation skills.
• Strong team-working capabilities combined with a proactive, self-motivated approach.
• A customer-focused mindset with attention to quality and detail.
• Experience using Visual Studio or similar development environments.
• Experience contributing to embedded software architecture and detailed design, including evaluating technical trade-offs.
• Experience taking technical ownership of software deliverables and collaborating across multidisciplinary engineering teams.

Skills and Experience We Value

While not essential, the following experience would be advantageous:

• Experience using software modelling and design tools such as Enterprise Architect.
• Understanding of UML and software design methodologies.
• Knowledge of version control systems such as Git, SVN or PVCS.
• Experience with Test Driven Development (TDD).
• Familiarity with Ada programming language and GNAT Pro Studio.
• Experience contributing to project planning, estimation or bid activities.
• Exposure to Python, MATLAB or Simulink.
• Experience working within aerospace, defence or other safety-critical industries.
• Experience participating in technical design reviews, code reviews or providing guidance to other engineers.

What We Offer:

• Competitive salary and comprehensive benefits package.
• Flexible working arrangements.
• Excellent 2:1 matched pension contribution (up to 10%).
• Private healthcare and life assurance.
• 25 days annual leave plus the option to buy or sell up to 5 days.
• Early finish Fridays and a culture that values work life balance.

Hybrid:

Employees who are working in Hybrid roles will work regularly both onsite and offsite. Ratio of time working onsite will be determined in partnership with your leader.

Note:

The successful candidate must hold an active or be willing and eligible to obtain SC level security clearance. Please note that access to certain projects may be restricted based on nationality.