Software Architect

ZipRecruiter; East Cowes; Hybrid; GBP 70,000 - 86,000; Part time

Job summary

A leading technology firm in the UK seeks a Software Architect to develop and maintain software architectures for radar technology. Responsibilities include providing technical expertise, defining software artefacts, and leading governance. The ideal candidate will have extensive programming experience and a strong background in software standards. Benefits include a competitive salary up to £85,700, flexible working arrangements, and a pension scheme.

Benefits

Competitive pension scheme

Employee share plans

Flexible health and wellbeing benefits

Private health plans

Annual incentive eligibility

Qualifications

• Extensive experience with high-level programming languages.
• Deep understanding of Agile and Waterfall models.
• Proven experience in mentoring engineering teams.

Responsibilities

• Work across multiple projects offering technical advice.
• Define and develop architectural artefacts for software.
• Lead technical governance and conduct peer reviews.

Skills

High-level programming languages

Software development lifecycle knowledge

Leading software development activities

Software standards knowledge

Configuration management practices

Education

Degree in Computer Science or related field

Job description

Overview

Job Title: Software Architect

Location: Isle of Wight – Cowes or Portsmouth – BroadOak

Salary: Up to £85,700 depending on skills and experience plus bonus scheme. Part time and accruing hours available – please let us know if you would like to discuss these options.

What you’ll be doing

• Provide Software Subject Matter Expertise: Work across multiple projects with various programming languages, architectures, and lifecycle models; offer specialist technical advice and guidance to peers and projects.
• Define and Develop Architectural Artefacts: Create, assess and review software and data processing architectures to meet requirements and support future re-use; ensure alignment throughout the engineering lifecycle.
• Establish and Maintain Design Processes: Enhance transformational activities and tools used to develop and manage software design artefacts; ensure robust, resilient, scalable and secure middleware and applications architectures on modern hardware.
• Ensure Toolchain Compliance and Integration: Collaborate with DevOps to ensure tools are licensed, OSS-compliant, interoperable, and integrated into the build process.
• Lead Technical Governance: Conduct peer reviews, lead technical design reviews, verify and sign off software designs, and uphold Maritime Services’ software processes.
• Promote Continuous Improvement and Knowledge Sharing: Support skills development within the team, maintain awareness of industry trends, and ensure architectural awareness of Security and Safety Integrity Levels (SILs).

Your skills and experiences

• Extensive experience with at least one high-level programming language and a high-level design methodology such as UML.
• Deep understanding of the software development lifecycle and familiarity with various models, including Agile and Waterfall.
• Proven experience in leading software development activities and mentoring engineering teams.
• Solid knowledge of relevant software standards (e.g. ISO/IEC/IEEE 12207), including software safety and Safety Integrity Levels (SIL).
• Comprehensive understanding of configuration management practices and tools.
• Strong technical background with a Degree in Computer Science, Engineering, or a related numerate discipline; Chartered Engineer (CEng) status or working towards it (where applicable).

Benefits

• Competitive pension scheme
• Employee share plans
• Flexible discounted health, wellbeing and lifestyle benefits, including a green car scheme
• Private health plans and shopping discounts
• Annual incentive eligibility

About the team and role

The Future Radar team: Join us in shaping the Future of Radar Technology.

We are evolving our radar portfolio by enhancing existing products and developing brand-new radar products to address emerging and future threats in the realm of Future Air Dominance. With strong collaboration from our customers and investment in talent, our strategy is to keep the UK at the forefront of defence innovation.

Role focus: As the Software Architect you will act as the technical focal point and design authority, developing and maintaining software architectures that meet challenging complex Radar requirements. Using modern operating systems, tools, and design patterns, you will create robust, resilient, scalable and secure middleware and application layers for hardware. You’ll leverage both licensed and open-source tools, ensuring compliance with OSS guidance, and work with the wider team to ensure a smooth implementation, integration and test process.

Location and working approach: Our workplace in Cowes is an easily accessible commute from Southampton with a regular foot passenger ferry and BAE shuttle service from the ferry terminal to site. Our working approach provides flexibility with working hours depending on role and location, including accruing hours and flexibility around start and finish times to balance life at work, on site and life at home.

Compliance and eligibility

We welcome people from all backgrounds and want recruitment processes to be inclusive. If you have a disability or health condition that may affect your performance in certain assessment types, please speak to your recruiter about reasonable adjustments. Please note that many roles at BAE Systems are subject to security and export control restrictions. These restrictions may affect which roles you are eligible for based on factors such as nationality or place of birth. All applicants must meet Baseline Personnel Security Standard; many roles require higher levels of Security Vetting, typically with 5 to 10 years of continuous UK residence for the level required.

Closing Date: 26 September 2025. We reserve the right to close this vacancy early if we receive sufficient applications, so please apply early. LI-JP1 LI-Onsite