Software Development Engineer

Meridian Business Support; Southend-on-Sea; Hybrid; GBP 80,000 - 100,000; Full time

Job summary

A recruitment specialist is seeking an experienced Software Development Engineer to join a team delivering secure Windows-based software systems for safety-critical applications in Basildon. The ideal candidate should have strong skills in C# and .NET, and familiarity with WCF and legacy code. The role entails hybrid working with potential on-site requirements and eligibility for UK Security Clearance. This temporary position offers a comprehensive onboarding experience and a vibrant team environment.

Qualifications

• Strong professional experience in C# and .NET.
• Working knowledge of C++, indicating capability to read existing code.
• Experience with Windows Communication Foundation (WCF).

Responsibilities

• Develop and maintain Windows applications using C#/.NET.
• Review and reverse engineer existing code.
• Collaborate with other engineers using Agile development.

Skills

C#

.NET

C++

WCF

Agile development

Legacy code investigation

Tools

Jira

Azure DevOps

Job description

Our Client based in Basildonare looking for an experienced Software Development Engineer to join a specialist engineering team delivering secure Windows-based software systems for safety‑critical and defence‑related applications. This is a Temporary position until April 2026 with the possibility of extension. This role would suit a self‑motivated engineer who is comfortable joining a project mid‑stream, investigating existing code, and contributing to the next phase of development within a structured software lifecycle. You will receive an initial onboarding period, followed by hybrid working with occasional on‑site access to specialist test hardware.

Key Responsibilities

• Develop and maintain Windows applications using C#/.NET
• Contribute to secure communications software, including WCF‑based components
• Review, understand, and reverse engineer existing code where documentation may be limited
• Work within a formal software development lifecycle (requirements, design, implementation, verification, compliance)
• Participate in design reviews and technical discussions
• Collaborate with other engineers using iterative / Agile‑style development
• Ensure software meets quality, safety, and user expectations

Essential Skills & Experience

• Strong professional experience in C# and .NET
• Working knowledge of C++ (reading and understanding existing code)
• Experience with Windows Communication Foundation (WCF)
• Proven ability to investigate and understand legacy or in‑flight codebases
• Familiarity with software development lifecycles, ideally within aerospace, defence, or other regulated environments
• Comfortable working to coding standards, processes, and documentation requirements
• Self‑driven, proactive, and able to work with minimal supervision

Desirable Experience

• Background in aerospace, defence, or safety‑critical systems
• WPF (Windows Presentation Foundation) for UI development
• Agile tools such as Jira or Azure DevOps
• Configuration management tools
• Exposure to embedded or systems‑level software

Security Requirements

• Must be eligible for UK Security Clearance (SC)
• UK national or NATO dual national required

Meridian Business Support is a recruitment specialist acting on behalf of our client as an Employment Business for this vacancy

Job Info

Job Title: Software Development Engineer

Company: Meridian Business Support

Location: Basildonare

Posted: Jan 14th 2026

Closes: Feb 14th 2026

Sector: Automotive & Aerospace

Contract: Temporary

Hours: Full Time

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