Software Engineer

Horizon Search & Selection Ltd; Royston; On-site; GBP 80,000 - 100,000; Full time

Job summary

A leading recruitment firm is seeking a hands-on Software Engineer based in rural Cambridgeshire, near Royston. This full-time role focuses on designing, developing, and maintaining embedded software for gas detection instruments. The ideal candidate will have experience with C/C++, DSP, and collaboration skills to work effectively in a cross-functional environment. Salary dependent on experience, and applicants must have their own transport due to the rural location.

Qualifications

• Experience in embedded software development using C/C++, bare metal, FreeRTOS, and microcontrollers.
• Solid understanding of Digital Signal Processing (DSP) for sensor data analysis.
• Strong communication and teamwork abilities, building rapport with internal departments and external customers.

Responsibilities

• Design, develop and maintain embedded software for gas detection instruments.
• Lead integration of hardware and firmware including Hardware Abstraction Layers (HALs).
• Contribute to new product development while maintaining and enhancing legacy embedded systems.

Skills

Embedded software development

C/C++

Digital Signal Processing (DSP)

Collaboration skills

Problem-solving skills

Education

Degree in relevant subject

Tools

Visual Studio

FreeRTOS

STM32 Microcontroller

Logic analyzers

Job description

Overview

We are seeking a hands-on Software Engineer for our client based in rural Cambridgeshire, near Royston. The role involves designing, developing and maintaining embedded software for gas detection instruments. This is a full-time permanent position based at the company site in Fowlmere.

The company is a global leader in the development and manufacture of advanced gas detection instrumentation and sensing technologies for a wide range of industries. With a commitment to innovation, quality and safety, the company enables industries worldwide to enhance workplace environments and safeguard lives. Having grown steadily for 36 years, the company values collaboration and excellence and has won the Queen’s Award for Enterprise in the Innovation category.

The role

To design, develop and maintain embedded software for gas detection instruments, while providing for application software activities such as interface development, production test jigs and system integration. The role spans full product life cycles, including legacy systems, new product development and test jig control software. This is a hands-on engineering role focused primarily on embedded software development for instrumentation products. The successful candidate will support application software efforts, particularly where integration with embedded systems and production tooling is required. The role demands strong technical problem-solving skills, a collaborative mindset, and the ability to work across disciplines to deliver robust and reliable solutions.

Duties and Responsibilities

• To design, develop and maintain embedded software using C/C++, bare metal, FreeRTOS, DSP algorithms and STM32 Microcontroller platforms
• Lead integration of hardware and firmware including Hardware Abstraction Layers (HALs) and Device Drivers
• Troubleshoot hardware issues, perform fault finding and resolve system-level problems
• Support application software development while maintaining and enhancing legacy embedded systems
• Assist in the development of production support software, including databases, test jig interfaces and calibration tools
• Contribute to new product development while maintaining and enhancing legacy embedded systems
• Apply systems thinking to ensure cohesive integration between hardware, firmware and supporting software
• Identify and evaluate emerging technologies relevant to gas detection and industrial instrumentation
• Collaborate with cross-functional teams including electronic engineers, mechanical engineers, scientists, researchers, product managers and product verification
• Participate in code reviews, testing and documentation to ensure high-quality deliverables

The Person

For this important role we are seeking someone with the following qualifications, skills and attributes:

• A Degree in a relevant subject and ideally some experience within a similar role
• Experience in embedded software development using C/C++, bare metal, FreeRTOS and microcontrollers
• Solid understanding of Digital Signal Processing (DSP) for sensor data analysis
• Familiarity with application and script development and support (e.g. C#, Python, JavaScript)
• Experience with .NET Compact Framework for resource-constrained environments
• Skilled in using IDEs such as Visual Studio, VisualGDB, and Keil
• Experience of communication protocols (UART, SPI, I2C, Modbus, CAN); USB communications; and wireless interfaces such as BLE and LoRaWAN
• Ability to work with and modernise legacy codebases
• Familiarity with cloud integration, IoT platforms and Agile development
• Able to read schematics and mechanical drawings and understand the function of mechanical and hardware components
• Experience with PCBs and microcontroller programming
• Use of standard electronics tools including debuggers, multimeters and logic analysers
• Proven experience developing products for test and production environments (DFT/DFM)
• Strong organisational and prioritisation skills, including version control, documenting design evolution and capturing key design decisions
• Flexible, collaborative approach with good critical thinking and excellent attention to detail
• Ability to work on multiple projects and meet deadlines
• Strong communication and teamwork abilities, building rapport with internal departments and external customers
• Self-motivated and driven to deliver high-quality products
• An understanding and experience of following an NPD process

Desirable skills and experience

• Knowledge of sensors and instruments
• Experience in hazardous location ATEX design and certification EN 60079-11
• Previous experience of design to SIL2 functional safety EN 61508
• An understanding of scientific principles of gas chemistry relevant to VOC gas sensing and detection

Details

This role is offered on a full-time, permanent basis. The salary offered is dependent on experience and comes with benefits.

Please note: The client is not licensed to sponsor visas. Due to the rural location and limited public transport, applicants must be able to drive and have their own transport. Applicants must also live within a commutable distance from Fowlmere.