Software Engineer (Maritime Autonomy)

Harris Geospatial Solutions; Fareham; Hybrid; GBP 65,000 - 90,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Hybrid working

Half day finish on Friday

25 days holiday + bank holidays

Private medical insurance

Pension scheme up to 8%

Life Assurance 4x salary

Group income protection

Flexible opt-in extras

Employee Family Assistance Program

Professional membership reimbursement

Job summary

L3Harris Technologies in Portchester, UK, is seeking a Software Engineer (Maritime Autonomy) to design, develop and integrate software for autonomous vessels and maritime control systems. You’ll work across PLC interfaces, power and communication systems, and higher-level apps in a Linux-based environment.

The role involves collaboration with multidisciplinary teams, testing across lifecycle stages, and supporting harbour/sea trials, with about 5% travel. A UK security clearance may be required.

Qualifications

• Bachelor’s degree in software engineering, Computer Science, Electrical Engineering, or a related engineering discipline.
• Experience developing and maintaining software solutions using C++.
• Experience working within Linux-based development and deployment environments.
• Experience integrating software with industrial control systems, operational technology platforms, or PLCs.
• Experience supporting software testing, verification, validation, and troubleshooting activities.
• Experience working within multidisciplinary engineering teams across the software development lifecycle.

Responsibilities

• Design, develop, integrate, and maintain software solutions for industrial control and maritime systems.
• Develop and support interfaces between PLCs, power management, communication systems, and higher-level software.
• Perform software integration, verification, validation, troubleshooting, and system testing throughout the project lifecycle.
• Support laboratory integration, factory acceptance testing, harbour trials, sea trials, commissioning, and customer acceptance activities.
• Collaborate with multidisciplinary engineering teams to deliver integrated solutions.
• Support IRAD initiatives, technology demonstrations, and BID activities through prototyping and PoC development.
• Produce and maintain technical documentation, integration procedures, test specifications, and engineering records.
• Investigate and resolve software, interface, and system-level issues identified during development and support activities.
• Travel to customer and company sites as required (approx. 5%).

Skills

C++

Linux

Industrial control

PLCs interfaces

Software testing

Team collaboration

Education

Bachelor’s degree in software engineering / CS / EE

Job description

L3Harris is dedicated to recruiting and developing high-performing talent who are passionate about what they do. Our employees are unified in a shared dedication to our customers’ mission and quest for professional growth. L3Harris provides an inclusive, engaging environment designed to empower employees and promote work-life success. Fundamental to our culture is an unwavering focus on values, dedication to our communities, and commitment to excellence in everything we do.

L3Harris is the Trusted Disruptor in defense tech. With customers’ mission-critical needs always in mind, our employees deliver end-to-end technology solutions connecting the space, air, land, sea and cyber domains in the interest of national security.

Job Title – Software Engineer (Maritime Autonomy)

Job Location – Portchester, UK

Job ID – 44199

About this opportunity and L3Harris UK

Operating at 11 sites in the United Kingdom, L3Harris supports Britain's mission to secure and strengthen the country by delivering sovereign innovation across the space, air, land, sea and cyber domains.

L3Harris in Portchester are part of our Maritime UK business - a leading global supplier of integrated marine control systems and simulation products for warships, submarines and high-end commercial marine vessels worldwide. Our Maritime UK business has four UK location and together we are powering the Royal Navy’s adoption of autonomous surface vehicle technology as well as delivering autonomous capability to UK ports, harbours and offshore energy service providers.

Working at the forefront of maritime autonomy, you'll play a key role in delivering technologies that enable vessels to operate safely, intelligently, and with increasing levels of independence. From autonomous navigation and vessel control systems to integrated communications, sensor technologies, and remote operations capability, you'll help develop innovative solutions that are transforming the way maritime organisations operate.

As a Software Engineer, you'll work across a diverse portfolio of projects supporting customer programmes, research and development initiatives, and future business opportunities. Collaborating with multidisciplinary teams, you'll be involved throughout the project lifecycle, from concept development and prototyping through to integration, testing, deployment, and operational support.

This is an exciting opportunity for an engineer who enjoys solving complex technical challenges, working with emerging technologies, and seeing their work deployed in real-world environments. Whether supporting the Royal Navy's adoption of autonomous surface vehicle technology or delivering advanced capabilities for commercial ports, harbours, and offshore energy providers, you'll be part of a team driving innovation in one of the most rapidly evolving areas of the maritime industry.

A few of our employee benefits are:

• Hybrid working where possible, three days onsite per week
• Half day finish on a Friday
• 25 days holiday per year (plus bank holidays), increasing with long service and with the opportunity to buy/sell up to 5 days
• Private medical insurance with optional family cover
• Pension scheme of up to 8% employer contribution
• Life Assurance 4x salary (flexible up to 10x)
• Group income protection
• Flexible opt-in extras such as a health care cash plan, dental insurance, gym membership, critical illness cover, cycle to work scheme, travel insurance and electric car scheme
• Employee Family Assistance Program providing mental health and wellbeing support
• Professional membership reimbursement (discretionary)

What the role will involve

The responsibilities of your role will include the following:

• Design, develop, integrate, and maintain software solutions for industrial control and maritime systems.
• Develop and support interfaces between programmable logic controllers (PLCs), power management systems, communication systems, and higher-level software applications.
• Perform software integration, verification, validation, troubleshooting, and system testing activities throughout the project lifecycle.
• Support laboratory integration, factory acceptance testing, harbour trials, sea trials, commissioning, and customer acceptance activities.
• Collaborate with multidisciplinary engineering teams including software, systems, hardware, electrical, and test engineers to deliver integrated solutions.
• Support Internal Research and Development (IRAD) initiatives, technology demonstrations, and Business Development (BID) activities through technical investigations, prototyping, and proof-of-concept development.
• Produce and maintain technical documentation, integration procedures, test specifications, and engineering records in accordance with company processes and industry standards.
• Investigate and resolve software, interface, and system-level issues identified during development, integration, and customer support activities.
• Support the continuous improvement of software integration processes, tools, and engineering practices.
• Travel to customer and company sites as required to support integration, testing, commissioning, and acceptance activities (approximately 5% travel).

What you’ll bring

The role requires the following experience and skills:

• Bachelor’s degree in software engineering, Computer Science, Electrical Engineering, or a related engineering discipline.
• Experience developing and maintaining software solutions using C++.
• Experience working within Linux-based development and deployment environments.
• Experience integrating software with industrial control systems, operational technology platforms, or programmable logic controllers (PLCs).
• Experience supporting software testing, verification, validation, and troubleshooting activities.
• Experience working within multidisciplinary engineering teams across the software development lifecycle.

Preferred Additional Skills

• Experience with maritime systems, vessel control systems, or marine automation environments.
• Familiarity with maritime communication protocols, including National Marine Electronics Association (NMEA) standards.
• Experience with embedded, real-time, or mission-critical software systems.
• Experience integrating software with power management, monitoring, or industrial control systems.
• Familiarity with commissioning, harbour trials, sea trials, or site acceptance testing activities.
• Experience working within multidisciplinary engineering teams delivering complex integrated systems.
• Familiarity with source control, configuration management, and software release processes.

Important to know

Due to the nature of our work many our roles require a UK nationality and the ability to obtain a security clearance. Applicants who accept a conditional offer of employment must meet the requirement of right to work in the UK and must meet eligibility requirements for access to classified information and will be subject to government security checks.

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L3Harris Technologies is proud to be an Equal Opportunity Employer. We are committed to maintaining a workplace that is free from unlawful discrimination and offers equal opportunities for all. Applications from individuals are encouraged regardless of age, disability, sex, gender reassignment, sexual orientation, pregnancy and maternity, race, religion or belief, and marriage and civil partnerships.