Software Engineer - Submarines

Rolls-Royce; East Midlands; On-site; GBP 45,000 - 65,000; Full time

Job summary

A leading engineering company in East Midlands seeks a Software Engineer for Submarines to develop applications enhancing design and manufacturing processes for the Royal Navy. The role involves designing, validating software, and mentoring junior staff while focusing on high-quality code development. Applicants should possess a relevant degree, software development experience, and a commitment to delivering high standards. This position is onsite in Derby and requires UK nationality with a Security Clearance.

Benefits

Competitive salary

Employee support assistance

Employee discounts

Excellent development opportunities

Qualifications

• Experience in software development within a commercial environment.
• Numerate and possess a relevant degree or equivalent experience.
• Committed to delivering high-quality, documentable, and testable code.
• Willingness to translate customer requirements into functional software.
• Focus on balancing complexity and product delivery value.
• Experience with automation in software development and deployment.
• Demonstrable leadership qualities without necessarily being in a managerial role.

Responsibilities

• Develop web applications for processing manufacturing data.
• Support product manufacture to reduce risk, time, and costs.
• Mentor junior colleagues to enhance their skills.

Skills

Software development experience

Problem-solving

Team collaboration

Agile methodologies

Interest in statistics

Education

Degree in Computer Science, Mathematics, Physics, or Engineering

Job description

Job Description

Job Title: Software Engineer - Submarines

Working Pattern: Full time (Days)

Working location: Derby (Onsite)

We have an exciting opportunity for a Software Engineer to help develop tools that support the design and manufacture of nuclear powerplants for the Royal Navy. You will build in-house web applications that help scientists and engineers work more efficiently and make better decisions.

In this role, you will specify, design, test, and validate software components, and deliver high-quality code and documentation on time. You will break down designs, create tests, and ensure the software meets all requirements

Our backend uses Python with scientific libraries (NumPy, SciPy, Polars), and our frontend uses React. Experience with these is helpful but not required.

Why Rolls‑Royce?

Rolls‑Royce is one of the most enduring and iconic brands in the world and has been at the forefront of innovation for over a century. We design, build and service systems that provide critical power to customers where safety and reliability are paramount.

We are proud to be a force for progress, powering, protecting and connecting people everywhere.

We want to ensure that the excellence and ingenuity that has shaped our history continues into our future and we need people like you to come and join us on this journey.

We’ll provide an environment of caring and belonging where you can be yourself. An inclusive, innovative culture that invests in you, gives you access to an incredible breadth and depth of opportunities where you can grow your career and make a difference.

What we offer:

We offer excellent development opportunities, a competitive salary, and exceptional benefits. These include bonus, employee support assistance and employee discounts.

What you will be doing:

With this exciting opportunity you will get a chance to be involved with the following:

• Developing web applications for the upload, processing, and visualisation of complex manufacturing datasets.
• Aggregating data to aid product manufacture, helping to reduce risk, time and cost in our products.
• Modernising our processes and methods, acting as an ambassador for software and digital methods.
• As a senior software engineer you will seek to mentor and upskill junior colleagues, through maintaining technical development, guiding process compliance, and supporting wellbeing.

Who we’re looking for:

At Rolls‑Royce we embrace agility, are bold, pursue collaboration and seek simplicity in everything we do. These principles form our values and behaviours and are an essential component of our assessment process and are fundamental qualities that we seek for all roles.

To be successful in this role you will need to meet the following criteria:

• Demonstrable long‑term experience of software development in a commercial environment. Preferably in fields with a focus on compliance (Financial services, medical, engineering, etc).
• A numerate, degree level, education (Computer Science, Mathematics, Physics, Engineering) or equivalent experience.
• Committed to developing high quality code that is interpretable, documented and tested. Taking responsibility to steer the governance and continuous improvement of these processes.
• With the support of the product owner, you will be keen to work with a range of customers from operations and engineering to elicit requirements and translate them to traceable code. Designing and architecting solutions for long term stability and maintainability.
• Have a delivery focussed mindset, able to make decisions that make best compromises between complexity and shipping value. This includes at the tech stack level.
• Experience of automation in the context of software development and deployment lifecycle.
• Demonstrable leadership attributes. This need not be a direct team leader or managerial role, but the behaviours and values commensurate with a senior position.
• Have interests in topics beyond the typical scope of web application development, we are particularly keen to hear from applicants with interests in statistics, optimisation, and mathematics (Desirable).
• Experience of working during change or transformation. Building relationship within complex organisations and using this to influence outcomes (Desirable).

We are an equal opportunities employer. We’re committed to developing a diverse workforce and an inclusive working environment. We believe that people from different backgrounds and cultures give us different perspectives. And the more perspectives we have, the more successful we’ll be. By building a culture of respect and appreciation, we give everyone who works here the opportunity to realise their full potential.

You can learn more about our global Inclusion strategy at Our people | Rolls‑Royce

To work for Rolls‑Royce Submarines, you need to hold a Security Check (SC) clearance without any caveats to that clearance. Rolls‑Royce will support the application for Security Clearance if you don’t currently already have this in place. Due to the nature of work the business conducts and the protection of certain assets, you must hold a UK nationality. Any dual nationals will require additional scrutiny and background checks prior to commencing work with RRSL.

Closing date: 16/01/2026

As part of our selection process, candidates in certain locations may be asked to complete an online assessment, which can include cognitive and behavioural aptitude testing relevant to the role. If required, full instructions for the next steps will be provided.