Software Quality Assurance Engineer (Safety-Critical)

Spectrum IT Recruitment; Oxford; Hybrid; GBP 55,000 - 85,000; Full time

Job summary

Spectrum IT Recruitment is seeking an experienced Safety-Critical Software Quality Assurance Engineer to join a growing technology business developing high-integrity autonomous systems. You will ensure processes are followed and compliance is maintained across the lifecycle.

Location: Oxfordshire with hybrid working; 3 days in the office. Experience with DO-178C, ISO 26262 or IEC 61508 is essential, and you should be able to influence engineering teams.

Qualifications

• Minimum experience in software quality assurance for safety-critical systems.
• Proven experience with safety-critical or mission-critical software.
• Knowledge of relevant standards (DO-178C, ISO 26262 or IEC 61508).
• Ability to influence engineering teams when required.

Responsibilities

• Review software development and verification processes across safety-critical autonomous systems.
• Ensure compliance with relevant standards and internal quality procedures.
• Identify process gaps, manage non-conformances and support corrective actions.
• Review quality documentation and assurance evidence to support compliance.
• Work closely with engineering teams to maintain high standards of software assurance.

Skills

SQA experience

Process assurance

Autonomous systems

DO-178C

ISO 26262

IEC 61508

Influencing engineers

Job description

We're looking for an experienced Safety-Critical Software Quality Assurance Engineer to join a growing technology business developing complex, high-integrity autonomous systems.

Experience working on safety-critical and mission-critical software, alongside experience of autonomous systems is essential. Ideally, your background will include aviation, aerospace, autonomous vehicles, drones/UAVs, flight software, MOD/defence or a similarly demanding engineering environment.

You'll play a key role in ensuring software development and verification processes are followed correctly, maintaining compliance with industry standards and driving quality across the engineering lifecycle.

Location: Oxfordshire - hybrid working. 3 days per week in office.

What you'll be doing:

• Reviewing and auditing software development and verification processes across safety-critical autonomous systems.
• Ensuring compliance with relevant standards and internal quality procedures.
• Identifying process gaps, managing non-conformances and supporting corrective actions and continuous improvement.
• Reviewing quality documentation and assurance evidence to support compliance.
• Working closely with engineering teams to maintain high standards of software assurance.

Essential requirements:

• Proven experience in Software Quality Assurance (SQA), with a focus on process assurance and compliance beyond software testing or verification alone.
• Experience working on safety-critical and mission-critical software systems.
• Experience working with autonomous systems.
• Knowledge of DO-178C, ISO 26262 or IEC 61508.
• The confidence to challenge and influence engineering teams, when required

Please note, sponsorship is not available for this role.