Software Quality Assurance Engineer (Safety-Critical)

Spectrum IT Recruitment; Wytham; Hybrid; GBP 55,000 - 75,000; Full time

Job summary

Spectrum IT Recruitment seeks an experienced Safety-Critical Software Quality Assurance Engineer to join a growing technology business developing high-integrity autonomous systems. Hybrid role in Oxfordshire with 3 days in the office.

Essential experience includes SQA for safety-critical software, autonomous systems, and knowledge of DO-178C, ISO 26262 or IEC 61508. The role requires the ability to challenge and influence engineering teams and drive quality across the lifecycle.

Qualifications

• Strong experience in software quality assurance beyond testing or verification.
• Experience with safety-critical and mission-critical software systems.
• Experience working with autonomous systems.
• Knowledge of DO-178C, ISO 26262 or IEC 61508.
• Ability to challenge and influence engineering teams when required.

Responsibilities

• Review and audit 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 and continuous improvement.
• Review quality documentation and assurance evidence to support compliance.
• Collaborate with engineering teams to maintain high software assurance standards.

Skills

SQA in safety-critical

Autonomous systems experience

Compliance standards knowledge

DO-178C/ISO 26262/IEC 61508

Influencing engineering teams

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.