UAS Software Engineer

Tekever; West of England; On-site; GBP 65,000 - 95,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Pension (10%)

Holiday 25+8

Medical Insurance

Dental Insurance

Salary Sacrifices (EV)

Discretionary annual bonus

Tech Scheme

Cycle to Work

Job summary

TEKEVER is seeking a skilled software engineer to design and maintain onboard software for UAV platforms, including autopilots, autonomy stacks, and payloads. You will understand existing product bases, contribute to platform iterations, and help shape future designs.

You will work in a multidisciplinary team, delivering value while balancing fast development with aerospace-grade engineering discipline; travel to TEKEVER sites will be required.

Qualifications

• Degree in a technical discipline (CS, Engineering) or equivalent practical experience.
• Experience in embedded languages (C++, Rust) including MISRA C++ constraints.
• Experience in UAS design, operation and test.
• Experience using AI coding tools to accelerate development workflows.
• Willingness to undergo UK SC-level Security Clearance for defence work.
• Willingness to travel domestically and internationally to TEKEVER sites.

Responsibilities

• Design, develop, integrate and debug software for UAV onboard platforms.
• Contribute to software roadmaps and feature ownership.
• Promote codebase commonality across current and future UAS.
• Collaborate in a team to rapidly deliver value to customers.
• Balance rapid development with stringent engineering rigour.

Skills

C++

Rust

UAS software

Linux

Docker

CI/CD

Education

Bachelor’s degree in Computer Science/Engineering

Tools

MISRA C++

Yocto

GitLab CI

DO-178C experience

Job description

Are you ready to revolutionise the world with TEKEVER?

At TEKEVER, we lead innovation in Europe as the European leader in unmanned technology, where cutting-edge advancements meet unparalleled innovation.

Digital | Defence | Security | Space

We operate across four strategic areas, combining artificial intelligence, systems engineering, data science, and aerospace technology to tackle global challenges — from protecting people and critical infrastructure to exploring space.

We offer a unique surveillance-as-a-service solution that delivers real-time intelligence, enhancing maritime safety and saving lives. Our products and services support strategic and operational decisions in the most demanding environments — whether at sea, on land, in space, or in cyberspace.

Become part of a dynamic, multidisciplinary, and mission-driven team that is transforming maritime surveillance and redefining global safety standards.

At TEKEVER, our mission is to provide limitless support through mission-oriented game-changers, delivering the right information at the right time to empower critical decision-making.

If you're passionate about technology and eager to shape the future — TEKEVER is the place for you.

The Role:

This role will initially focus on the development and maintenance of software running onboard TEKEVER-designed aircraft. This includes autopilots, the autonomy stack, payloads and other software-enabled subsystems. You will build a strong understanding of our existing product base and its components while helping to shape new platform iterations and clean-sheet designs.

Key Responsibilities

• · Design, Develop, integrate and debug software that runs onboard our UAV platforms.
• · Contribute to software roadmaps, derive features own the resulting implementation.
• · Work internationally maximise the commonality of the code base across all our UAS current and future.
• · Work as part of a team to rapidly deliver customer value.
• · Balance rapid, innovative development with the formal engineering rigour our sector demands.
• · Support field tests at one of our facilities – usually West Wales airport.

Qualifications, Experience & Commitments

• · Degree qualified in a technical discipline (Computer Science, Mathematics, Engineering or similar), or equivalent practical experience.
• · Experience in one or more embedded-focused languages such as C++ or Rust, including constrained subsets such as MISRA C++.
• · Experience in UAS design, operation and test.
• · Experience using AI coding tools such as Claude to accelerate development workflows.
• · Security Vetting: Given the nature of our Defence contracts, all applicants must be eligible to hold, and willing to undergo the vetting process for, UK SC-level Security Clearance.
• · Travel: Willingness to undertake occasional domestic and international travel to TEKEVER sites (UK, Portugal, US and wider Europe) and, on occasion, to deployed operations worldwide.

Skills & Attributes

• · Experience in any of the following areas: IP-based networking; PX4/ArduPilot/MAVLink; autonomy; real-time operating systems such as FreeRTOS; robotics frameworks such as ROS 2; Docker
• · Strong Linux skills, potentially including using tools such as Yocto to customise for new hardware platforms.
• · Algorithmic development skills, potentially including Autonomy, Machine vision, guidance, control or sensor fusion.
• · Ability to develop Tests and Test Harnesses, including Model/Software/Hardware in the loop (including simulation) to ensure maximum confidence in the software before committing to flight trials.
• · CI/CD development and deployment using tools such as CMake and GitLab CI.
• · Full software development lifecycle experience (Requirements, Architecture/Design, Implementation and Test) using tools such as git to manage artefacts.
• · Ability to consider cross cutting concerns – specifically safety, security and real time behaviours within the domain of UAS development.
• · Experience in Defence or other regulated industries, ideally working to standards such as DO-178C.

What we have to offer you:

• An excellent work environment and an opportunity to make a difference.

• Salary commensurate with level of experience.

• Company pension contribution matched up to 10%.

• 25 days annual holiday + 8 Bank holidays.

• Medical Insurance.

• Dental Insurance.

• Salary sacrifice initiatives (EV Scheme, Cycle 2 Work, Tech Scheme)

• Discretionary annual company bonus.

Do you want to know more about us ?

Visit our LinkedIn page at https://www.linkedin.com/company/tekever/