Overview

A leading European defence organisation, recognised with multiple industry and employer awards, is seeking a Software Architect to help define and deliver software solutions that underpin some of the UK’s most advanced defence systems. This role is well-suited to candidates from a strong software engineering background, ideally with experience in C++ or real-time embedded systems, who are now looking to step into or develop within an architecture role.

The opportunity: You will be responsible for the full software architecture of complex, safety- and mission-critical products, working with delivery teams to define structures, interfaces, and design drivers such as performance, safety, and security. Collaboration with other architects and technical specialists will be central, ensuring architectural integrity across large-scale defence programmes. You will also influence long-term software strategies, product lines, and technology roadmaps.

What you will do:

• Define and own the software architecture across key defence projects
• Identify and document architectural design drivers, capturing assumptions and rationale
• Produce derived and emergent requirements, ensuring clarity for development teams
• Define architectures robust enough that implementation decisions do not compromise integrity
• Collaborate across engineering functions, supporting design reviews and wider system integration
• Contribute to the organisation’s software technology strategy and product line evolution

Skills and experience:

• Strong technical practitioner with experience making architectural or significant design decisions
• Deep software engineering experience, ideally in C++ and/or embedded real-time systems
• Knowledge of software architecture techniques, design patterns, and model-based engineering
• Ability to mentor developers and communicate solutions clearly at all levels
• Understanding of software abstraction layers, stacks, and trade-offs in architectural choices
• Broad programming background with proficiency in more than one language

Salary and working model:

• Up to circa £80,000 depending on experience
• Typically 3 to 4 days per week on-site in the UK
• British citizen or dual UK national with citizenship required, with BPSS security clearance eligibility

This is an opportunity to move beyond pure software design into a pivotal architectural role, working at the forefront of European defence technology on projects that directly enhance national security. It will suit engineers with a defence, aerospace, or safety-critical systems background who want to influence solutions from the top level down.

To find out more call 02895213213 or apply directly. Reference: AMC/RKI