At a Glance
- Tasks: Design and develop cutting-edge embedded software for high-altitude aircraft systems.
- Company: Join AALTO, a leader in stratospheric aerospace innovation.
- Benefits: Enjoy competitive salary, 25 days holiday, private health insurance, and pension plan.
- Other info: Collaborative environment with opportunities for personal and professional growth.
- Why this job: Make a real impact in aerospace while working with advanced technologies.
- Qualifications: 10+ years in software engineering, strong C skills, and experience with safety-critical systems.
The predicted salary is between 66150 - 80850 £ per year.
AALTO, a global leader in Stratospace, is an Airbus subsidiary based in Farnborough that manufactures, operates, and delivers services with its solar-powered, stratospheric platform: Zephyr. This is where high-altitude platforms led by Zephyr deliver services to commercial and government partners, helping to monitor environments, observe borders, track natural disasters, and connect unconnected communities.
About The Role
We're looking for an experienced, hands-on Principal Software Engineer to take a senior technical role within a multidisciplinary team developing safety-critical aircraft software. This is an opportunity to work close to the product, influence engineering decisions, and help shape robust airborne software that will operate in demanding real-world environments.
You will:
- Design, develop, verify, and maintain embedded software primarily in C, with C++ and Python also part of the engineering toolkit.
- Collaborate with systems, hardware, test, certification, and flight operations colleagues to solve aircraft-level problems and deliver high-integrity software in line with rigorous safety and quality expectations.
- Lead and contribute to software architecture discussions, technical reviews, code reviews, and engineering best practices.
- Support software integration, debugging, test automation, and continuous improvement of development processes.
- Provide technical guidance and mentoring to other engineers, helping the team build capability and confidence.
- Assess new tools, methods, and technologies where they can improve quality, reliability, or productivity.
Skills and Knowledge Required
- Significant hands-on software engineering experience, ideally around 10 years or more, with a strong background in embedded or real-time systems.
- Experience taking airborne software through the full DO-178C lifecycle and supporting aircraft certification activities.
- Strong C programming skills, with practical experience in C++ and Python.
- Sound understanding of software architecture, design trade-offs, debugging, and verification in safety-critical or highly regulated environments.
- Experience working with multidisciplinary engineering teams and translating complex technical issues into clear options and decisions.
In addition to an attractive market-aligned salary, we offer:
- Rewarding Excellence: Benefit from our short-term incentive plan that rewards your hard work and dedication.
- Enjoy Your Time Off: Benefit from 25 days of holiday to relax and recharge.
- Health Coverage: Private medical insurance, along with dental and optical cash back.
- Pension Plan: Personal pension plan to ensure a comfortable retirement.
- Income Protection: Our income protection and life assurance schemes are there to support you when you need it most.
- Vehicle Scheme: Drive the latest vehicles with our discounted salary sacrifice scheme.
- Employee Support: Our employee assistance programme is always available to provide the support you need.
- Employee Discounts: Enjoy a range of employee discounts via Perkbox, from household goods to travel!
We understand that 'normal' office hours may not be possible given personal circumstances, and while we can't accommodate every flexible working request, we'll try to find a practical solution.
REMOTE PRINCIPAL SOFTWARE ENGINEER in Orpington employer: AALTO HAPS
AALTO is an exceptional employer, offering a dynamic work environment in Farnborough where innovation meets aerospace excellence. As part of Team AALTO, you'll enjoy a culture that values collaboration and creativity, alongside comprehensive benefits such as private medical insurance, generous holiday allowances, and a personal pension plan. With opportunities for professional growth and a commitment to employee well-being, AALTO is dedicated to unlocking your potential while you contribute to pioneering advancements in Stratospace.
StudySmarter Expert Advice🤫
We think this is how you could land REMOTE PRINCIPAL SOFTWARE ENGINEER in Orpington
✨Join Local Tech Meetups
Get out there and mingle with fellow developers by joining local tech meetups. It’s a fantastic way to meet people who might be working at AALTO HAPS or know someone who does. Plus, you can pick up some trendy tech skills and trends while you're at it!
✨Contribute to Open Source Projects
Show off your coding chops by jumping into open-source projects. Not only does this give you practical experience, but it also gets you noticed in the dev community. You'll create a killer portfolio that speaks volumes about your skills to AALTO HAPS.
✨Tap into Online Developer Communities
Don’t underestimate the power of online developer communities like GitHub, Stack Overflow, and even Reddit. Participate in discussions, share your projects, and build your visibility. We can often find opportunities through these channels that can lead to a full-time gig at companies like AALTO HAPS.
✨Explore Job Boards Specifically for Tech Roles
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We think you need these skills to ace REMOTE PRINCIPAL SOFTWARE ENGINEER in Orpington
Some tips for your application 🫡
Show off your coding skills:When applying for a software engineering role, it's super important to showcase your coding skills. Make sure your CV includes your tech stack, any relevant programming languages you’re comfortable with, and examples of projects you've worked on. If you have a GitHub profile, link it up! We love to see code in action.
Tailor your portfolio:For a full-time role, we’d expect to see some solid examples of your work in your portfolio. Make sure to include at least two or three projects that highlight your problem-solving skills and your ability to work with different technologies. Focus on the projects that are most relevant to the position at AALTO HAPS.
Craft a killer cover letter:Your cover letter is your chance to stand out—make it personal! Explain why you want to work at AALTO HAPS and how your skills align with the role. Show us your passion for software development. We dig enthusiastic candidates who understand the value of collaboration and continuous learning!
Be clear and concise:When it comes to writing your CV and cover letter, clarity is key. Avoid jargon that could confuse us and stick to simple, direct language. Highlight your achievements with quantifiable results where possible, and keep everything easy to read. A well-organised application goes a long way!
How to prepare for a job interview at AALTO HAPS
✨Brush Up on Your Coding Skills
For a full-time software engineering role, it's crucial that we stay sharp with our coding abilities. Expect technical questions that might involve solving problems on the spot or discussing algorithms. Practise on platforms like LeetCode or HackerRank to get comfortable with the types of questions that often come up.
✨Know Your Tools and Frameworks
Make sure we’re well-acquainted with the tools and technologies listed in the job description. Familiarise ourselves with any specific frameworks or programming languages mentioned. If AALTO HAPS uses React or Node.js, for instance, be ready to discuss how we’ve used them in previous projects or coursework.
✨Showcase Your Projects
Bring along a portfolio that highlights our best work. This could be code samples, GitHub repositories, or any side projects we’ve built. Make sure we can talk through our thought process for each project, especially the challenges we faced and how we solved them—this shows our problem-solving skills in action.
✨Prepare for Behavioural Questions
While technical skills are key, full-time positions also require cultural fit. Be ready to discuss our previous experiences and how we handle teamwork, conflict, and deadlines. Brush up on the STAR method—Situation, Task, Action, Result—to clearly articulate our past experiences when discussing how we've contributed to a team.
