Senior C++ Developer in Liverpool

Nine years ago, a small team working alongside researchers at University of Oxford set out to solve a problem most of the world didn’t yet realise it had. Billions of machines were beginning to talk to each other — in factories, power grids, transport systems, defence networks and smart cities. But they were doing so through architectures built for a different era: centralised, fragile, and increasingly exposed. So, they built something different. Today, this UK tech company holds patented cryptographic technology that enables fully decentralised, post-quantum secure interoperability between devices — operating at the edge, without relying on always-on central connectivity. It works in untrusted environments. It enables real-time communication and narrow AI across full-scale industrial systems. And it is quietly moving from academic breakthrough to global security relevance.

Now they need a senior C++ engineer who can operate where this technology truly lives — deep in the network stack. The role is permanent and fully remote, and you can be based in either the UK or US.

The Role: Where Packets Become Trust

This is not application-layer C++. This is not framework-driven development. This is low-level, network centric engineering, working primarily across OSI Layers 2 and 3, where routing decisions, tunnelling strategies and packet behaviour determine whether distributed systems can operate securely at scale.

You will design and build software that ultimately runs on millions of industrial edge devices — enabling:

• Secure cloud edge communication
• Device-to-device authentication
• Decentralised routing and interoperability
• Robust deployment mechanisms for edge environments

You will shape technical architecture, contribute to governance models, and help standardise innovative security solutions that could define the future of industrial IoT.

What the CTO Needs

This is a tall order — intentionally so. As a baseline you must be deeply experienced in network programming with Low Level C++, Linux and a strong working knowledge of network protocols and cryptography. The following are all highly desirable, the more you possess the more interesting to my client you will be:

• Layer 3 OSI protocols
• Low-level packet analysis and routing
• OSPF
• TAP/TUN devices and UDP tunnelling
• UDP hole punching and STUN technologies
• IPTables and packet routing strategies
• Code threading, multitasking and IPC (shared memory)
• Linux kernel-level work
• Compilers and static libraries
• Cross-compiling and porting across iOS, Android, Windows and Linux
• Containerised microservices (Docker, Kubernetes)
• CI/CD pipelines (GitLab environments)
• Distributed cloud platforms (AWS, Azure, OVH)
• Post Quantum Computing (PQC)

It’s unlikely any one person will tick every box. But you must demonstrate genuine depth in networking, packet routing and analysis, plus at least several of the above areas. Without that foundation, the learning curve is too steep.

The Kind of Engineer Who Thrives Here

• 10+ years designing and architecting complex C++ systems
• Comfortable in Linux environments (Debian, CentOS, embedded variants)
• Strong understanding of symmetric/asymmetric cryptography and hashing
• Able to document clearly and automate relentlessly
• Collaborative, but confident enough to push back when necessary
• Energised by start-up environments where ownership is real
• Bonus points for IoT platforms, edge AI, GPU compute, or blockchain exposure.

Why This Matters

This is a nine-year-old UK technology business that has moved from academic roots to patented, commercially relevant security infrastructure. It is no longer a concept. It is not a slide deck. It is production-grade technology preparing for global scale. The successful candidate won’t just write code. They will help determine how critical infrastructure, industrial systems and smart cities authenticate and communicate for decades to come.

In Return

You’ll receive a competitive base salary, significant equity, and the chance to work on technology that sits at the intersection of networking, cryptography and national-scale resilience. If you are a serious C++ engineer who understands packets, routing, tunnelling and kernel-level behaviour — and you want your next role to genuinely matter — this may be worth a conversation. Please apply below and we will be in touch ASAP to schedule a confidential chat.

Edison Hill Search are operating and advertising as an Employment Agency for permanent positions and as an Employment Business for interim / contract / temporary positions. Edison Hill Search are an Equal Opportunities employer and we encourage applicants from all backgrounds. Please apply below at your earliest convenience.