Head of Software Engineering - Focused on growing a team from 10 to 30 - £150k - ID40652 (Reading)

Help Scale a World-Class Software Engineering Team from 10 to 30+

Ready to take on a strategic leadership role and shape the future of a deep tech organisation?

Keen to grow and mentor an exceptional team working at the intersection of software, hardware and physics?

Our client, a pioneering company at the forefront of next-generation computing, is on the hunt for a Software Engineering Manager to lead the next phase of growth in their software function. This is a chance to step into a high-impact role where you’ll take a core team of ten talented engineers and scale it to 30 and beyond – building not just headcount, but capability, culture and cohesion.

Why This Role is a Standout Opportunity

You’ll be at the centre of building one of the most advanced software teams in the UK, responsible for:

• Scaling a high-performing team from 10 to 30+ engineers over the next 12–18 months.
• Developing structure around onboarding, mentoring, performance management, and career growth to support a much larger function.
• Leading the delivery of a complex, multi-layered software stack covering real-time control, compiler toolchains and application-level software.
• Owning the long-term technical roadmap while improving ways of working across DevOps, release management and support.
• Collaborating with scientists, electronics engineers and system architects to deliver powerful, elegant solutions to deeply technical problems.

What You’ll Bring

This is ideal for someone who has already led a software team and is ready to go bigger, including:

• Strong experience managing and growing software engineering teams at pace – ideally in high-tech or research-driven environments.
• A background in embedded systems, compilers, complex systems or other deep tech areas.
• A people-first approach to leadership – you\’re passionate about coaching, career progression, and creating a brilliant team culture.
• Good technical fluency with modern programming languages – Python or Rust are a bonus, but not essential.
• Experience working across multi-disciplinary teams with a clear communication style and delivery focus.

What You’ll Get

• A front-row seat in a company building genuinely world-first technology
• Huge opportunity to leave your mark by shaping a world-class software organisation from the ground up
• A values-led culture where curiosity, trust and creativity are central
• Package includes:
• 30 days’ holiday plus bank holidays
• Private medical and dental cover for you and your family
• Flexible working with hybrid options
• Equity in a business set to redefine what’s possible

Diversity & Inclusion

We and our client are fully committed to building a diverse, inclusive team. If you’re reading this and thinking “I could do this but I don’t meet every single requirement” – please do apply. We’re interested in people, not just CVs.

Apply now and help scale a world-class engineering function in one of the UK’s most exciting deep tech companies.