Software Development Manager / Team Lead in Bristol

Embedded Software Lead – MedTech Bristol (3–4 days on-site) £75,000 + £20,000–£25,000 bonus + excellent benefits KO2’s client is an innovative and fast-growing technology business developing advanced wearable devices within a medically regulated environment. They are now seeking an Embedded Software Medical Lead to play a critical role in shaping the next generation of their products, although being narrowly focused on highly specialised or niche medical systems. This is a leadership position within the R&D function, sitting alongside mechanical leadership and taking ownership of embedded software at a system level. The Opportunity You’ll act as the system-level lead across embedded software and hardware, driving design, integration, and validation of both current and next-generation wearable products. This role blends hands-on engineering, technical leadership, and cross-functional collaboration, giving you real influence over product direction without being confined to purely regulatory work. What You’ll Be Doing Contribute to early-stage innovation, exploring new technologies in embedded systems and wearable applications Develop proof-of-concepts and functional prototypes Identify risks early and shape product direction through informed engineering decisions Support usability testing and concept validation Lead system design across software and hardware for new product development Own design control, risk management, and verification/validation activities Provide technical oversight and challenge solutions to ensure high-quality delivery Investigate complex technical issues and support resolution of field challenges Drive continuous improvements in performance, reliability, and cost Work closely with quality and cross-functional teams What KO2’s client is looking for Strong background in embedded software development (ideally with some hardware exposure) Experience working on physical products (not purely cloud or desktop systems) Background in a regulated environment (medical, safety-critical, or similar preferred, but not overly specialised) Solid understanding of full product lifecycle, from concept through to launch and improvement Experience with design control, testing, and documentation Strong communicator with the ability to lead and influence Technical skills: Experience in C or C++ (or similar embedded languages) Understanding of electronics or hardware integration (beneficial, not essential) Awareness of cybersecurity and safety considerations This role would suit someone who: Wants to step into or continue in a technical leadership role Enjoys working on tangible, real-world products Prefers broad engineering ownership rather than being siloed Has some exposure to regulated environments but doesn’t want an overly compliance-heavy role. Salary and Benefits ~£75,000 base salary ~ On-target bonus of £20,000–£25,000 ~ Strong benefits package ~ A key leadership role in a growing R&D team ~ The opportunity to work on cutting-edge wearable technology with real-world impact If you’re an embedded software engineer ready to lead at a systems level—and want to work on innovative wearable products in a collaborative, fast-moving environment—this could be a great next step.