Software Solution Architect in Essex

£80,000 + Bonus (OTE £100,000+) Newcastle upon Tyne, Hybrid 3/2, Relocation Package Available.

KO2's client is one of the world's leading providers of counter-mine and combat engineering systems, supplying complex autonomous and remote-controlled equipment to military end users globally. With a £3m R&D investment programme underway and an ambitious roadmap to become the world number one for Autonomous Combat Engineering Systems, this is a rare opportunity to join at the architectural heart of that journey.

The Role

This is a senior, architecture-level position within the R&D function, reporting to the Head of R&D. You will not be the primary coder. You will be the person who designs and governs the software architecture and CI/CD process that the engineering team builds within. You will own the framework that ensures software developed across robotics payloads, vehicle automation, computer vision, sensor integration, digital twins and simulation is scalable, maintainable, compliant and defensible to safety-critical standards. Critically, this is an R&D environment. You will need the pragmatism to allow a first-off prototype to move forward on the right evidential path without demanding full compliance upfront, while ensuring the architecture and process in place can scale to full qualification when required.

What You Will Be Responsible For

• Defining and implementing end-to-end software architecture and CI/CD pipelines for remote and autonomous systems.
• Establishing unit testing, verification and validation processes, and building the body of evidence required to satisfy defence safety-critical standards.
• Integrating software architecture across control systems, computer vision, sensor fusion, simulation and digital twin platforms.
• Supporting final system integration, commissioning and real-world field trials with global military end users.

Skills and Experience Required

• You will have a strong background in software architecture design and implementation for safety-critical or compliance-driven systems.
• Hands-on experience with C/C++ and Python in Linux real-time environments is essential, as is the ability to read electrical schematics and work across hardware and software boundaries.
• Experience implementing CI/CD processes for safety-critical software is required.
• Familiarity with ROS/ROS2 is advantageous, and experience with machine learning, OpenCV or CODESYS/PLC environments is beneficial.
• A background in automotive safety systems, defence, robotics or autonomous vehicle development would be highly relevant.
• Degree in Software Engineering, Computer Science or equivalent to a 2:1 minimum.

The Package

• Basic salary of £80,000, with an annual bonus scheme that realistically returns 30% in a solid year, taking total cash comfortably into six figures, with a maximum potential of 40%.
• An 8% matched pension, free breakfast and lunch in the on-site canteen daily, and a 35 hour working week with Tuesday, Wednesday and Thursday on-site, Monday and Friday from home, and a half day finish on Fridays.
• A £5,000 relocation allowance is available for the right candidate.
• Security clearance is required and will be company supported.

If you are an experienced Software Architect who has governed CI/CD and safety-critical software processes in a complex engineering environment and want to shape something from the ground up in a high-growth defence technology business, we would like to hear from you.

Contact KO2 Embedded Recruitment Solutions in confidence, specialists in electronics and embedded engineering.