Principal Software Engineer
Principal Software Engineer

Principal Software Engineer

Freelance 45000 - 75000 £ / year (est.) Home office (partial)
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At a Glance

  • Tasks: Design and develop high-integrity software for mission-critical systems in a dynamic environment.
  • Company: Leading defence technology firm with a focus on innovation and collaboration.
  • Benefits: Competitive pay, hybrid working model, and opportunities for professional growth.
  • Why this job: Join a team tackling complex challenges in a cutting-edge electronic warfare setting.
  • Qualifications: Expertise in Ada and experience with embedded real-time systems required.
  • Other info: 12-month contract with potential for impactful contributions to national security.

The predicted salary is between 45000 - 75000 £ per year.

Contract Software Engineer (Ada) Real-Time Embedded

Location: Luton (Hybrid 4 days on-site)

Contract Length: 12 months

IR35: Inside IR35

Rate: £57.72 p/h PAYE (£66.11 p/h inc. holiday rate) OR £78.70 p/h Umbrella

We seek an engineer with recent high-integrity or safety-critical industry experience (defence, aerospace, or similar), or eligible for UK security clearance.

The Opportunity

We are looking for an experienced real-time embedded Ada engineer to work on mission-critical defensive systems within a highly technical electronic warfare environment. This is a hands-on role developing, integrating, and testing high-integrity software that directly supports operational capability. You’ll be trusted with complex problems, work closely with systems, hardware, and firmware teams, and play a key role across the full software lifecycle.

What You’ll Do

  • Design, develop, debug, and test real-time embedded software in Ada
  • Own complex work packages from requirements through integration and delivery
  • Produce high-integrity, mission-critical software to defined engineering and quality standards
  • Work collaboratively across disciplines while retaining autonomy and technical ownership
  • Support current platforms and contribute to future capability development

What You Bring

  • Expert-level Ada (including OO design principles)
  • Strong experience debugging embedded real-time systems using a COTS RTOS
  • Solid understanding of UML and structured design
  • Deep knowledge of Verification & Validation techniques and when to apply them
  • Experience with requirements engineering, integration, and target testing
  • Comfortable working within a mature, governed development framework

Principal Software Engineer employer: Morson Edge

As a Principal Software Engineer at our Luton location, you will join a dynamic team dedicated to developing mission-critical software in a collaborative and innovative environment. We pride ourselves on offering competitive rates, a hybrid work model, and opportunities for professional growth within the defence and aerospace sectors, ensuring that your contributions are valued and impactful. Our commitment to high-integrity projects fosters a culture of excellence, making us an exceptional employer for those seeking meaningful and rewarding work.
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Contact Detail:

Morson Edge Recruiting Team

StudySmarter Expert Advice 🤫

We think this is how you could land Principal Software Engineer

✨Tip Number 1

Network like a pro! Reach out to folks in the industry, attend meetups, and connect with people on LinkedIn. You never know who might have the inside scoop on job openings or can put in a good word for you.

✨Tip Number 2

Show off your skills! Create a portfolio showcasing your best projects, especially those related to real-time embedded systems. This will give potential employers a taste of what you can do and set you apart from the crowd.

✨Tip Number 3

Prepare for interviews by brushing up on technical questions specific to Ada and embedded systems. Practice coding challenges and be ready to discuss your past experiences in detail. Confidence is key!

✨Tip Number 4

Don’t forget to apply through our website! We’ve got some fantastic opportunities waiting for you, and applying directly can sometimes give you an edge. Plus, it’s super easy to keep track of your applications that way.

We think you need these skills to ace Principal Software Engineer

Ada Programming
Real-Time Embedded Systems
Debugging Skills
COTS RTOS
UML
Structured Design
Verification & Validation Techniques
Requirements Engineering
Integration
Target Testing
Collaboration Skills
Technical Ownership
High-Integrity Software Development
Mission-Critical Software

Some tips for your application 🫡

Tailor Your CV: Make sure your CV is tailored to the role of Principal Software Engineer. Highlight your experience with Ada and any relevant projects in high-integrity or safety-critical environments. We want to see how your skills match what we're looking for!

Showcase Your Experience: In your application, don’t just list your skills—show us how you've applied them! Share specific examples of your work with real-time embedded systems and any challenges you’ve overcome. This helps us understand your hands-on experience.

Be Clear and Concise: When writing your application, keep it clear and to the point. Use straightforward language and avoid jargon unless it's relevant. We appreciate a well-structured application that makes it easy for us to see your qualifications.

Apply Through Our Website: We encourage you to apply through our website for the best chance of getting noticed. It’s super easy, and you’ll be able to track your application status. Plus, we love seeing applications come directly from our site!

How to prepare for a job interview at Morson Edge

✨Know Your Ada Inside Out

Make sure you brush up on your Ada programming skills, especially focusing on object-oriented design principles. Be prepared to discuss specific projects where you've used Ada, and how you tackled challenges in real-time embedded systems.

✨Showcase Your Problem-Solving Skills

Expect to face complex problems during the interview. Prepare examples of how you've approached debugging and integrating high-integrity software in previous roles. Highlight your experience with COTS RTOS and how it relates to the job at hand.

✨Understand the Full Software Lifecycle

Familiarise yourself with the entire software development lifecycle, from requirements engineering to testing. Be ready to explain how you've owned work packages in past projects and how you ensure quality standards are met.

✨Collaborate and Communicate

Since this role involves working closely with various teams, practice articulating your collaborative experiences. Think of instances where you’ve worked across disciplines and how you maintained technical ownership while contributing to team goals.

Principal Software Engineer
Morson Edge
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