Lead Software Engineer

Sector: Software EngineeringReference: TK - 123Lead Software EngineerLondon | Hybrid | Competitive Salary + EquityWe're building something we believe could become one of the most important technology companies in the defence space.The defence industry is going through a fundamental shift. Autonomous systems, AI, sensors and vast amounts of data are changing how missions are planned and executed — but the software infrastructure connecting all of this hasn't kept up.That's what we're here to change.Our ambition is to build the technology platform for the autonomous age of defence. Think of what Palantir has done with data and operations — we're aiming to have that same level of impact on the next generation of defence technology.We're backed by some of the world's most respected technology investors and are growing quickly. More importantly, we're building with a team of exceptional engineers who want to work on difficult problems where the outcome genuinely matters.We're now looking for a Lead Software Engineer to join us at a pretty unique point in the journey.Why you should join usYou'll have genuine ownership.We're not a company where you join as a Lead Engineer and spend your first six months figuring out where you sit in the hierarchy.You'll have responsibility from day one.You'll own a significant area of our product, make architectural and technical decisions, influence what we build next and work directly with the people using our technology.We're deliberately building an environment where great engineers have a huge amount of autonomy. If you see something that needs changing, you're expected to have an opinion and make it happen.You'll still be an engineer.We want technical leaders who enjoy leading people but don't want to stop building.You'll spend your time split between writing production software, solving difficult technical problems and leading a team of talented engineers.You'll be involved in architecture, code reviews and technical decisions, while also mentoring engineers and helping them become better at what they do.You won't be managing from a distance — you'll be leading from the front.You'll work on problems that actually matter.Our software doesn't exist in a world where the worst outcome is a broken button.We're building systems that need to work alongside real people, hardware and autonomous platforms in some of the world's most demanding environments.That means dealing with problems around software, data, networking, autonomy, AI and security that you simply don't encounter in most product companies.If you enjoy working on technically difficult problems and want your work to have a tangible impact, you'll find plenty to get your teeth into here.You'll be joining early enough to make a difference.We're still small enough that the people joining now will shape what this company becomes.You'll influence our engineering standards, architecture, culture and how we build teams as we scale.There isn't a rigid career ladder or layers of management between you and the people making decisions. The quality of your work and the impact you have matters far more than your job title.What you'll bring:We're looking for someone who has already demonstrated they can lead other engineers without losing their technical edge.You'll have:Several years of commercial software engineering experienceExperience leading, managing or mentoring software engineersStrong programming experience in Python, C++, Java, Rust, TypeScript or JavaScriptExperience building production software across backend, frontend or full-stack environmentsThe ability to take ownership of technical decisions and drive them through to deliveryStrong software engineering fundamentals and an interest in building secure, reliable systemsA pragmatic and forward-thinking approach to AI coding toolsA degree in Computer Science, Engineering or another technical discipline, or equivalent experienceExperience with Kubernetes, PostgreSQL, machine learning, networking, embedded systems or application security is useful, but we don't expect you to tick every box.We're much more interested in how you think, build and lead.What you'll get:We're offering a highly competitive package alongside meaningful equity, because we want the people building this company to have a genuine stake in its success.You'll also get:7% employer pension contributionPrivate healthcare and dentalFree meals in the officeRelocation supportAccess to the equipment, training and resources you needA highly collaborative London-based engineering environmentThe opportunity to work directly with customers and see your technology deployed in the real worldWe're looking for people who want to build something exceptional, not just work somewhere interesting.If you want to lead engineers, stay close to the technology and help build what could become one of the defining software companies in defence, we'd like to hear from you.