Find a job 
Featured Companies 
Featured Universities 
For Companies At a Glance
- Tasks: Build core software for live factories and design a distributed factory network.
- Company: Early-stage, innovative manufacturing company with a focus on software.
- Benefits: Up to £170,000 salary, meaningful equity, and hands-on experience.
- Why this job: Make a real impact in advanced manufacturing and own your projects.
- Qualifications: Experience in fast-paced environments and strong engineering fundamentals.
- Other info: Join a small team and help shape the future of manufacturing.
The predicted salary is between 120000 - 170000 £ per year.
Location: On-site, London (factory-based)
Salary: Up to £170,000 base + meaningful equity
Industry: Advanced Manufacturing / Defence / Aerospace / Industrial AI
The Company: They are a very early-stage, software-first manufacturing company building a new industrial backbone for the West. They are creating a network of small-to-medium, highly specialised factories (starting with CNC machining) and writing the software that runs each factory and orchestrates the entire network end-to-end. The ambition is to scale from a handful of sites today to dozens (and eventually hundreds) across the UK/Europe and the US, powered by an in-house manufacturing operating system. The team is sub-20 people. There are no layers. Every engineer is building the core.
What You’ll Do:
- Build core full-stack systems that run live factories (MES, operator tools, data platforms).
- Architect and ship software for quoting, scheduling, routing, and production orchestration.
- Work on-site with operators and leadership to identify bottlenecks and turn them into product.
- Own problems end-to-end: ambiguous need → design → build → deploy → operate → iterate.
- Help design the software foundations for a distributed factory network.
What We’re Looking For:
- High-agency, independent builders who have worked in very early, fast-moving environments.
- Engineers comfortable without product managers, management layers, or predefined roadmaps.
- People motivated by real-world systems and visible impact, not purely digital products.
- Low-ego, pragmatic, strong engineering fundamentals, biased toward ownership and shipping.
Strong signals include: founding engineer / ex-founder experience, early engineer at tier-1 startups, or exposure to manufacturing, robotics, aerospace or defence. A slight frontend / UX leaning (React/TypeScript) is a plus and a current team gap. Years of experience matter less than the environments you’ve chosen and how you operate.
Tech: TypeScript, React, Postgres, AWS (stack flexibility is fine for strong generalists)
Why You’ll Thrive:
- Your software runs real machines producing real components.
- You work inside the factory, not next to it.
- You help build a manufacturing OS from first principles.
- You get genuine founding-stage ownership and meaningful equity.
- You work on industrial problems with national-scale relevance.
This role is open to UK citizens only.
Founding Software Engineer employer: Open Select Rec
Contact Detail:
Open Select Rec Recruiting Team
StudySmarter Expert Advice 🤫
We think this is how you could land Founding Software Engineer
✨Tip Number 1
Network like a pro! Get out there and connect with people in the manufacturing and tech space. Attend industry events, meetups, or even online webinars. You never know who might have a lead on that perfect Founding Software Engineer role!
✨Tip Number 2
Show off your skills! Create a portfolio showcasing your projects, especially those related to manufacturing or software systems. This is your chance to demonstrate your hands-on experience and problem-solving abilities, which are key for this role.
✨Tip Number 3
Be proactive! Don’t just wait for job postings. Reach out directly to companies you admire, like the one offering this role. Express your interest and share how your background aligns with their mission. It shows initiative and can set you apart from the crowd.
✨Tip Number 4
Apply through our website! We make it easy for you to showcase your talents and fit for the role. Plus, it helps us keep track of your application better. So, don’t hesitate – hit that apply button and let’s get you in the game!
We think you need these skills to ace Founding Software Engineer
Some tips for your application 🫡
Show Your Passion for Manufacturing: When writing your application, let us know why you're excited about the manufacturing industry. Share any relevant experiences or projects that highlight your interest in real-world systems and how they impact our daily lives.
Highlight Your Independent Spirit: We’re looking for high-agency builders, so make sure to showcase your ability to work independently. Talk about times when you’ve taken ownership of a project from start to finish, especially in fast-paced environments.
Be Clear and Concise: Keep your application straightforward and to the point. We appreciate clarity, so avoid jargon and focus on what makes you a great fit for this role. Remember, we want to see your engineering fundamentals shine through!
Apply Through Our Website: Don’t forget to submit your application through our website! It’s the best way for us to receive your details and get you into our hiring process. We can’t wait to see what you bring to the table!
How to prepare for a job interview at Open Select Rec
✨Know Your Tech Stack
Make sure you’re well-versed in TypeScript, React, and Postgres. Brush up on your knowledge of AWS too, as they value flexibility in tech stacks. Be ready to discuss how you've used these technologies in past projects, especially in fast-paced environments.
✨Show Your Problem-Solving Skills
Prepare examples of how you've tackled ambiguous problems in previous roles. They want to see your thought process from identifying a bottleneck to designing and deploying a solution. Think about real-world systems you've improved and be ready to share those stories.
✨Emphasise Your Ownership Mindset
This role is all about taking ownership. Highlight experiences where you’ve taken the lead on projects or initiatives without much guidance. They’re looking for high-agency individuals, so demonstrate your ability to work independently and drive results.
✨Cultural Fit is Key
Since the team is small and dynamic, it’s crucial to show that you can thrive in a low-ego, collaborative environment. Be genuine and express your passion for building impactful software in manufacturing. They want to see that you’re motivated by real-world applications, not just digital products.
