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 solutions.
- Benefits: Competitive salary, meaningful equity, and hands-on experience in a dynamic environment.
- Why this job: Make a real impact by building software that powers the future of manufacturing.
- Qualifications: Experience in fast-paced environments and strong engineering fundamentals.
- Other info: Join a small team where every engineer shapes the core of the company.
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 in London 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 in London
✨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 you can contribute to their mission. It shows initiative and could land you an interview!
✨Tip Number 4
Apply through our website! We make it easy for you to showcase your fit for the role. Tailor your application to highlight your experience in fast-paced environments and your passion for building impactful software. Let’s get you that job!
We think you need these skills to ace Founding Software Engineer in London
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 ensures you’re considered for this exciting opportunity to help shape the future of manufacturing.
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 Independence
This role is all about high-agency builders. Highlight experiences where you’ve thrived without management layers or predefined roadmaps. Share how you take ownership of projects and drive them to completion, showcasing your ability to work autonomously.
✨Connect with Their Mission
Understand their vision for building a new industrial backbone and how your skills can contribute. Show genuine enthusiasm for working on real-world manufacturing problems and the impact your software will have. This connection can set you apart from other candidates.
