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For Companies At a Glance
- Tasks: Build core software for live factories and optimise production processes.
- Company: Early-stage, innovative manufacturing company with a focus on software solutions.
- Benefits: Competitive salary up to £170,000, meaningful equity, and hands-on experience.
- Why this job: Make a real impact in manufacturing and shape the future of industrial systems.
- Qualifications: Experience in fast-paced environments and strong engineering fundamentals.
- Other info: Join a small team with significant ownership and growth opportunities.
The predicted salary is between 120000 - 200000 £ 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 Slough 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 Slough
✨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 or GitHub repository showcasing your projects, especially those related to manufacturing or software systems. This gives potential employers a taste of what you can do and how you think.
✨Tip Number 3
Be proactive! If you see a company you’re keen on, don’t wait for them to post a job. Reach out directly, express your interest, and share how you can add value. We love seeing candidates take the initiative!
✨Tip Number 4
Apply through our website! It’s the best way to ensure your application gets seen by the right people. Plus, it shows you’re genuinely interested in being part of our team and the exciting journey ahead.
We think you need these skills to ace Founding Software Engineer in Slough
Some tips for your application 🫡
Show Your Passion for Manufacturing: When you're 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 About Your Technical Skills: Don’t hold back on your technical expertise! Clearly outline your experience with TypeScript, React, and any other relevant technologies. If you've worked on full-stack systems or have experience in manufacturing software, make it known!
Apply Through Our Website: We encourage you to apply directly through our website. It’s the best way for us to see your application and get to know you better. Plus, it shows you’re serious about joining our team!
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.
✨Showcase Your Problem-Solving Skills
Prepare examples of how you've tackled real-world problems in previous roles. They want to see your thought process from identifying a bottleneck to designing and deploying a solution. Think about specific instances where your contributions made a visible impact.
✨Emphasise Your Independence
This role is all about high-agency builders. Be prepared to talk about times when you’ve taken ownership of a project without much guidance. Highlight your ability to thrive in ambiguous situations and how you can drive projects forward autonomously.
✨Connect with Their Vision
Understand their mission of building a new industrial backbone and be ready to discuss how your skills align with that vision. Show enthusiasm for working on real machines and contributing to a manufacturing OS. This will demonstrate your motivation and fit for the company culture.
