At a Glance
- Tasks: Develop embedded software for spacecraft, ensuring mission-critical reliability and performance.
- Company: Highly respected tech business with a focus on real-time systems and engineering excellence.
- Benefits: Hybrid working, flexible hours, and opportunities for professional growth.
- Other info: Dynamic team environment with a focus on collaboration and innovation.
- Why this job: Make a real impact in aerospace by developing software that gets spacecraft into space.
- Qualifications: Strong C development experience in real-time environments and familiarity with hardware interaction.
The predicted salary is between 45000 - 60000 £ per year.
We’re working with a highly respected technology business. The engineering teams here aren’t boxed into one narrow phase of development either. You’ll be involved from day one, working alongside hardware, systems, and mission teams to get real spacecraft into space on realistic timescales.
This is proper engineering. Tight constraints. Real-time systems. Hardware interaction. Mission-critical reliability. The sort of environment where good engineers thrive because the work actually matters.
The role involves developing embedded software for Vehicle platforms, primarily in C, working close to the hardware on systems that need to perform first time, every time. The work covers the full development lifecycle - requirements capture, architecture input, implementation, testing, integration, and ongoing support through mission delivery. You’ll be involved in technical reviews, problem solving, and making sensible engineering decisions under pressure.
Projects move quickly, priorities can shift, and there’s a constant balance between technical excellence and delivery. The engineers who do well here are pragmatic, adaptable, and comfortable taking ownership.
Day to day responsibilities include:
- Developing embedded and real-time software
- Working across mission-critical applications and hardware interfaces
- Capturing and refining technical requirements
- Supporting integration, verification, and system-level testing
- Identifying technical risks early and driving solutions
- Taking part in peer reviews and collaborative engineering activities
- Working closely with multidisciplinary engineering teams throughout the mission lifecycle
Required qualifications:
- Strong embedded C development experience within real-time environments
- Background working with RTOS or bare-metal systems such as VxWorks, RT Linux, FreeRTOS or similar
- Good understanding of low-level software and hardware interaction
- Experience delivering software against structured engineering processes
- Python skills for tooling, scripting, or test automation
- Familiarity with communication protocols such as CAN, serial interfaces, and IP networking
- Exposure to modern version control and collaborative development workflows
- Comfortable working within Agile-style delivery environments
Useful extras include:
- Understanding of digital electronics
- Experience with SPARC, ARM, or RISC-V architectures
- Aerospace, defence, robotics, automotive, or other safety/mission-critical sector experience
Hybrid working is fully supported, with flexibility around how people structure their week.
Locations
C Embedded Software Engineer - Realtime Systems in Guildford, Surrey employer: Standard 8
Join a highly respected technology business in Guildford, where you will be part of a dynamic engineering team that thrives on real-world challenges and meaningful projects. With a strong emphasis on collaboration and innovation, the company offers a supportive work culture that encourages professional growth and development, alongside the flexibility of hybrid working arrangements. Here, your contributions will directly impact mission-critical systems, making this an exciting opportunity for engineers who are passionate about their craft.
