Senior C++ Developer in Newcastle upon Tyne

We are seeking an experienced Windows C++ Senior Software Engineer with strong, hands-on expertise in Win32 and MFC. This role focuses on enhancing and maintaining a complex legacy desktop application built heavily on MFC. The ideal candidate has deep exposure to large, intricate Windows codebases—not simply general-purpose or historical C++ experience. This is a high-visibility role requiring direct customer engagement and the ability to deliver confidently without a learning curve on Win32/MFC fundamentals.

Key Responsibilities

• Enhance, maintain, and modernize a complex, legacy MFC-based Windows desktop application.
• Work through tightly coupled UI logic, large view hierarchies, and challenging architectural areas in an existing MFC codebase.
• Collaborate closely with customers, providing technical credibility and professional communication in a visible engagement.
• Serve as a primary strong C++ engineer within the project team.
• Work across the Windows desktop stack, ensuring seamless integration within the existing Win32/MFC architecture.
• Ensure high reliability, stability, and maintainability of the application with minimal oversight.
• Contribute to reducing technical risk by bringing proven, demonstrable Windows C++ expertise.

Qualifications Required Skills & Experience

• 7 to 10 years of strong, recent, hands-on experience in Windows-native C++ development, specifically with Win32 API and MFC (not general or outdated C++ work).
• Experience modernizing legacy Windows applications.
• Beneficial: experience working on computational science and computational solvers; optimisation, parallelisation, multithreading, mathematical models, complex data models; familiarity with COM Windows debugging tools or Visual Studio diagnostics.
• Understanding performance optimisation in MFC/Win32.
• Ability to navigate and refactor large legacy codebases.
• Proven experience maintaining or improving complex legacy MFC applications, including areas with poor coding practices or deep UI coupling.
• Ability to be productive immediately, without ramp-up time on Win32/MFC fundamentals.
• Strong problem-solving capabilities within Windows desktop environments.
• Comfort working directly with customers—professional communication, credibility, and clarity are essential.
• Demonstrated history of delivering high-quality software with low risk of escalation due to skill gaps.

Benefits

• Share in our success with a quarterly performance-related profit share scheme.
• Strong career progression & mentorship through strength-in-balance & leadership schemes with a dedicated quarterly pathways career development programme.
• Flexible/remote working.
• Financial wellbeing initiatives including pension, private healthcare cover, life assurance, financial advice and an employee discount scheme.
• Employee wellbeing schemes: gym discounts, bike-to-work, fitness classes, mindfulness workshops, employee assistance programme, generous holiday allowance, enhanced maternity/paternity leave, marriage/civil partnership leave and special leave policies.
• Educational assistance, incentivised certifications, and accreditations for AWS, Microsoft, Oracle and Red Hat.
• Reward schemes including annual excellence awards & call-out platform.
• Environment, social and community first initiatives allowing involvement in local fundraising and development opportunities.

Version 1 is an equal opportunities employer. We are committed to building a diverse, inclusive and respectful workplace where everyone feels valued and able to thrive. We welcome applications from people of all backgrounds, identities and lived experiences, and we value the different perspectives people bring. We want every candidate to have a positive and accessible recruitment experience. If you need reasonable adjustments at any stage of the process, please contact paul.steed@version1.com. We will consider all requests carefully, respectfully and confidentially.