Aerospace Engineer (Software Focused)

At LiveLink Aerospace, we are building the brains behind the next generation of flight. We develop agile, high-performance aerospace solutions where software doesn't just support the hardware—it defines what it is capable of. If you are a software engineer who wants to see your code instantly translate into physical movement, real-world data collection, and active flight operations, this is where you need to be. We are seeking a talented Aerospace Engineer (Software Focused) to join our Havant team full-time. In this role, you won't just be writing abstract backend code; you will be developing the embedded systems, flight control logic, and telemetry pipelines that keep our aircraft smart, stable, and secure. While you will be our software champion, this is an aerospace environment—meaning you are close to the action. You will step away from your screen to integrate your software onto physical hardware, simulate missions, and head out into the field to watch live flight tests execute your code. Your week-to-week will look like a mix of: Architecture & Coding: Developing robust firmware and software architecture for flight computers, payloads, and communication systems. Hardware Integration: Flashing firmware, debugging hardware/software interfaces (SPI, I2C, CAN bus), and testing systems on the bench. Simulation & Testing: Writing automated tests, utilizing Software-in-the-Loop (SIL) / Hardware-in-the-Loop (HIL) simulations to validate flight readiness. Field Trials & Telemetry: Analyzing real-time flight telemetry data, troubleshooting bugs in the field, and optimizing post-flight software performance. Key Responsibilities Embedded Development: Design, write, and maintain reliable, real-time embedded software and firmware for safety-critical aerospace applications. Protocol & Communication: Implement and optimise communication protocols between ground control stations, onboard avionics, and sensors. Systems Integration: Collaborate closely with the hardware engineering team to ensure flawless integration of sensors, actuators, and power management with the software stack. Simulation & HIL Testing: Build and execute simulation models to rigorously stress-test code before it ever leaves the ground. Data Pipelines: Help develop local data management tools to process, parse, and visualise critical flight and payload metrics. Skills, Knowledge and Expertise Education: A Bachelor’s or Master’s degree in Computer Science, Aerospace Engineering (with a strong software focus), Electronic Engineering, Robotics, or a related STEM field. Core Coding Skills: Proficient in C/C++ and Python for embedded environments and scripting. Embedded & RTOS Experience: Hands-on experience working with microcontrollers (e.g., STM32, ESP32, ARM Cortex) and Real-Time Operating Systems (RTOS) or bare-metal programming. Debugging Expertise: Comfort using logic analyzers, oscilloscopes, and multimeter tools to debug low-level hardware-software communication interfaces. Agile Mindset: A proactive problem-solver who enjoys iterating quickly and seeing code interface with the physical world. Bonus Points For: Experience with open-source flight stacks (e.g., ArduPilot, PX4) or ROS (Robot Operating System). Knowledge of communication protocols like MAVLink, CAN bus, SPI, or I2C. Familiarity with Linux systems, Git version control, and CI/CD pipelines.