Senior Software Solutions Architect

Senior Software Solutions Architect

Location: Newcastle upon Tyne (hybrid), relocation support available

Salary: Up to £70,000 basic + £10,000 signing bonus + excellent benefits

Shape the software foundations of a fast-growing robotics defence technology business. As Software Architect, you’ll set the architecture and CI/CD framework that the whole R&D engineering team builds on, from robotic payloads to autonomous vehicles.

The role

Reporting to the Head of R&D, this is a senior, architecture-level position rather than a day-to-day coding job. You’ll design and govern how software is built, tested and evidenced across robotic payloads, vehicle automation, computer vision, sensor integration, digital twins and simulation. Your goal is software that is scalable, maintainable and defensible to safety-critical standards.

This is genuine R&D, so pragmatism matters. Early prototypes need to move quickly with a proportionate evidence trail, not full compliance from day one. At the same time, you’ll make sure the architecture and processes can scale to full qualification when the time comes.

What you’ll do

• Define and implement end-to-end software architecture and CI/CD pipelines for remote and autonomous systems
• Establish unit testing, verification and validation processes, and build the evidence base needed to meet defence safety-critical standards
• Bring control systems, computer vision, sensor fusion, simulation and digital twin platforms together into one coherent architecture
• Support system integration, commissioning and field trials with military end users around the world

What you’ll bring

Essential

• A strong track record of designing and implementing software architecture for safety-critical or compliance-driven systems
• Hands-on C/C++ and Python experience in real-time Linux environments
• Experience implementing CI/CD for safety-critical software
• The ability to read electrical schematics and work confidently across the hardware/software boundary
• A 2:1 or above in Software Engineering, Computer Science or an equivalent subject

Desirable

• Familiarity with ROS/ROS2
• Experience with machine learning, OpenCV or CODESYS/PLC environments
• A background in automotive safety systems, defence, robotics or autonomous vehicles

What’s on offer

• Basic salary of up to £70,000
• £10,000 signing bonus
• Annual bonus
• 8% matched salary sacrifice pension
• 35-hour week: on site Tuesday to Thursday, working from home Monday and Friday, with a half-day finish on Fridays
• Relocation allowance of up to £5,000 for the right candidate
• Company-sponsored security clearance (required for the role)