Lead Embedded Software Engineer

Roxburgh's Court
3 days ago
Create job alert

Lead Embedded Software Engineer - Scotland

A UK-based space technology company is building advanced software used on real spacecraft missions worldwide. Its products help organisations develop reliable, reusable flight software more quickly, using modern engineering approaches. The business is employee-owned, growing rapidly, and driven by a strong culture of technical excellence, collaboration and long-term thinking.

What is in it for you:

Salary up to £65,000

Flexible working with the occasional visits to Edinburgh office

36 days’ annual leave

6% employer pension contribution

Health cash plan, life assurance and enhanced sick pay

Employee ownership and a genuine voice in the business

Ongoing investment in learning, development and conferences

A supportive, inclusive culture where your work directly impacts space missions

The Role:

This is a senior, hands-on technical leadership role with responsibility for a flagship flight software product used across multiple space missions. 

You’ll guide its technical direction, influence future product development, and work closely with engineers, customers and commercial teams to ensure the software continues to meet demanding real-world needs.

Alongside product ownership, you’ll lead and develop a team of flight software engineers, setting technical standards, supporting career growth and creating an environment where high-quality engineering thrives.

Must-Have Skills & Experience:

Strong background in embedded software engineering, with significant professional experience

Excellent C programming skills, including work on embedded platforms (e.g. ARM-based systems)

Solid understanding of operating systems, multitasking and low-level hardware interaction

Experience leading technical design and solving complex engineering problems

Comfortable working across the full software lifecycle, from requirements to delivery

Experience working in a Linux-based development environment with version control and CI principles

Ability to communicate clearly, lead by example and support the growth of other engineers

Confident communication skills

Please APPLY NOW with your most up-to-date CV for consideration.

Bright Purple is an equal opportunities employer: we are proud to work with clients who share our values of diversity and inclusion in our industry

Related Jobs

View all jobs

Software Team Lead

Senior Embedded Systems Engineer

Electronic Systems Engineer

Principal Electronic Engineer

Senior Cybersecurity & Compliance Architect

Lead Manufacturing Eng - Aerospace and Defence

Subscribe to Future Tech Insights for the latest jobs & insights, direct to your inbox.

By subscribing, you agree to our privacy policy and terms of service.

Industry Insights

Discover insightful articles, industry insights, expert tips, and curated resources.

Maths for Space Jobs: The Only Topics You Actually Need (& How to Learn Them)

UK space careers can look intimidating from the outside. Job adverts mention “systems engineering” “mission assurance” “GN&C” “RF” “payloads” “flight dynamics” “verification” “ECSS” & suddenly you’re wondering if you need a maths degree just to apply. You don’t. For most UK space jobs, the maths you actually use clusters into a handful of practical topics that map directly to real work across satellites, launch, ground segment, downstream data, mission ops & space software. This article strips it down to what matters most for job readiness plus a 6-week learning plan, portfolio projects & a resources section you can use immediately. UK space is also actively focused on growth & skills. The government’s National Space Strategy sets ambitions to grow the UK’s space ecosystem & spread employment across the UK. The Space Sector Skills Survey 2023 highlights recruitment challenges plus the importance of new skills & technologies including AI & ML. Recent industry reporting also estimates UK space industry employment at 55,550 FTEs plus wider supply-chain jobs. So learning the right maths is not an academic exercise. It’s a practical way to widen the roles you can credibly target.

Neurodiversity in UK Space Careers: Turning Different Thinking into a Superpower

The UK space sector has quietly become one of the most exciting places to build a career. From small satellites & launch services to Earth observation, navigation, in-orbit servicing & space data startups, the industry needs people who can solve hard problems in smart ways. Those people are not all “typical” engineers or scientists – and that’s a strength, not a weakness. If you live with ADHD, autism or dyslexia, you may have been told your brain is “too distracted”, “too literal” or “too disorganised” for precision work in the space sector. In reality, many of the traits that made school or previous jobs difficult can be major assets in space engineering, mission operations & space data roles. This guide is written for neurodivergent job seekers exploring UK space careers. We’ll look at: What neurodiversity means in a space industry context How ADHD, autism & dyslexia strengths map to common space roles Practical workplace adjustments you can request under UK law How to talk about neurodivergence in applications & interviews By the end, you’ll have a clearer sense of where you might thrive in the UK space sector – & how to turn “different thinking” into a genuine superpower.

Space Sector Hiring Trends 2026: What to Watch Out For (For Job Seekers & Recruiters)

The UK space sector is no longer a niche curiosity. It is now a strategic industry worth billions, employing tens of thousands of people across nearly 2,000 organisations – and it has been growing faster than the wider UK economy for years. At the same time, employers report serious skills shortages, especially in software, data and systems engineering, with recruitment and retention now cited as key barriers to growth. For job seekers, this is encouraging – but it does not mean every space application is an easy win. For recruiters, competing for talent with tech, defence, energy and finance is only getting harder. This article, written for www.ukspacejobs.co.uk , explores the space sector hiring trends to watch in 2026, aimed at both: Job seekers searching for terms like “space jobs in the UK”, “satellite jobs UK”, or “space engineer roles”; and Recruiters and hiring managers interested in “space sector hiring trends” and “space recruitment UK”.