Senior/Principal Software Engineer

Job Title: Senior/Principal Software Engineer

Job Location: Rochester, Kent – Onsite

Salary: Up to £65,000 depending on experience

Who we are:

Join BAE Systems and you’ll be part of something bigger. As a valued member of our global colleague network, you’ll bring your unique skills and perspectives to help pioneer progress and protect what matters most. You’ll be trusted to play your part in delivering the advanced, technology-led defence, aerospace and security solutions of tomorrow – shaping a safer future, for all of us.

Role Description:

As a Principal Software Engineer, you will lead the design and delivery of embedded software for complex, safety critical systems. You will develop drivers, protocols and human-machine interfaces. Responsible for technical direction and ensuring robust, certifiable solutions. Working across the full lifecycle, you will define architectures and solve complex engineering challenges through integration, verification and validation. You will provide technical leadership, mentor engineers and influence best practice. Engaging with customers and stakeholders, you will shape strategy, drive innovation and play a key role in delivering high-impact solutions.

Core Duties:

• Leading design and development of embedded software, including drivers, protocols, human-machine interfaces with certification artefacts
• Defining system and software architectures from requirements using structured design, modelling and simulation
• Driving integration, verification and validation within a safety critical environment
• Providing technical leadership through mentoring, peer reviews and best practice
• Delivering reliable estimates, including sizing and reuse
• Engaging with customers to resolve technical challenges and shape solutions
• Contributing to engineering processes, design reviews and strategic decisions, ensuring high quality, compliant delivery

Essential Skills:

• A degree or equivalent experience in a Scientific/Engineering (electronics-engineering, software-engineering, physics, math’s) environment
• Excellent Software Engineering skills, with significant experience in C/C++
• Extensive experience of Software Architecture Design using UML or other recognised model-based design techniques as well as experience in UML for software design in CAMEO, EA, Rhapsody or integrity Modeler
• Extensive experience of interfacing software with hardware in a real-time environment and development experience to DO-178B/C Standards

The Software team:

You will be working as part of a team of experienced, passionate and innovative engineers creating world-leading control and display systems. This is an extremely exciting and challenging role and will present the opportunity to design products for the world’s most advanced commercial and military fixed wing and rotary wing aircraft. Exposure to the customer and end user, as well as working alongside like-minded engineers, makes this a unique opportunity for the right candidate.

Why BAE Systems?

Here you’ll build a career with purpose and limitless possibilities. With lifelong learning and meaningful work – this is a place where you can grow your career with confidence and be empowered to be your best. You’ll be recognised for your contribution and enjoy rewards tailored to what’s most important to you and your family – support for your financial and personal wellbeing, as well as a balanced lifestyle. In an environment embracing sustainable ways of working and with a strong sense of shared purpose, our supportive culture is a place you can feel you belong and proud of the difference you make.

A place where everyone can thrive:

We’re committed to building an inclusive workplace where everyone feels valued and supported. We know that a diversity of backgrounds, perspectives and experiences strengthens our teams and is vital to the work we do.

Please be aware that many roles at BAE Systems are subject to both security and export control restrictions. These restrictions mean that factors such as your nationality, any nationalities you may have previously held, and your place of birth can restrict the roles you are eligible to perform within the organisation. All applicants must as a minimum achieve Baseline Personnel Security Standard. Many roles also require higher levels of National Security Vetting where applicants must typically have 5 to 10 years of continuous residency in the UK depending on the vetting level required for the role, to allow for meaningful security vetting checks.

Closing Date: 8th September 2026

We reserve the right to close this vacancy early if we receive sufficient applications for the role. Therefore, if you are interested, please submit your application as early as possible.

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