Senior/Principal Software Engineer
// Role Summary
Lead the design and delivery of embedded software for complex, safety-critical systems at BAE Systems, working on world-leading aircraft control and display systems.
// Key Responsibilities
- Design and develop embedded software, including drivers, protocols, and human-machine interfaces with certification artefacts.
- Define system and software architectures using structured design, modelling, and simulation.
- Drive integration, verification, and validation within a safety-critical environment.
- Provide technical leadership, mentoring, and best practice influence.
- Engage with customers to resolve technical challenges and shape solutions.
- Develop products for advanced commercial and military fixed-wing and rotary-wing aircraft.
// Role Specification
Join BAE Systems as a Senior/Principal Software Engineer in Rochester, Kent, and be part of a global team shaping a safer future through advanced defence, aerospace, and security solutions. This is an exciting and challenging onsite role where you'll contribute to creating world-leading control and display systems for the most advanced aircraft.
Role Description:
As a Principal Software Engineer, you will lead the design and delivery of embedded software for complex, safety-critical systems. Your responsibilities will include developing drivers, protocols, and human-machine interfaces, ensuring robust and certifiable solutions. You will work across the full lifecycle, defining architectures and solving complex engineering challenges through integration, verification, and validation. This role also involves providing technical leadership, mentoring junior engineers, and influencing best practices. Engaging with customers and stakeholders, you will shape strategy, drive innovation, and play a key role in delivering high-impact solutions.
Core Duties:
- Lead design and development of embedded software, including drivers, protocols, human-machine interfaces with certification artefacts.
- Define system and software architectures from requirements using structured design, modelling, and simulation.
- Drive integration, verification, and validation within a safety-critical environment.
- Provide technical leadership through mentoring, peer reviews, and best practice.
- Deliver reliable estimates, including sizing and reuse.
- Engage with customers to resolve technical challenges and shape solutions.
- Contribute to engineering processes, design reviews, and strategic decisions, ensuring high quality, compliant delivery.
Essential Skills:
- Degree or equivalent qualification in a Scientific/Engineering field (electronics-engineering, software-engineering, physics, math’s).
- 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.
Security Requirements:
Please be aware that many roles at BAE Systems are subject to security and export control restrictions. As a minimum, all applicants must achieve Baseline Personnel Security Standard (BPSS). Many roles also require higher levels of National Security Vetting, typically requiring 5 to 10 years of continuous residency in the UK depending on the vetting level.