Software Architect, Software Engineer

Job Overview

Software Architect – a career‑jump role with a salary up to circa £80,000, typically 3–4 days per week on‑site in a hybrid model. Requires British citizenship or a dual UK nationality and a Basic Personnel Security Standard (BPSS) check.

• Author and maintain the full software architecture, defining and monitoring structural and temporal architecture, including internal and external interfaces, to meet product requirements.
• Identify, document, and own design drivers such as real‑time performance, safety, security, user experience, simplicity, reusability, and flexibility.
• Produce derived and emergent requirements capturing assumptions, rationale and ensuring they are reflected in the architecture.
• Define the architecture to a maturity where implementation decisions do not compromise architectural integrity.
• Collaborate closely with other Architects, Technical Specialists and engineering stakeholders to support design reviews and wider design activities.
• Influence Software Engineering Technology Strategy, Software Product Lines, new technologies, obsolescence, methods and tools through special interest groups and communities of interest.
• Work on frontier missile system technology, delivering safe, secure, and reliable products for our customers.

• Strong technical practitioner experienced with critical architectural and design decisions.
• Knowledge of modern and established software architecture techniques and design patterns.
• Experience in model‑based engineering.
• Ability to mentor, articulate architecture solutions and collaborate with development teams.
• Effective communication skills at all levels, including influencing collaborators and internal customers.
• Advocate for key software engineering practices such as continuous integration and high‑quality design.
• Ability to assess and communicate trade‑offs in architecture with focus on design rationale.
• Understanding of software abstraction layers and the software stack.
• Experience in influencing tools, frameworks and technologies used within the organization.
• Strong programming background in multiple languages.

• Salary up to circa £80,000 depending on experience.
• Company bonus of up to 21% of base salary.
• Pension contribution up to 14% (total employer and employee).
• Flexible working arrangements available.
• Enhanced parental leave up to 26weeks for maternity, adoption and shared parental leave; additional paternity, neonatal leave and fertility support.
• Healthcare Cash Plan – cash back on everyday healthcare expenses.
• Site facilities: subsidised meals, free car parking and more.