Software Engineer (ID: Q9hX6ivb)

Software Engineer, C++ Maritime Systems. We design the navigation systems that crews rely on when the weather turns, the harbour is busy, or a vessel is running a sensitive mission. Around 30,000 ships already carry our products, from commercial vessels and mega yachts to naval ships, refits, small combatants and submarines.

Our UK team is small, technical and close to the work. You will not be hidden three layers away from the product. The people beside you write the code, test the changes, and talk through the difficult bits to keep the system moving.
We need a Software Engineer for the Portsmouth team. This is a full-time, permanent post, best suited to someone who likes C++, technical problem-solving and writing code that is robust and secure.

The day-to-day work:

The team works in an agile setup, mainly in C++. One week might be database work. Another might mean communication infrastructure, client-server features or front-end UI changes. If you like neat repetition, this is probably not the job for you.
As a Software Engineer, you will turn requirements into estimates, design choices, code, tests and release support. MS Visual Studio for C++ development sits in that build and debugging routine, not off to the side.
You will also help with unit testing, simulation tools, code reviews and practical decisions about new technologies. The Software Engineer should be curious about tools, but not distracted by every new option. If MS Visual Studio for C++ development helps expose the fault faster, use it and explain your findings.

What we need from you:

You should have solid C++ experience and a clear grasp of object-oriented development. We also need good debugging skills, fault isolation, and enough mathematical confidence to work through algorithms without hand-holding.
A good Software Engineer in this team can work alone when needed, but does not disappear into a corner. We talk things through. We challenge assumptions. We share fixes. Strong communication matters because the team is small and every voice carries weight. Be honest about MS Visual Studio for C++ development in your CV. If MS Visual Studio for C++ development has been part of your recent work, please mention this in your CV.

You should be comfortable with data structures, design patterns, software development principles, code configuration management and agile working. A Software Engineer who knows when to ask for a second view will do well here. Knowledge of Subversion is useful. So is experience with front-end UI work, network programming, data serialisation, database design, component-based development and links to third-party sensors or applications such as cameras or radar trackers.
MS Visual Studio for C++ development is part of the expected toolset, so hands-on experience with it will help you settle quickly. If you have used MS Visual Studio for C++ development on production software, even better. Another Software Engineer can teach domain detail, but MS Visual Studio for C++ development confidence saves time from week one.

Technologies you may use:

The current stack can include C++, Qt Framework, ACE, POCO, STL, XML, UDP/TCP network programming, PostgreSQL and GStreamer. We also use cross-platform build tools such as MPC and CMake, which work across Windows and Linux.
QML, UI design, web services, DDS, publish-subscribe middleware and similar database tools are all useful extras. Nobody expects you to arrive knowing every corner of the product. The better fit is a Software Engineer who learns fast, asks the right questions early on, and thinks before changing code. If MS Visual Studio for C++ development is already familiar territory, you will spend less time on setup and more time on engineering.

You should be ready to use MS Visual Studio for C++ development in a practical engineering team. The phrase matters because the tool matters. MS Visual Studio for C++ development is not a nice-to-have line buried in the advert; it is part of how the team builds and troubleshoots software. A Software Engineer who can move around MS Visual Studio for C++ development with confidence gives the team cleaner feedback during debugging.

Benefits include a company pension, life assurance, private medical insurance, on-site parking, referral programme, flexitime, 25 days of holiday plus public and bank holidays, and a five-day holiday trading option. There are also salary sacrifice benefits for electric vehicles, cycle to work and tech vouchers.
The team also offers professional development, training opportunities and the option to work a nine-day fortnight. For the right Software Engineer, that mix of serious engineering work and reasonable flexibility should feel like a fair deal.

Who does this role suit:

This could be your sort of role if C++ software development is already part of your working life, and maritime or mission-system engineering sounds more interesting than another generic business app.
It will suit a Software Engineer who likes a smaller UK team, uses MS Visual Studio for C++ development without fuss, talks through trade-offs and takes code quality personally.
If MS Visual Studio for C++ development is a daily engineering aid for you, not a checkbox on a CV, you will probably settle in well.

It may not suit you if you want a narrow Software Engineer role with the same ticket type every week.

The team needs a Software Engineer who can move between database work, networking, UI tasks, test tooling and general software maintenance without making a drama of it.

How to Apply:

Please apply with your CV and cover letter. Include confirmation of your right to work in the UK without sponsorship, and state the document you will use as evidence.

The interview may include a discussion of MS Visual Studio for C++ development experience.
We are an equal opportunity employer. Different backgrounds, routes into engineering and working experiences are welcome here.

Clearance and right to work:

• Only candidates who already have the right to work in the UK without sponsorship should apply.
• The successful candidate will also be subject to SC clearance.

When you apply, tell us which document proves your right to work in the UK. A British passport or indefinite leave to remain would usually cover it. Spell it out, so there is no back-and-forth later.

Salary, location and benefits:

Position: Software Engineer - Job Type: Full-Time - Salary: £50,000 to £70,000 a year, matched to experience.

Location:  Portsmouth, with hybrid working available. You need to commute reliably or relocate before your start date.

Before applying, please check the core requirements carefully:

UK work authorisation without sponsorship, C++ software development experience, and confidence using MS Visual Studio for C++ development. If those are in place, we would like to hear from you. 

Software Engineer applications that show practical MS Visual Studio for C++ development experience will be easier for the hiring team to assess.