Principal Embedded Software Engineer
Confirmed on the employer's own hiring board on Oct 20, 2026. First seen by Alion on Sep 14, 2026.
This role is based at our Milton Park (Abingdon) office. The expectation is at least 3 days per week in the office.
Applicants must have the right to live and work in the UK.
Your Role
We are seeking a Principal Embedded Software Engineer to provide technical leadership and hands-on expertise for complex embedded software projects. You will lead software design and development, mentor engineers, and collaborate closely with ASIC and hardware teams on system-level solutions.
Your Key Responsibilities
- Lead embedded software architecture, design, and implementation on ARM Cortex-A/R/M and DSP platforms.
- Provide technical direction for bare-metal, RTOS, and embedded Linux development.
- Drive debugging and bring-up activities, including complex system analysis using Arm trace and debug techniques.
- Mentor junior engineers and foster best practices in software development.
- Collaborate on multi-disciplinary projects involving ASIC/FPGA hardware and software co-design.
Your Key Skills and Experience
Essential
- Strong embedded C/C++ programming skills on Arm Cortex-A/R/M and DSP architectures.
- Expertise in RTOS, bare-metal software development, device drivers, and silicon validation.
- Expert-level use of GNU ARM Embedded Toolchain and binary tools.
- Extensive experience with build systems (CMake and GNU Make) and version control systems (SVN or Git).
- Proven capability in silicon validation and complex system debugging.
- Minimum 10+ years of relevant industry experience.
- Degree (1st or 2.1) in Electronics, Physics, Computer Science, or related discipline from a leading university.
Desirable
- Proficiency in MATLAB, Python, or model-based design tools for prototyping and validation.
- Knowledge of beamforming techniques, Digital Predistortion (DPD) algorithms, and communication standards such as 3GPP or DVB-S.
- Exposure to formal software development processes (IEC 61508, DO-178C).
- Experience with communication protocols (I2C, SPI, MODBUS).
Personal Skills
- Excellent communication and interpersonal skills for effective collaboration within international teams.
- Problem-solving mindset with a proactive and adaptable approach.
- Strong leadership skills to inspire, coach, and develop team members.
- Results-driven, accountable, and able to thrive in dynamic project environments.
What can you expect from us?
Private Medical healthcare, salary sacrifice pension scheme (matched up to 5%), 26 days annual leave, life assurance, discretionary annual bonus, share option scheme, hybrid and flexible working.
Position Specifics
This role is hybrid, our guideline is for a minimum of 3 days in the office.
Some occasional travel may be required to another UK site.
Applicants must have the right to live and work in UK.