Salary
$74k per year
Location
In office (Portsmouth)
Seniority
Staff
Employment
Full-Time
Confirmed on the employer's own hiring board on Oct 21, 2026. First seen by Alion on Aug 12, 2026. Matchtech scores A on the Alion truth index.
Overview
Company
Impact
Profile match
Matchtech is a UK engineering and technology recruitment agency headquartered in Whiteley near Fareham, Hampshire, placing contract, temporary and permanent staff with clients. Founded in 1984, it covers aerospace, automotive, maritime, defence and security, energy, highways, rail, water and utilities, construction and technology, and also offers managed service, RPO and recruit-train-deploy programmes for employers such as BAE Systems, Leonardo and NATS. Its vacancies, posted on behalf of clients, include civil, mechanical, process and EICA engineers, CAD technicians, software developers, project managers and site staff across the UK.
Our client, a forward-looking technology company specialising in immersive training solutions and simulations within the defence and security sector, is seeking a Lead Programmer to join their team in Portsmouth. This permanent role offers an excellent opportunity to work on groundbreaking projects within a supportive and innovative environment.
Key Responsibilities:
- Support the VR development team by providing core coding architecture for projects.
- Ensure the seamless development and delivery process by supporting relevant sub-contractors.
- Maintain high code quality using industry-standard practices and appropriate documentation.
- Assist the change team in VR outline or detailed proposal activities.
- Engage in horizon scanning to identify new technology, companies, and solutions in the market.
- Contribute to the success of the role and support the Business Unit with additional tasks as needed.
Job Requirements:
- Demonstrable experience in using game technologies.
- Proficiency with Unreal Engine and C++.
- Experience in Virtual Reality development.
- Knowledge of source control, IDEs, and other relevant software packages.
- Proven experience in performance profiling and optimisation of XR (GPU/CPU bottlenecks, draw calls, occlusion culling).
- Bachelor's degree in a directly relevant field.
Desirable:
- Knowledge of Unity.
- Experience in project scoping and AGILE practices.
- Awareness of MOD processes and practices.
Benefits:
- Competitive salary.
- Opportunities to work on innovative and challenging projects.
- Professional development and training opportunities.
- Supportive and creative work environment.
- Comprehensive employee benefits package.
If you are a motivated and skilled Lead Programmer looking to take the next step in your career and work on exciting defence and private sector projects, we would love to hear from you. Apply now to join our client's forward-thinking team in Portsmouth.
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