Lead Developer - Steering & Handling

Our OEM Client based in Gaydon, is searching for a Lead Developer - Steering & Handling to join their team, Inside IR35. This is a contract position until 31st March 2026.

Umbrella Pay Rate: £33.64 per hour.

In this role, you will be the technical lead for developing the Steering & Handling data processing tools utilised to support objective characterisation of a range of our client's and competitor vehicles.  These tools are relied upon to robustly develop all of our new client's vehicles against their targets for steering and handling performance and ultimately deliver their world-class 'DNA'.

As part of this role, you will be responsible for further developing the existing toolset and for architecting new tools to a professional standard. This is achieved through working very closely with the experts in Vehicle Dynamics, turning their requirements into reality. You will also be working alongside our team of professional software developers who support the wider Vehicle Dynamics toolset for data processing and visualisation. These tools provide a crucial link between objective and subjective vehicle level performance and maximise the value we extract from our test data, whether it comes from a simulation or a prototype vehicle.

Responsibilities:

• Lead project delivery – current toolset enhancements / bug fixes and future tool development.
• Continuously seek to improve test efficiency and effectiveness via the toolset.
• Support other team members in contributing to the tools successfully.
• Manage the product backlog in Jira – customer requirements fully understood & recorded, linked to higher-level objectives and prioritised accordingly, working closely with the Product Owner.
• Develop and maintain a product roadmap and clear software architecture vision.
• Lead the detailed planning of stories which deliver customer value, outlining the technical approach to delivering them and estimating the story points required.
• Contribute to the automated testing framework to ensure that all developments are robustly deployed.
• Support all Agile ceremonies, with particular focus on regular retrospectives – being open to giving and receiving constructive feedback and supporting continuous improvement in a range of areas.
• Support code reviews across the wider toolset as required – close collaboration and communication at all times.
• Maintain close collaboration with all Vehicle Dynamics Teams and undertake any other work as directed by the Line Manager in connection with the role.

Essential Skills:

• Highly experienced programmer (ideally MATLAB as this is the basis of the current toolset) - knowledge of OOP and TDD.
• Proven experience of software architecture design. 
• Ability to lead the development of the toolset and the overall code architecture.
• AGILE advocate and SCRUM practitioner.
• Experienced user of Gitlab, MATLAB and Jira.
• Ability to work independently and proactively.
• Strong communication skills - ability to form effective lasting relationships, communicate clearly and influence effectively at all levels.

Desirable Skills:

• Knowledge of vehicle dynamics principles.
• Experience with data processing tools such as Matlab, Prosig DATS, LMS.
• Full UK or equivalent driving license.

Education Required:

• University Degree in Relevant Field.