Technical Lead Flight Software (Embedded systems)

TECHNICAL TEAM LEAD (Embedded systems - FLIGHT SOFTWARE

Lead the code that flies in space.
My client is building spacecraft flight software that runs real missions in real orbit - and they're now looking for a Technical Team Lead to guide the engineers writing it.
This is a hands-on leadership role. You won't be "managing from the sidelines."
You'll design systems, review architecture, mentor engineers and still write mission-critical code that leaves Earth.

What you'll lead

You'll own the technical direction, quality and delivery of spacecraft flight software:

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  Set technical direction and architecture for embedded flight software systems
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  Lead design reviews, code reviews and software standards
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  Remain hands-on in C and embedded development
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  Drive software quality, testing strategies and CI/CD practices
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  Mentor and grow a team of embedded and flight software engineers
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  Work closely with hardware, systems and operations teams
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  Own technical risk, interface definition and system-level decisions
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  Improve engineering workflows, documentation and development processes

You'll be the technical anchor - the person people turn to when the problem is hard, safety-critical or cross-disciplinary.

What you'll bring

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  Strong C and embedded systems background Java an added bonus
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  Experience leading technical design and mentoring engineers
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  Deep understanding of real-time systems, multitasking and low-level hardware
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  Confident working with microcontrollers (ARM Cortex-M class preferred)
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  Experience diagnosing and resolving complex system-level faults
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  Excellent communication skills - you can explain deep technical decisions clearly
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  Ownership mindset and ability to shape engineering culture

Bonus points if you've worked with

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  FreeRTOS, RTEMS or other RTOS platforms
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  Embedded Linux / Yocto / systemd / BusyBox
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  Python, Java or automation scripting
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  CI/CD pipelines, Docker, GitLab or DevOps tooling
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  Spacecraft, robotics, aerospace, automotive or safety-critical environments

Why this role stands out

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  Your team's code flies in space
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  You define architecture, standards and technical direction
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  You still build - this is a technical leadership role, not a people-only role
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  You shape the engineering culture of a growing space organisation
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  You'll work on complete spacecraft, not isolated components

This is your chance to lead the engineers who write software that leaves the planet.