Lead Software Engineer

Job Description
Job Title: Lead Software Engineer
Salary: Up to £90k
Job Type: Permanent
Location: On-site in Reading
Visa/Sponsorship: Unfortunately, visa support or sponsorship is not available at this time.
I'm recruiting for a fast-growing UK start-up that's driving innovation in sustainable agriculture. With a strong focus on technology and environmental impact, the business is developing scalable solutions to support the future of farming. They're building a passionate, forward-thinking team committed to making a positive difference in the sector.
Responsibilities

• Provide mentorship, technical guidance, and support to junior software engineers
• Help establish a strong culture of learning, collaboration, and engineering excellence
• Define and maintain coding standards, development tools, and workflows across the engineering team
• Lead the development of embedded software systems across various hardware modules
• Build and maintain software solutions for collecting and transmitting operational data to AWS for monitoring, analysis, and storage
• Work on AI-driven systems that analyse and process biological materials within the insect rearing pipeline
• Take full ownership of the development, deployment, and performance of tools and applications used in field operations
• Collaborate with cross-functional teams to ensure seamless integration of software with hardware and business requirements
  

Requirements

• Several years of experience in a senior software engineering role, with proven responsibility for system architecture, mentoring junior team members, and conducting thorough code reviews
• Strong programming skills in Python and C++, with experience using libraries and frameworks such as PyTorch, NumPy, Pandas, TensorFlow, and OpenCV for computer vision and data processing
• Familiarity with front-end technologies including JavaScript and HTML for building user-facing interfaces or tools
• Practical, hands-on experience in designing and implementing software control systems for automation within production line environments
  

Desirable Experience

• Experience working with embedded microcontrollers and development environments, such as Raspberry Pi, Okdo, or Tinker Edge R
• Familiarity with AWS cloud services for data storage, processing, and analytics
• Involvement in developing and deploying mobile applications on Android and/or iOS platforms
• Worked collaboratively with external or offshore software development partners
• Demonstrated ability to mentor junior engineers or lead cross-functional product development teams
• Practical experience in designing and assembling electronic systems, including circuit boards, control panels, and PCBs