The role

We are seeking a dynamic and driven Lead Software Engineer to manage our software team, develop our software and work with our creative engineering team to deliver world-class products. Reporting to the CTO, this is a largely autonomous leadership role with a huge impact on our future success. Key activities include:

• managing our growing software team
• defining the software strategy and managing the day-to-day work
• developing and improving our software

About Us

Q5D is a fast-growing company that is developing robotic machinery to add electrical function to products in aerospace, automotive and many other industries. Q5D’s technology uses additive manufacturing techniques and laser-sintered printed electronics combined with sophisticated CAD/CAM software to automate manufacturing.

About You

Ideally you will have experience working in software team leadership roles within manufacturing/engineering companies. You will have great communication skills coupled with excellent practical software development skills (JavaFX, C). This role will suit candidates with broad technical understanding and superb organisation. Q5D is fast-paced with a high R&D focus – so energy, drive and enthusiasm are a must!

1. Lead the software team
   Manage the current team (2 FT, 1 PT). This includes line management activities, e.g. 1-2-1s, and team development responsibility.

2. Manage software sub-contractors and external partners
   Placing contracts, managing deliverables and monitoring performance for our subcontractor software development (1 current) and software partners on our grant-funded projects (1 current).

3. Manage day-to-day software planning and delivery
   Agile project management for Q5D software. This includes using Jira (or similar) to map and document.

4. Technical delivery
   This role has a high amount of software development alongside the leadership element. Including developing machine control software, HMI/GUI, CAD/CAM/Gcode, quality software, messaging protocols (e.g. MQTT/ZeroMQ) and APIs for communicating with external services. JavaFX and C currently used in team.

5. Compliance control for software
   Ensuring we understand and meet the relevant standards for our software, e.g ISO, UL, customer standards.

6. Lead strategy for software
   Work with the leadership team to create and maintain a software roadmap and then delivering on the milestones agreed.

7. Manage software process control
   Define, select and implement suitable tools, methods, language selection etc. to control our software development and help deliver industry standard best practice while taking advantage of the latest tools. This should include the approvals process, documentation etc. and evaluation of AI/ML and emerging technologies.

8. Develop software toolchain/workflows
   Establish workflows for version/change control, code review, documentation, automated build/deployment, IDEs/development, licensing/signing and CI/CD (e.g. Jenkins, Bitbucket, JIRA, Doxygen, Maven, Netbeans etc.)

9. Work with CMO on commercial software goals
   Gather software requirements (use cases, user stories, workshops) from customers and the Q5D team, review, prioritise and input this into our planning. This will include the training and documentation requirements.

10. Main software point of contact for users
    Provide a consistent approach for ideas/issues/questions from users (in-house and external). Ensure these are tracked, evaluated and responded to e.g. via ticket system.

11. Reporting for executive team
    Write reports, provide KPI data, give presentations on software plans and progress to the senior management team and key stakeholders.

• Salary range £70k-£80k
• 25 days holiday plus Bank Holidays (increasing 1 day per year of service)
• Pension
• Private Medical Insurance
• Group Income Protection
• Group Life Insurance
• Share Options
• Training & Personal development

Reports to the CTO

Desirable

• BSc/BA/BEng or MSc/MA/MEng in a relevant subject

Necessary Experience

• Similar role in a manufacturing or engineering company
• Experience leading complex software projects, including using key tools and methodology (CI/CD/DevOps/Agile)
• Interaction with software users and using feedback to improve product
• Team leadership
• Database experience (SQL, ERP etc integration inc APIs – Industry 4.0)
• Excellent programming experience in high-level languages, e.g. Java + JavaFX, C, C++, C# and a desire to be involved in development day-to-day

Desirable Experience

• Java FX, C
• Industrial/embedded firmware/software
• Knowledge of geometric modeling kernels (Parasolid), post-processors, CAD model manipulation e.g. STEP/IGS/Open CASCADE/OpenSCAD
• Knowledge of web-service APIs (e.g. SOAP, XML-RPC, REST, JSON, XML) and integration techniques for external packages/libraries
• Knowledge of 3D representation, manipulation and rendering
• Software for robotics or machine tools (inc AM equipment)
• Additive Manufacturing processes knowledge
• Software control of lasers
• Machine vision / machine learning for defect detection/process monitoring etc.
• Experience working in a fast-paced engineering/NPI environment developing innovative products

• Great at communicating with all levels in the business and with external customers / partners / suppliers
• Organised and capable team leadership
• Excellent PC skills, inc. Microsoft Office
• Enjoy working in a small, growing and fast-paced start-up environment.
• Creative problem-solving
• Good mathematical skills and knowledge of algorithms – in particular, geometry transformation and mesh manipulation
• Able to travel occasionally in UK and worldwide

No agencies please.