About this role
Salary: £? - ? per year
Requirements
- Degree in Computer Science, Software Engineering, Engineering, or a related discipline.
- Strong programming and problem-solving abilities.
- Programming experience with Java, C++, and/or Python; senior candidates should have strong experience in these languages.
- Familiarity with automated testing frameworks; senior candidates should have experience developing them.
- Understanding of CI/CD tools and processes; senior candidates should have experience with CI/CD pipelines and DevOps practices.
- Knowledge of Agile/SCRUM methodologies; senior candidates should have a strong understanding of them.
- Senior candidates should have experience with test management and defect tracking tools, software performance and security testing, and leading software development activities, ideally involving complex, security-critical systems or high-security environments.
- An interest in software quality, testing, secure communications, and developing secure, high-quality software systems.
- Good communication and collaboration skills, a proactive approach, and the ability to work effectively in a multidisciplinary engineering team.
- Experience in aerospace, defence, satellite communications, or other high-security engineering environments is advantageous.
- Candidates must hold a UK or NATO country passport and have the right to work in the UK for the duration of the contract.
- Vetting includes a right-to-work check, drug screen, full five-year referencing, and a DBS check.
Responsibilities
- Develop and test software for quantum key distribution (QKD) payloads and ground segment systems.
- Support automated testing and software quality assurance processes.
- Participate in Agile development cycles and collaborate with engineering colleagues.
- Contribute to software integration activities involving sovereign use cases and OPS-SAT VOLT.
- Support continuous improvement of software development and testing processes.
- Lead software development activities for QKD systems at the senior level.
- Drive unit, automated, and integration testing strategies, and lead development of software testing frameworks using an SDET approach.
- Coordinate with the European Space Agency and international project partners to align technical deliverables.
- Implement and maintain Agile workflows and CI/CD pipelines.
- Mentor junior engineers, promote secure coding practices, and support performance and security testing.
- Encourage best practices across software development, testing, and DevOps.
Technologies
- CI/CD
- DevOps
- Support
- Java
- Python
- Security
More
We are recruiting three Software Engineers at different experience levels, from Software Engineer to Senior Advanced Software Engineer, for QKDSat, an international satellite quantum communications programme. The roles contribute to the development of secure quantum communication systems, satellite communications, quantum technology, and secure data transmission, working alongside experienced engineering professionals on a technically challenging, internationally collaborative project.
Positions are onsite in Edinburgh, with pay rates of £20.51 to £30.77 per hour PAYE, plus 12.07% holiday pay. The contract is expected to run for 6–9 months, with a 37-hour work week: Monday to Thursday, 8:15 a.m. to 5:00 p.m., and Friday, 8:15 a.m. to 1:00 p.m. We are recruiting through Line Up Aviation, a recruitment agency. Applications are reviewed subject to volume; applicants who do not hear from us within 14 days should assume they have been unsuccessful.
last updated 45 week of 2026