Senior Embedded C++ Engineer

Location: Reading, England, gb

Company Description

ALTEN is a global engineering and technology consultancy operating across over 35 countries worldwide. We partner with industry leaders across sectors including Aeronautics, Aerospace, Defence, Naval, Automotive, Energy, Rail, IT and many more to deliver innovative engineering solutions that drive technological advancement & support sustainable transformation.

Our teams of passionate and agile engineers work on cutting-edge projects that shape the future of technology and sustainability. At ALTEN, we empower talented engineers to innovate, solve complex challenges, and deliver impactful solutions that build tomorrow’s world—today.

Join us and start building tomorrow’s world today!

Job Description

Join our team to develop embedded C++ software for mission‑critical systems used in aviation environments. You’ll contribute to next‑generation navigation, threat detection, and communication technologies, working on modern microcontroller platforms where reliability, safety, and real‑time performance are essential. This role offers the opportunity to apply your expertise in bare‑metal development, STM32 microcontrollers, and safety‑regulated software standards to deliver robust embedded solutions that support operational capability in challenging environments.

Location: Reading
On‑site: 4 days per week
Seniority: Senior (8+ years of experience)
Clearance: Candidates must be willing and eligible to obtain SC clearance.

Key Responsibilities

• Design, develop, and maintain embedded C++ software for real‑time aviation systems.
• Implement firmware on STM32 microcontrollers and other ARM Cortex‑M platforms (bare‑metal and RTOS‑adjacent).
• Apply DO‑178 principles and contribute to compliance with safety‑critical development standards.
• Develop and integrate low‑level drivers and hardware‑software interfaces (e.g., SPI, I²C, UART, CAN).
• Conduct unit, integration, and system testing to validate deterministic performance.
• Collaborate with electrical, systems, and mechanical teams to integrate embedded software into complex hardware platforms.
• Produce high‑quality technical documentation suitable for regulated and safety‑critical environments.

Qualifications

Required Skills

• Strong experience in C++ for embedded systems (C++11/14/17 or newer).
• Hands‑on experience with STM32 and ARM Cortex‑M microcontrollers.
• Proven bare‑metal development experience and understanding of real‑time constraints.
• Understanding of DO‑178 processes and safety‑critical development practices.
• Familiarity with JTAG/SWD debugging, oscilloscopes, and logic analysers.
• Experience with requirements traceability, verification activities, and configuration management tools.

Soft Skills & Collaboration

• Clear communication and effective cross‑functional collaboration.
• Detail‑oriented, quality‑driven mindset in regulated environments.
• Problem‑solving capability with a proactive approach to continuous improvement.

Required Qualifications

• Bachelor’s or Master’s degree in Software Engineering, Computer Science, or related discipline or  relevant technical military background with equivalent experience.
• Must be eligible to hold or already hold UK SC Security Clearance. 

Desirable Skills

• Experience with RTOS or low‑latency scheduling on microcontrollers.
• Knowledge of MISRA C/C++ and secure coding practices.
• Exposure to signal‑processing or RF‑adjacent embedded contexts (helpful, not essential).
• Familiarity with CI/CD pipelines, CMake, CUnit/GoogleTest, and static analysis tools.

Additional Information

Why join us? 

We bring together entrepreneurial, tech-driven people to deliver innovative solutions for leading companies.

At ALTEN, you’ll work on exciting projects, supported by ongoing learning, mentoring, and clear career development tailored to your goals.

Join a passionate team and help build tomorrow, today.

In short you get: 

• A personalised career path and a rewarding management style 
• A huge diversity of engineering projects and industries
• Private Medical Insurance
• Cycle & Tech Scheme 
• Employee assistance programme
• Life insurance & Pension Scheme
• Social atmosphere, regular gatherings & team buildings
• Flexible way of working (role dependent)

We are proud to support the Armed Forces Covenant & actively encourage applications from members of the Armed Forces community, including veterans, reservists, service leavers, and military spouses/partners. We recognise the value of military skills and experience and are committed to ensuring that no applicant is unfairly disadvantaged during our recruitment and selection processes. 

ALTEN is committed to fostering a diverse and inclusive workplace and values the strength that comes from a global mix of backgrounds and perspectives. We welcome applications from all suitably qualified candidates, regardless of background or protected characteristics under the Equality Act 2010. If you require any reasonable adjustments during the recruitment process, please let us know. 

This role may require you to have or be willing to go through Security Clearance. As part of the onboarding process candidates will be asked to complete a Baseline Personnel Security Standard; details of the evidence required to apply may be found on the government website Gov.UK. If you are unable to meet this and any associated criteria, then your employment may be delayed, or rejected . Details of this will be discussed with you at interview.