Autopilot Software Engineer - Hybrid (Southampton / Portsmouth) Location: Southampton / Portsmouth (Hybrid working available) Contract: Full-time, permanent Sector: Autonomous Systems / Aerospace / Robotics Are you passionate about building advanced autonomy for next‑generation unmanned aircraft? Join a high‑growth engineering team developing large autonomous fixed‑wing UAVs for logistics, humanitarian, and defence applications. You’ll contribute directly to creating robust, reliable, and safe flight‑control systems for real‑world missions. About the Role We’re looking for an Autopilot Software Engineer to help accelerate the development of our autonomy and flight‑control capabilities. You’ll work across embedded software, behavioural autonomy, flight‑control logic, and the full testing ecosystem - from unit tests to real flight trials. Essential Requirements Professional experience in software engineering with strong embedded C/C++ skills Practical, applied understanding of aerospace control systems Ability to develop behavioural/application‑level autonomy software Experience with version control (Git) within an agile team, including documentation Strong skills with STM32 microcontrollers and associated toolchains (IDEs, debuggers, compilers) Knowledge of low‑level interfaces: CAN, SPI, I²C, UART, PWM, ICU, etc. Complementary understanding of embedded hardware Ability to support a full testing ecosystem - from automated unit testing to flight testing Flexibility, ownership mindset, and ability to deliver high‑quality, real‑world‑ready software Experience with open‑source autopilot ecosystems (e.g., Betaflight, Ardupilot, PX4, MissionPlanner) Nice to Have Background or interest in aviation or RC model aircraft Willingness and ability to travel, plus a driving licence and access to a vehicle Key Responsibilities Requirements capture and creation of technical specifications Development of safety‑critical flight‑control software to exceptionally high reliability standards Support test activities: automated unit tests, hardware‑in‑the‑loop, field tests, and flight trials Assist with issue identification, debugging, and system‑level fault investigation Employment Details Contract Type: Full‑time, permanent Location: Southampton / Portsmouth area, with hybrid working available Department: Engineering