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Location: Farnborough
Contract Type: Full Time, Permanent
Hours: 37 – Hybrid
AALTO, a global leader in Stratospace. Based in Farnborough, AALTO is an Airbus subsidiary that manufactures, operates, and delivers services with its solar-powered, stratospheric platform: Zephyr.
Zephyr’s persistence enables continuous flight for months at a time. Its current flight-time record of over 67 days in the stratosphere. From above 60,000+ft, or 20km above ground, AALTO can deliver several applications including direct-to-device connectivity and high-resolution Earth observation.
AALTO operates in a new operational layer between most of air traffic and low-Earth orbit, Stratospace. This is where high-altitude platforms led by Zephyr deliver services to commercial and government partners. We can help monitor environments, observe borders, track natural disasters and connect unconnected communities.
Join us as we create a new domain of aerospace: Stratospace. You’ll be part of a highly-skilled, innovative and passionate group of people – Team AALTO. Together, we can Unlock Stratospace.
About The Role
As a Software Engineer, you’ll develop robust, safety-critical software for airborne systems, working hands-on with complex engineering challenges where quality, reliability and precision matter.
You’ll work primarily in C, with opportunities to use C++ and Python, contributing across requirements, design, implementation, integration, verification and qualification. This is a role for someone who enjoys solving real-world engineering problems, collaborating across disciplines and seeing their work progress from concept through to aircraft-level application.
If you’re motivated by meaningful technical work, high standards and the opportunity to contribute to pioneering aerospace programmes, this is a chance to make a visible impact in a highly collaborative engineering environment.
Responsibilities
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- Design, develop, test and maintain high-quality software for safety-critical airborne systems, primarily using C, with C++ and Python where appropriate.
- Contribute across the full software development lifecycle, from requirements capture and design through to implementation, integration, verification and qualification.
- Work closely with Systems, Hardware, Test and Flight Operations teams to solve aircraft-level challenges and deliver integrated engineering solutions.
- Support software integration, debugging, test automation and evidence generation for qualification and certification activities.
- Participate in technical reviews, challenge assumptions constructively and help strengthen engineering best practice.
- Contribute to a culture of technical excellence, accountability and continuous improvement.
Skills and Knowledge Required
- Practical software engineering experience, ideally including 3+ years in aerospace or another safety-critical environment.
- Experience contributing to airborne software development within a DO-178C environment, including requirements, design, implementation, integration and verification.
- Strong C programming skills, with experience in C++ and Python.
- Experience working with embedded, real-time or resource-constrained software systems.
- Familiarity with software requirements management, verification, traceability and configuration management processes.
- Strong problem-solving, debugging and analytical skills, with the ability to work methodically through complex technical issues.
- A collaborative communication style and the confidence to work effectively with engineers from multiple disciplines.
- Awareness of related standards such as DO-330, DO-331, DO-332, DO-333, ARP4754A/B, DO-278, DEF STAN 00-55 or DEF STAN 00-56 would be advantageous.
Why This Role Stands Out
- You’ll work on meaningful software that directly supports advanced aircraft systems.
- You’ll be part of a multidisciplinary engineering team where software, hardware, systems and operations come together.
- You’ll have the opportunity to broaden your technical expertise across safety-critical development, verification and certification.
- You’ll see the impact of your work in a challenging, innovative and fast-moving aerospace environment.
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Benefits
In addition to an attractive market-aligned salary, we offer:
- Rewarding Excellence: Benefit from our short-term incentive plan that rewards your hard work and dedication.
- Enjoy Your Time Off: Benefit from 25 days of holiday to relax and recharge.
- Stay Healthy: We’ve got your health covered with private medical insurance, along with dental and optical cash back.
- Secure Your Future: Take advantage of our personal pension plan to ensure a comfortable retirement.
- Peace of Mind: Our income protection and life assurance schemes are there to support you when you need it most.
- Getting around: Drive the latest vehicles with our discounted salary sacrifice scheme.
- We Care About You: Our employee assistance programme is always available to provide the support you need.
- Perks Galore: Enjoy a range of employee discounts via Perkbox, from household goods to travel!
Does this opportunity excite you but you’re not 100% sure if you meet all the requirements for the role? Or are you concerned that ‘normal’ office hours aren’t possible given your personal circumstances? Whilst we can’t accommodate every flexible working request, we’ll try to find a practical solution. So why not engage with us and find out more about this role?
If this role isn’t quite what you’re looking for but are keen to be contacted about opportunities at AALTO, you can register your details here: https://careers.aaltohaps.com/connect
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