Job Role

The role will cover all aspects of the software life-cycle, and subject to competency and experience (less experience would indicate less coverage or less autonomy), could include any or all of the following:      

• Producing software development plans, typically reflecting rigorous and disciplined development processes.              
• Writing requirements specifications.                
• Defining software architectures.        
• Developing detailed designs.              
• Implementing designs.         
• Producing assurance plans – including balancing static and dynamic analysis solutions to implement cost-effective assurance regimes   
• Producing test management plans.                  
• Developing test environments.          
• Developing and executing test specifications.                
• Supporting safety Engineers in the development of evidence for software safety cases.     
• Contributing to technical content, for sales proposals.                 
• Being an active member of the Praxis software community, sharing best practice and contributing to Praxis’ capabilities in this area.      

For Mid-grade and Principal Software Engineers the following will also apply:        

• Leading software development teams.            
• Setting technical strategies for bids and developments.              

For Principal Software Engineers the following additional duties and responsibilities could also apply:           

• Acting as an advocate for Praxis within the national and international software communities, by speaking at conferences, attending standards committees, etc.              
• Setting technical strategy for large and complex sales proposals and/or projects.                
• Providing training and mentoring to less experienced staff.     

Experience / Skills required :

• A first class or upper second degree in a relevant engineering discipline – or significant industrial experience.            
• A further degree (eg MSc, or PhD) would not be an unusual qualification for a candidate.                  
• Consistent in-service training demonstrating a professional approach to maintenance of skills.      
• At the very least a clearly defined route through to chartered status, and for Principal staff membership of a relevant professional institution with chartered status.
• Z experience highly desirable.     

Junior and Mid-grade candidates are likely to have:
At least five years working in a relevant discipline or industry sector – either directly within industry, or an academic or consulting environments and experience in development methods (is likely to have included rigorous or disciplined development processes).  

• Relevant sectors are civil and military aerospace, air traffic management, nuclear, mainline and underground rail. 
• A sound appreciation of the underlying principles of software engineering for complex embedded systems – in particular the role of static analysis.           
• A willingness to learn new tools, techniques, and languages.     
• An ability to think analytically, rigorously and creatively.               
• Candidates are required to be highly customer-focussed and have effective oral and written communications skills to a range of technical and commercial audiences.              
• Working knowledge of one or more regulatory regimes and the national/international standards appropriate to that regime.                  
• An ability to carry out detailed justified work to commercial and technical requirements, and to be able to constructively criticise and assess others’ work.     
• The ability and personal drive to work in teams or alone, with client and Praxis staff, both in Praxis offices and on-site in the UK and potentially overseas.    
• Knowledge of industry-standard tools and techniques, and a critical appreciation of their strengths and weaknesses.            

Principal Software Engineers would also need an understanding of the issues associated with delivery of complex systems and have the ability to mentor and develop others.