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!

Join our team as a Software Integration Engineer and play a key role in delivering complex, mission‑critical systems within the defence sector. This role sits at the intersection of embedded software, communications, and system integration, supporting the integration of imposed COTS/MOTS equipment into larger, safety‑critical architectures.

You will work in a hands‑on engineering environment, supporting component‑ and system‑level software integration, translating between dissimilar communication standards, debugging real hardware in the lab, and supporting system de‑risking and verification activities in close collaboration with systems, electronics, and software teams.

Location: Woking
On‑site: On site Hybrid
Seniority: Mid‑level (5–9 years’ experience)
Clearance: Candidates must be willing and eligible to obtain SC clearance

Key Responsibilities

• Design, develop, and document application‑level drivers for imposed COTS/MOTS equipment
• Integrate embedded software at component, ECU, and system level
• Implement and validate communications translations across multiple protocols (e.g. Ethernet, CAN, Modbus)
• Support lab‑based integration, compatibility testing, system bring‑up, and integration testing activities
• Identify, diagnose, and resolve interoperability, communications, and interface issues early in the integration lifecycle
• Work closely with the Systems Architect to close technical risks and support architectural decisions
• Track requirements, changes, and delivery status across multiple stakeholders
• Interface with systems, electronics, and software SMEs to agree and implement low‑level integration solutions

Required Skills

• Background as a software integration engineer, embedded software engineer, or systems integration engineer
• Strong C and/or C++ low‑level software capability
• Experience working with black‑box COTS/MOTS equipment and vendor‑supplied APIs
• Hands‑on lab and debugging experience using logic analysers, protocol sniffers, and similar tools
• Experience translating between dissimilar communication standards
• Exposure to component‑ and system‑level software integration
• Experience delivering solutions in defence, avionics, automotive, or other safety‑critical environments

Development Process & Integration Experience

• Experience working within a Software Development Lifecycle (SDLC) for embedded or automotive systems
• Exposure to structured development models such as V‑cycle and ASPICE
• Understanding of requirements traceability, compliance, and verification
• Experience validating that development and integration processes are followed correctly
• Familiarity with integration testing and debugging in complex environments
• Experience with Vector tools such as CANoe and CANalyzer

Soft Skills & Collaboration

• Pragmatic, solutions‑focused engineering mindset
• Strong coordination and communication skills across software, systems, and hardware teams
• Comfortable working in ambiguous problem spaces and de‑risking integrations
• Takes ownership of technical tasks and sees them through to completion

Required Qualifications

Bachelor’s or Master’s degree in Software Engineering, Electronic Engineering, Systems Engineering, or related discipline, or a relevant technical military background with equivalent experience.

Desirable Skills

• Experience with additional communication protocols or networked systems
• Exposure to defence, avionics, automotive, or safety‑regulated programmes
• Understanding of system‑level integration and verification activities
• Familiarity working with suppliers and external technical stakeholders

Why join us? 

We foster a community of dually talented individuals who are both entrepreneurs and technology specialists. Our teams embody the spirit of innovation and entrepreneurship, enabling us to develop solutions most efficiently. 

Our commitment to sustainable growth is unwavering, and we continuously strive for accelerated transformation and continuous improvement. Through ALTEN labs, mentoring programs, internal universities, and more, we are always pushing boundaries and embracing new possibilities. 

We offer incredible opportunities to join inspiring projects in the most innovative companies. 

We prioritise your career development with personalised support plans tailored to your own aspirations. We're here to empower you and help you reach your full potential. 

Join our passionate team and start building tomorrow, today! 

In short you get: 

• A personalised career path and a rewarding management style 
• A chance to work on the most exciting engineering projects and technologies along with Premium Customers
• A huge diversity of engineering projects and industries
• A competitive salary
• Private Medical Insurance
• Pension Scheme
• Cycle-to-work Scheme among many additional benefits
• Social atmosphere, regular gatherings, and team buildings
• Flexible way of working (role dependent)

This role will 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.