Description
Senior Software Engineer — Security Systems
Mission Critical Applications Limited (MCA) is a UK SME specialising in high-integrity applications for safety- and security-critical systems, with expertise in embedded and real-time systems, formal methods, secure systems (including CHERI) and networks.
The role
This is a great opportunity to join MCA on a new R&D project.
You'll be a core member of a small engineering team building a network security guardian, taking it from early design through to a working prototype.
What you'll be doing
- Designing and implementing protocol-handling and session-management logic in Python and C/C++
- Building and testing components on Unix/Linux-based CHERI systems
- Integrating components into the full system and testing against third-party network equipment
Essential
- Strong C/C++ development experience on Unix/Linux platforms
- Strong Python development experience, especially protocol-level communications
- Experience with network protocol implementation or low-level systems programming
Desirable
- CHERI experience (or experience with capability-based / memory-safe architectures) is highly desirable
- Comfortable working with AI, ideally with experience of co-development with AI
Key details
Remote (UK-based), with occasional travel for events/meetings
Contract or permanent employment considered
Full-time or part-time (around 3 days a week expected)
Starting October or November 2026, running to August 2027, with the potential to continue beyond that
Reports to the Principal Investigator
Compensation: competitive, commensurate with experience, discussed directly with candidates
What we offer
- Remote, flexible working within a small, highly experienced engineering team
- Hands-on work with CHERI capability-based hardware, a UK-led secure computing technology
- A new R&D project taken from early design through to a working prototype
- The potential to continue with MCA beyond the initial engagement
Eligibility
You must be based in the UK and have the right to work in the UK.
Any offer is subject to right-to-work checks and satisfactory references, and may be subject to further security checks given the nature of the work.