C2 Software Engineer

C2 Software Engineer

National Oceanography Centre, Southampton

Permanent

Full time

£43,703

Who are we?

We are the National Oceanography Centre (NOC) - the UK’s leading institution for integrated coastal and deep ocean research. Through our ground-breaking research, collaboration, and game-changing innovation we work to gain a deeper understanding of our ocean, helping every living thing on our planet flourish.

We are made up of a dynamic and vibrant community focused on solving challenging long-term marine science problems, underpinning international and UK public policy, business and societal outcomes.

The ocean has the potential to provide the solutions to so many of the social, economic and environmental challenges we face worldwide. To truly harness the value of the ocean, we put ocean research, science and discovery at the heart of our culture.

Join us in shaping the future of oceanographic research and contribute your unique perspective to our organisation.

About the role

We are seeking a Software Engineer to join our Command and Control (C2) team within the Marine and Autonomous Robotics Systems group (MARS). You will work alongside a team of talented engineers whose skills span modern frontend development, scalable backend services, infrastructure management and advanced AI algorithms. Our team’s diverse expertise drives a wide array of projects from crafting intuitive user interfaces to architecting reusable frameworks that supports cutting-edge AI systems for uncrewed Marine Autonomous Systems (MAS) in oceanographic research.

The C2 team is developing a web-based ecosystem that lets operators control Marine Autonomous Systems (MAS) from ship or shore, whether they’re nearby or beyond the horizon using satellite links, underwater acoustics and other communication networks. The system facilitates the transfer and processing of scientific and engineering data in near real time which feeds leading research programs and international datacentres that support studies in climate change, under-ice exploration and a host of other oceanographic endeavours.

Our technology stack spans Vue and Nuxt.js on the frontend, Python and Flask microservices for the backend, container orchestration with Kubernetes and Docker, PostgreSQL for data storage, plus Git, ArgoCD, Ansible and Rocky Linux for deployment and operations.

We’re looking for a candidate with hands-on experience across the web development stack with a strong interest in building backend microservices. In this role you’ll primarily design, implement and test Python-based services that power our digital ecosystem. Depending on your interests, you may also contribute to infrastructure automation or frontend development.

This position is primarily office-based, but you’ll also have occasional opportunity to join shore-based field operations or aboard our research vessels. In those settings, you’ll collaborate with engineers across disciplines to test and refine new technologies.

About you

We’re looking for a detail-oriented Software Engineer to join our Agile team, where every voice matters. You’ll collaborate daily; sharing, debating, and implementing best practices to design and build robust solutions. Our culture of mutual respect and inclusivity ensures your ideas shape our technology and drive continuous improvement.

You will hold a BSc, BEng or equivalent in a relevant field of engineering, computer science or related discipline. You will have hands-on experience testing and developing in Python following the microservices architecture pattern, or similar backend philosophies, and you’re ready to apply and adapt your expertise to our technology stack. While not essential, you may bring valuable experience with frontend JavaScript frameworks such as Vue.js or with DevOps infrastructure technologies like Kubernetes and Ansible.

You’re an engineer who delights in diving into the implementation details whether they are your own or a colleague’s. You approach every task, review and test with curiosity and care. In our no-blame culture, you feel comfortable giving and receiving constructive feedback, sharing both successes and challenges so that the whole team can learn and grow. You believe that collective ownership of our code and open collaboration are the keys to delivering robust, high-quality software.

You are always eager to learn new tools, technologies and methodologies and to share those discoveries with your colleagues. You look for opportunities to refine our workflows, suggest improvements to our practices, and introduce processes that help us deliver faster and more confidently.

Why NOC?

We offer a generous set of benefits, including:

- 30 days contractual annual leave, plus 3.5 extra closure days and bank holidays

- a 10% employer contribution pension scheme

- access to our Employee Assistance Programme, offering free and anonymous support on mental, physical, emotional, health and financial issues

- access to a flexible benefits portal offering online discounts, cashback and eGift cards

- a Cycle2Work scheme allowing employees to acquire bikes and accessories

- a great working environment with a number of social events, including summer and Christmas celebrations

- we are proud to be a Living Wage Employer

Location

This position will be based in Southampton. The centre is well connected by public transport and has ample cycle parking in addition to free onsite car-parking with over 40 EV charging points.

The NOC has a hybrid working approach where for most positions staff can work from home up to 2 days per week. If you are interested in this position, but require a more flexible working arrangement, please contact the recruitment team using the contact details below.

Please note, due to UK visa salary thresholds, we are unable to offer sponsorship for this position. We may be able to offer financial support for applicants who will need to relocate for this position.

Submitting an application

Please click ‘Apply for this job’ and submit an up-to-date CV andcover letter. Please be aware that applications submitted without a cover letter will not be considered.

If you are unable to apply online, please contact the NOC recruitment team at [email protected] / 07355 676794.

Before submitting your application please ensure you have reviewed the attached job description and person specification.

We are committed to fostering diversity and inclusion in our workplace. We actively encourage qualified candidates from all backgrounds to apply for this position, as we strive to create a supportive and equitable environment where all voices are valued and heard.

Those seeking employment at NOC are considered solely on their qualifications, skills and experience, without regard to gender, gender identity, age, race, religion, disability, sex, sexual orientation, relationship status, family status (including pregnancy / maternity leave) or any other protected characteristic.

There is a guaranteed interview scheme for candidates who meet the minimum criteria of the position and declare a disability. NOC is an Investors in People organisation.

Date advert posted: 17/07/2025

Closing date: 14/07/2025. This vacancy may close earlier depending on the number of applicants.

Please note we are not accepting applications via recruitment agencies for this position.