Senior Software Engineer (Autonomy & Maritime Systems)
Possible
Sponsorship likelihood
This employer issued few or no visas recently
Not disclosed
Salary
Not disclosed by employer
£54,700
Going rate
Skilled Worker going rate
This role likely qualifies for a Skilled Worker visa
SOC 2134 (90% match) is an eligible occupation, with a going rate of £54,700, and L3Harris Commercial Training Solutions Limited is a licensed sponsor. That is our reading of the rules. Whether they issue a Certificate of Sponsorship is still their call.
New graduate or PhD holder? Pick one of the lower rates.
What each route needs for this job
| Occupation code | New entrant 70% of going rate | STEM PhD 80% of going rate | Relevant PhD 90% of going rate | Standard rate 100% of going rate |
|---|---|---|---|---|
2134 Programmers and software development professionals Most likely code | £38,300 | £43,700 | £49,200 | £54,700 |
We use the lowest threshold across the plausible codes. Likelihood is Possible at most when the pay clears only a lower rate, or only under a less likely code. How the Home Office picks the code
About the role
Job Title – Senior Software Engineer (Autonomy & Maritime Systems)
Job Location – Portchester, UK
Job ID – 44405
About this opportunity and L3Harris UK
Operating at 10 sites in the United Kingdom, L3Harris supports Britain's mission to secure and strengthen the country by delivering sovereign innovation across the space, air, land, sea and cyber domains.
L3Harris in Portchester is part of our Maritime UK business - a leading global supplier of integrated marine control systems and simulation products for warships, submarines and high-end commercial marine vessels worldwide. Our Maritime UK business has 4 UK locations and together we are powering the Royal Navy’s adoption of autonomous surface vehicle technology as well as delivering autonomous capability to UK ports, harbours and offshore energy service providers.
Join our Maritime Global Systems team and play a key role in delivering next-generation digital maritime solutions across vessels and offshore assets worldwide. We are seeking a highly skilled Senior Software Engineer with proven expertise in C++ software development, software architecture, and maritime autonomy systems. The successful candidate will provide technical leadership for the design, development, integration, and support of advanced autonomous and embedded software solutions across multiple strategic maritime programmes.
A few of our employee benefits are:
- Hybrid working where possible, three days onsite per week
- Flexible or part-time working arrangements considered upon request
- Half day finish on a Friday
- 25 days holiday per year (plus bank holidays), increasing with long service and with the opportunity to buy/sell up to 5 days
- Private medical insurance with optional family cover
- Pension scheme of up to 8% employer contribution
What the role will involve
The responsibilities of your role will include the following:
- Lead the design, development, and architecture of high-performance C++ applications for autonomous maritime systems.
- Provide technical leadership and mentorship to software engineers, promoting best practices in software design, code quality, and system integration.
- Collaborate with systems engineering, UX, QA, product management, and external partners to deliver high-quality software solutions.
- Drive Agile software development activities, including sprint planning, reviews, retrospectives, and continuous improvement initiatives.
- Utilise JIRA, GitLab, and CI/CD pipelines to manage development activities and ensure reliable software delivery.
- Oversee and contribute to Qt-based UI development for mission-critical operator interfaces.
- Ensure software solutions are robust, scalable, secure, maintainable, and supportable throughout the product lifecycle.
- Support development, integration, deployment, and DevOps activities within Linux (RHEL 8) environments.
What you’ll bring
The role requires the following experience and skills:
- Bachelor’s degree in Computer science, Software Engineering, or equivalent practical experience.
- Minimum 5 years of professional experience in C++ software development, including embedded or real-time systems.
- Proven experience providing technical leadership within Agile and DevSecOps environments.
Preferred Additional Skills:
- Experience with the Qt framework for GUI development.
- Knowledge of DevOps tools, build automation, and CI/CD pipelines.
- Experience with autonomous systems and maritime software applications.
- Understanding of UX principles and user-centred design.
- Experience supporting IRAD, R&D, or innovation-focused development programmes.
- Familiarity with embedded systems, sensor integration, and mission management software.
Important to know
Applicants who accept a conditional offer of employment must meet the requirement of right to work in the UK and must meet eligibility requirements for access to classified information and will be subject to government security checks.
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This description is the source posting as it read when we added it. We are not affiliated with L3Harris Commercial Training Solutions Limited, so check their own site for the current details.
Where this offer sits in the market
Programmers and software development professionals (SOC 2134) · UK · ONS ASHE 2025 · basic pay · ~399k in sample- Middle half £42,536–76,752
- Median £56,784
- Going rate £54,700
- Threshold £41,700
- New entrant £38,300–49,200
Similar sponsored roles
See all UK visa jobsAbout sponsorship for this role
Does this job guarantee visa sponsorship?
Not necessarily. L3Harris Commercial Training Solutions Limited holds a sponsor licence, but sponsorship for a specific hire is always the employer's decision. Be upfront in your application that you'll require it.
What salary is needed for this role to be eligible?
The offer must clear both the general threshold and the SOC 2134 going rate of £54,700. New-entrant and shortage discounts can lower it.