Graduate/Junior Forward Deployed Software Engineer | Defence Technology | London
Competitive Salary + Equity + Outstanding Benefits
You could spend your first few years as a graduate building features that never leave a laptop.
Or you could build software that gets deployed into real-world defence and security environments.
We're partnering with a well-funded technology company developing software that combines AI, data and modern engineering to solve complex problems for defence and security organisations.
As a Forward Deployed Software Engineer, you'll get the opportunity to take your engineering skills into environments where the problems are genuinely challenging and the work has real-world consequences.
What you'll get to do
- You'll work on technically difficult problems across software, AI and data rather than being restricted to one narrow area
- You'll work directly with defence and security users, giving you a genuine understanding of how the technology you're building is used
- You'll build and deploy software into real operational environments and see the impact of your work first-hand
- You'll solve problems where there isn't necessarily an obvious or existing solution
- You'll work alongside highly capable engineers and learn how to build software for demanding environments
- You'll get exposure to different systems, technologies and deployment environments as you move between projects
- You'll have the opportunity to travel to customer sites across the UK and potentially overseas
You'll be a strong fit if you have
- A First or 2:1 in Computer Science, Software Engineering, Mathematics, Physics, Engineering or another strong STEM discipline
- Strong programming ability in Python, C++, Java, Rust or similar
- A genuine interest in defence, security, autonomy or mission-critical technology
- A strong instinct for solving difficult problems
- The confidence to communicate with different types of people
- The curiosity to pick up new technologies and domains quickly
Internships, university projects, personal projects and open-source contributions are all valued.
What you'll get in return
- Meaningful work: Build technology that contributes to real defence and security capabilities
- Technical challenge: Work on problems that will push you significantly beyond university-level engineering
- Fast development: Learn from experienced engineers while taking on responsibility early
- Real-world exposure: See your software move from development into deployment
- Variety: Work across different customers, systems and technical challenges
- Career progression: Develop into an engineer capable of operating across both product development and deployment
- Equity: Have genuine ownership in the company you're helping to build
Due to the nature of the work, applicants must have the right to work in the UK and be eligible to obtain UK Security Clearance.
If you want your first engineering role to involve real problems, real users and technology that genuinely matters, I'd be happy to tell you more.