Principal Software Engineer – Embedded & Wireless Systems

PLEASE NOTE THIS ROLE REQUIRES RELOCATION TO ABU DHABI

Principal Software Engineer (Embedded & Wireless Systems)

We are seeking a hands-on Principal Software Engineer to lead the design and development of software for next-generation secure wireless communication systems. This is a deeply technical, engineering-led role focused on building high-performance, reliable, and scalable software across embedded platforms and distributed architectures.

You will work closely with hardware, firmware, and product teams to develop end-to-end software solutions, from low-level embedded systems on ARM-based platforms through to networking stacks and microservices. You will play a key role in shaping system architecture, driving performance optimisation, and ensuring seamless integration across complex communication systems deployed in high-impact, real-world environments.

What You'll Do

• Lead the development of software for ARM-based embedded systems running Linux
• Design and develop low-level software including kernel modules, device drivers, and Board Support Packages (BSP)
• Develop and optimise networking stacks, routing algorithms, and wireless communication protocols
• Design and implement scalable microservices and distributed system architectures
• Ensure high performance, low latency, and reliability across communication systems
• Perform system-level debugging, performance profiling, and optimisation
• Collaborate closely with hardware, firmware, and product teams for full system integration
• Drive best practices in software design, testing, and deployment
• Mentor and provide technical leadership to engineering teams
• Contribute to architecture decisions and long-term product evolution

What We're Looking For

• 10+ years of experience in embedded software, systems engineering, or related domains
• Strong experience with Embedded Linux and ARM-based platforms
• Expertise in C/C++ with additional experience in Python or similar languages
• Experience developing kernel modules, device drivers, and BSPs
• Strong understanding of networking protocols (TCP/IP, routing) and wireless systems (Wi-Fi, 5G, etc.)
• Experience with microservices, containerisation (Docker), and orchestration (Kubernetes)
• Strong debugging, performance optimisation, and system-level problem-solving skills
• Experience working in telecom, wireless, SATCOM, or defence environments is highly desirable
• Ability to operate at both hands-on technical and architectural levels
• Strong communication skills and ability to work across cross-functional teams

This is an opportunity to work on advanced, high-assurance secure communication systems where performance, scalability, and reliability are critical.

The hiring process can take approximately 2 - 4 months to reach offer stage due to multiple interview phases and required security clearances.