Lead SWE

Lead Software Engineer Reports to: Director of Engineering Department: Engineering 💼 About the role PQShield is looking for a Lead Software Engineer to help lead a cryptographic software IP team. As a Lead Software Engineer, you will be responsible for overseeing the entire software development lifecycle, from design to testing, and ensuring the delivery of high-quality software solutions. This includes planning, organizing, and managing the software development, including setting timelines, allocating resources, and tracking progress. You will work across a variety of environments, solving complex problems and developing other engineers, while maintaining a strong focus on quality and best practices. You will support the hiring, training, and managing of a team of software engineers, fostering collaboration, and resolving conflicts. Candidates should hold a degree in Electronic Engineering/Computer Science or equivalent experience, backed by at least 10 years in software design and/or verification. We are looking for a technical lead—or a senior engineer ready to step up into leadership—to guide our team. Knowledge of cryptographic engineering and side-channel attack resistance is a major bonus. You should be ready to contribute to cross-team strategy, lead architectural reviews, and drive planning for your team. Founded in 2018, we are a well-funded deep tech startup with proven technology and a clear path to market. Joining us now offers a unique opportunity to work directly with our founders and inventors, fast-track your career progression, and shape a rapidly expanding segment of the semiconductor industry (Post-Quantum Cryptography and RISC-V). This is a great opportunity for career progression and to get a head start in a rapidly expanding segment of the semiconductor industry (Post-Quantum Cryptography and RISC-V). ⚒️ What you’ll be doing • Working with other engineering leaders and project managers to plan and allocate work, ensuring we are delivering on our product roadmap. • You’ll be expected to take on a technical leadership role, and be responsible for coordinating and delivering application and embedded software IP design projects from conception to customer delivery. • Line Management of a software engineering team: • Identifying hiring needs, conducting interviews, and selecting suitable candidates for open positions. • Orienting new colleagues, providing necessary training, and ensuring they have the tools and knowledge to succeed. • Setting clear expectations, providing regular feedback, conducting performance reviews, and recognising and rewarding achievements. • Identifying training and development opportunities to help colleagues grow their skills and advance their careers. • Addressing under-performance, providing coaching and support, and taking disciplinary action when necessary. • Fostering positive relationships with team members, resolving conflicts, and promoting a positive work environment • Ensuring the software engineering team has all of the tooling and infrastructure it needs to function well. • Mentoring other colleagues, and being a point of contact for software design expertise within the company. • Working with verification engineers to review verification and test plans. • Define architectural definitions for complex algorithmic and/or system level solutions. • Providing feedback to colleagues on feasibility of implementation and specification quality. • Working closely with other teams and project stakeholders, and acting as an enabler for their development work. E.g. coordinating with hardware engineers or our product vulnerability team. • Engaging with customers, including helping with integration questions, or answering questions during technical sales calls. • Ensuring clean lint and implementation reports for IP blocks and subsystems. 🎯 Required Skills And Qualifications • Excellent written and verbal communication skills. • Confidence in planning out a project development cycle and coordinating with project managers as development progresses. • A commitment to high quality engineering in all areas of their work, including advocating for the best long-term solutions over the easiest or quickest. • Self-starter with the ability to work with and inspire a team. • Experience building software IP blocks from scratch, and owning the process from initial specification through to customer delivery. • Expert level C experience in an embedded environment. • Able to apply knowledge effectively in unfamiliar situations and actively maintains own knowledge and shares with others. • Rapidly absorbs and critically assesses new information and applies it effectively. • Specifies architectural solutions to technical challenges across multiple technical domains. • Understanding of cryptographic algorithms, protocols, and key management systems. 👍 Preferred Skills And Qualifications • Familiarity with PQC standards and protocols (e.g., NIST PQC). • Familiarity with Rust in an Embedded environment. • Previous experience with software/hardware co-designs. • Arm & RISC-V experience. • Knowledge of side-channel security countermeasures. • Confidence using Gitlab CI, or otherwise principles of continuous integration and testing. • Confidence with the Python programming language. • Previous experience managing a cross-functional software team successfully. 🏆 Some of the perks of working with us: • Unparalleled opportunities to learn and accelerated career development. • A collaborative, team environment with people who truly love what they do. • Competitive salary and share option scheme. • Flexible and hybrid working, and a working from home budget. • Private health insurance for yourself and your family. • 25 days annual leave (plus bank holidays and two wellness weeks). • 50% gym membership discount. • The chance to work with a spirited, smart, and friendly team! PQShield is an Equal Employment Opportunity employer. We’re passionate about talent and proud to foster an inclusive environment; all applicants will be considered regardless of their gender identity, ethnicity, sexual orientation, disability, and age.