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!