Head of Software Engineering

Build the Technology Behind the Future of Autonomous Operations SkyBound is at an exciting point in its growth. We're winning new projects, expanding our technology teams, and continuing to invest in the software, AI, and autonomous systems that sit at the heart of the business. We're looking for a Hands-on Head of Software to work closely with our CTO and help shape the next phase of that journey. This role offers a rare opportunity to influence both the technical direction of the platform and the growth of the engineering team. You will serve as the most senior developer in the business - the ultimate technical point of escalation for complex software challenges - while simultaneously helping to lead and mentor the team. You'll have the freedom to make meaningful decisions, establish best-in-class engineering practices, and build products that actively support critical infrastructure operations across the UK. If you enjoy staying close to the code, solving difficult architectural problems, and having a direct, visible impact on the direction of a growing business, this is the role for you. About SkyBound SkyBound delivers automated drone operations for critical national infrastructure, providing real-time aerial intelligence to support safety, security and faster decision-making. We combine software, AI and remote operations, with systems managed from our Southampton-based 24/7 control centre and deployed across the UK in some of the most complex airspaces to enable rapid response and continuous site awareness. As we continue to scale, we are looking for a driven Head of Software professional to join the team and help shape the future of autonomous operations. Why This Role Is Different We are at a defining stage where the technical and architectural decisions made over the next 12 to 24 months will directly shape the long-term success of the business. You will join at a high-momentum moment when major customer projects are being delivered, our engineering team is expanding rapidly, and significant investment is being funnelled into AI and autonomy. This isn't a purely management-focused position where you step away from engineering. Instead, it offers the perfect balance: you'll hold high-level influence over technical strategy alongside our CTO, while remaining deeply hands-on with our codebase. You will set the benchmark for quality, step in to resolve the hardest technical hurdles, and mentor engineers through real-world problem solving. It is a genuine opportunity to leave your mark on a business rather than simply maintaining someone else's legacy systems. What You'll Be Doing As our most senior developer and hands-on software lead, your time will be split between driving core technical execution and guiding the software engineering function. You will work side-by-side with our CTO to turn high-level autonomous operational needs into robust, scalable software architecture. Your day-to-day responsibilities will include: Hands-on Technical Leadership: Writing clean, scalable code for core platform features and acting as the primary escalation point for complex technical, architectural, or debugging issues.Architecture & Standards: Helping define system architecture, selection of tooling, and engineering standards across our entire software ecosystem.Team Guidance & Delivery: Mentoring and developing engineers, reviewing code, driving delivery across multiple concurrent projects, and helping recruit top-tier technical talent.Cross-Department Collaboration: Working closely alongside our AI, Remote Operations, and Commercial teams to ensure our software seamlessly supports real-world autonomous drone deployments. Our Technology Stack You'll work directly across a modern, high-performance technology stack built for real-time responsiveness and scale: Frontend & Core Languages: React, TypeScript, and Node.jsCloud & Infrastructure: AWS cloud architecture, serverless services, and microservicesSpecialised Capabilities: Real-time data streaming, IoT device integrations, AI-powered applications, and geospatial/mapping technologies What We're Looking For We are far less interested in rigid job titles and far more interested in practical capability and impact. You might currently be working as a Head of Software, Lead Engineer, Engineering Manager, Software Director, or Principal Architect. What matters most is that you combine strong technical depth with a desire to foster and guide an engineering team: Proven Technical Authority: You have built and scaled complex software products, established technical strategy, and still love getting hands-on to solve difficult engineering problems.Leadership & Escalation: You have experience guiding developers, reviewing architecture, and serving as the trusted point of escalation when deep technical challenges arise.Agile & Fast-Paced Mindset: You thrive in fast-moving environments where you can influence direction, introduce best practices, and iterate quickly. Experience within startups, scale-ups, SaaS, AI, robotics, IoT, or autonomous systems is particularly valuable, but a passion for complex, real-time technology is what will make you succeed here. What You'll Get Competitive salary (£80,000 - £100,000)Equity opportunityRemote-first working model with flexible hoursDirect access to company leadership and key decision-makersSignificant influence over overall technology and company directionThe opportunity to build something genuinely meaningful alongside a brilliant team solving fascinating problems Most importantly, you'll join SkyBound at a stage where your technical contribution, leadership, and code will have a direct, visible impact on both our product and our future.