Head of Software Engineering

Full time London (UK) / Hybrid 21 MAY 2026

Head of Software Engineering

Location: London, UK (Hybrid)
Company: Spaceflux Ltd
Reports to: Chief ProductOfficer

About Spaceflux

Spacefluxdelivers sovereign-grade optical space intelligence through a global network of optical and SWIR-enabled sensors and an AI-powered cloud platform. We provide real-time tracking, characterisation, and analytics from LEO to GEO, supporting government and commercial missions with actionable intelligence in seconds. We also deliver tailored sensor system packages, specialist services, and domain intelligence consultancy.

Role Overview

We're looking for a Head of Software Engineering to own the technical architecture and delivery of the Spaceflux platform. You'll work directly with the CPO and CTO to translate a demanding product roadmap into well-designed, scalable software. You'll lead and grow our 10-person engineering team who build and operate it.

This is an architecture-led leadership role. You'll own system design, define technical standards, make hard calls on trade-offs, and unblock your team. You won't be managing from a distance.

The platform is cloud-native, data-intensive, and operationally critical. We process observations from sensors on five continents, run AI/ML pipelines at the edge and in the cloud, and serve government customers who have no tolerance for downtime.

Key Responsibilities

• Lead the technical evolution of the Cortex platform over the coming years, working closely with the CPO and CTO on architecture direction and roadmap planning.
• Build a new UKsoftwareteam forSpaceflux, working alongside our current remote team
• Own engineering delivery: sprint cadence, quality, velocity, and the relationship between product requirements and technical reality.Workingwithour Systems Engineer and delivery team.
• Drive platform stability and scalability as the sensor network expands to 25+ sites and customer demand grows.
• Lead on engineering security practices, particularly in the context of UK Government and defence data handling.
• Work with Ops to improve observability, incident response, and the reliability of a 24/7 operational system.

Essential Skills and Experience

• Strong full-stack background: comfortable with cloud infrastructure.Proven experience leading engineering teams shipping production software in complex, data-intensive domains, with strong ownership of system architecture and design.
• Prior experience managing remoteor contracted engineering teams.
• Experience in systems where reliability and data integrity genuinelymatter:defence, aerospace, finance, or similar.
• Track recordof working closely with product and leadership to balance pace with quality.
• Clear communicator who canoperateat architecture level and pull request level in the same week.
• Experience withagentic engineering toolsand AI-assisted devworkflows. We use these daily and expect our leadersto drive their effective adoption.
• Eligible for UK security clearance (SC and UK eyes only).This role involves working on UK Official Sensitive programmes.

Desirable Skills and Experience

• Experience with satellite systems, telescope control, or space domain awareness.
• Familiarity with edge computing and distributed sensor networks.

Other Requirements

• Able to commute to central Londonapproximately twicea week, with occasionaladditionaltravel for customer or partner needs.
• Able to travel within the UK and occasionally internationally to collaborate with the widerSpacefluxteam, meet customers, and attend technical events.
• Able tomaintainaccess to a reliable broadband connection.

Spaceflux Ltd is an equal opportunity employer. We celebrate diversity and are committed to creating an inclusive environment for all employees.