Principal Software Engineer.

About Forward NPD

Forward NPD is a Cambridge-based product development consultancy. We help our clients – from ambitious start-ups to global brands – turn their ideas into successful, manufacturable products. Our work spans the complete product development process, from earliest concept development through to in-life support. Our multidisciplinary team spans industrial and mechanical design, electronic engineering and software development. We focus on practical engineering that delivers.

The Role

We’re looking for a Principal Software Engineer to take technical leadership across a range of embedded and connected system projects.

You’ll combine deep embedded expertise with system-level awareness, equally at home configuring an RTOS on a low-power MCU as you are discussing cloud integration or data ingress with a client. You’ll guide technical direction, make pragmatic design choices, and still enjoy hands-on coding where it matters most.

This is a key role within a consulting business: part engineer, part architect, part trusted adviser to colleagues and clients alike.

What You’ll Do

• Lead the software design and development of embedded and connected systems, often centred on low-cost, low-power MCUs running RTOS.
• Take a system-wide view: balancing firmware, hardware, connectivity, and cloud considerations.
• Work directly with clients to capture requirements, shape architectures, and define delivery plans.
• Write, review, and integrate production-quality code in C/C++, and occasionally Python or other languages.
• Mentor other engineers and help drive best practice across design, implementation, and test.
• Stay on top of relevant technologies – particularly those shaping the IoT and connected device landscape.

What You’ll Bring

• Strong experience developing embedded software using C/C++ for RTOS-based systems (e.g., FreeRTOS, Zephyr, …) in both product development and consulting environments.
• Solid understanding of low-power, resource-constrained systems and experience of integrating wireless subsystems (e.g. BLE, Thread, Wi-Fi, LoRa, cellular, …) into embedded systems.
• Sound knowledge of embedded Linux.
• Experience of cloud, web, or mobile technologies and how they connect into device ecosystems.
• Proven ability to lead design discussions, make decisions, and communicate clearly with both engineers and clients.
• A balance of technical confidence and curiosity – you know your craft but still want to push it further.

Why Forward NPD?

• Work on varied, technically challenging projects that actually get built.
• Influence full product lifecycles — from concept through to manufacture and deployment.
• Enjoy autonomy, variety, and direct impact.
• Collaborate with a small, skilled team of engineers who care about doing things properly.

If you’re an experienced embedded developer who still enjoys hands-on engineering, and you want to play a leading role in how technology-enabled products are conceived and delivered, we’d love to talk.

To apply, please send a cover letter and CV to: [email protected].