Senior Embedded Software Engineer

Commercial fleets are going electric, and the hard part is charging that is fast and reliable enough to keep trucks on the road. This business designs, installs and services high-power DC charging for heavy commercial vehicles, with live systems already running in UK depots.

Company Mission

Building megawatt-scale charging infrastructure to electrify commercial transport.

Role Overview

You will lead development of the embedded software inside high-power DC chargers, from microcontroller firmware up to the supervisory layer that talks to vehicles and the cloud. Your code runs on live sites, so reliability matters. Expect roughly 60% new development, 30% integration and test, and 10% supporting chargers in the field. Hybrid, two days a week on site in Birmingham.

What You'll Own - Embedded Development

• Scoping features from requirements through to validation and test
• Modern C++ firmware for STM32-class microcontrollers, written to MISRA
• Communication gateways linking charger subsystems, vehicles and cloud services
• Make or buy reviews across hardware, firmware and software as the product matures

What You'll Own - Protocols and Connectivity

• CAN and Modbus RTU over RS485
• OCPP 1.6J, 2.0.1 and 2.1 over WebSockets, plus MQTT telemetry for real-time monitoring
• Integrating energy meters, insulation monitoring devices, power modules and charging controllers
• Charger security: OCPP security profiles, TLS and certificate handling, secure boot and signed OTA updates
• Building team depth in IEC 61851 and ISO 15118

What You'll Own - Integration, Test and Field Support

• Board bring-up and system validation with hardware engineers and outsource partners, using scopes, CANalyzer, protocol testers and electronic loads
• Site commissioning and fault-finding on deployed chargers, sometimes directly with customers
• Structured logging, remote diagnostics and safe fleet-wide updates
• Unit tests, CI and hardware-in-the-loop rigs to cut manual testing
• Working safely around high-voltage DC equipment (training provided)

What You'll Own - Quality and Mentoring

• Code review, static analysis and unit testing as standard
• Sharing protocol knowledge through mentoring, documentation and design reviews

What We're Looking For - Essential

• Extensive commercial C++ on resource-constrained embedded systems
• Hands-on CAN and Modbus/RS485, plus MQTT and WebSockets
• RTOS and/or bare-metal experience, integrating firmware with Windows or Linux applications
• Firmware and hardware integration and test, including diagnosing faults on products already in service
• Degree in Computer Science, Electronic Engineering or similar, or equivalent experience

Strongly Preferred

• EV charging protocols: OCPP 1.6/2.0.1, IEC 61851, ISO 15118 / DIN 70121. Depth in an adjacent protocol-heavy, safety-conscious field (automotive, industrial control, energy) is also welcome

Useful

• Implementing charging protocol stacks, e.g. SECC-side ISO 15118, and awareness of MCS
• STM32, hardware security modules or power electronics
• Embedded Linux (Yocto, Torizon or similar)
• Windows application development (the current supervisory layer runs on Windows)
• Functional safety awareness
• Full UK driving licence for site visits

Package

Salary TBC, plus 5% employer pension, life assurance at 3x salary, discretionary bonus, EV salary sacrifice, cycle to work and enhanced family leave.

Get in touch for a confidential conversation. Imogen@waverecruitment.co.uk