* Location: Just north of Cambridge, UK
* Salary: Up to £70k
* Fully in-office
We are working with a highly innovative engineering organisation operating at the forefront of secure communications technology. Their products deliver mission-critical connectivity solutions used globally across public safety, defence, transport, utilities and commercial sectors.
They are now seeking a Principal Linux / Android Platform Engineer to join their expanding Software Team, contributing to the next generation of broadband-enabled devices built on advanced Android and Linux-based platforms.
The Role
This is a true Android platform engineering role, focused on AOSP, Linux kernel and low-level system development rather than application development. You will play a key role in the development, configuration & optimisation of the Android platform, working deep within the Android framework and underlying Linux system layers.
Key areas of responsibility include:
* Android platform development and AOSP customisation.
* Linux kernel configuration, tuning and performance optimisation.
* Scheduler tuning, latency reduction and power management improvements.
* Modifying Android framework services and system components.
* Working within large-scale codebases using Git (branching, merging, upstream integration).
* Integration of open-source tools for debugging, profiling and performance analysis.
* Development of system-level C++ components in real-time, multi-threaded environments.
* Supporting integration testing, issue investigation and root cause analysis.
* Producing design documentation and contributing to architectural decisions.
* Collaborating in agile scrum teams on mission-critical product development.
What We're Looking For
Essential:
* Strong understanding of Android architecture and AOSP internals.
* Solid background in Linux system programming and/or kernel development.
* Experience optimising Linux/Android systems (performance, power, latency).
* Proficiency in C++ in embedded, real-time, multi-threaded environments.
* Experience with Android framework components such as Binder, AIDL, System Services (C++/Java), Framework APIs, NDK/JNI, SELinux, CTS.
* Experience working with mobile or embedded Linux platforms.
* Strong familiarity with debugging and profiling tools (memory, performance, code coverage, leak detection).
* Structured engineering approach with an understanding of software quality processes.
Nice to Have:
* Experience with Linux open-source configuration and patch management.
* Exposure to hardware teams (schematics, oscilloscopes, logic analysers).
* Background in ruggedised devices, secure communications or embedded consumer electronics.
The Environment
* Highly collaborative, engineering-led organisation.
* Stable, long-term team with strong technical leadership.
* Agile scrum-based delivery model.
* Focus on building robust, mission-critical systems used in demanding environments.
* Strong emphasis on in-office collaboration (5 days per week).
Who This Role Suits
Either:
1. A true Android AOSP platform engineer looking to work on complex system-level challenges.
2. A strong embedded Linux engineer ready to transition into Android platform development.
You'll thrive here if you enjoy deep technical work, system-level problem solving and building software that operates close to the hardware in high-reliability environments.