Engagement Type: Contract (Outside IR35) To support their expanding vehicle programs and next-generation product roadmap, our client is seeking a skilled Software Tools & Architecture Engineer on a contract basis. In this pivotal role, you will define, standardise, and enhance the client's end-to-end software development ecosystem. You will bridge the gap between embedded software platforms, model-based control environments, automated toolchains, and hardware verification platforms. You will be responsible for defining robust, scalable software architectures and introducing modern process automation, CI/CD pipelines, and toolchains aligned with ASPICE principles, Key Responsibilities Architectural Definition & Governance: Define, document, and maintain the end-to-end software architecture across embedded platforms, OS layers (RTOS/AUTOSAR), middleware, applications, and verification environments for electric drive systems. Ecosystem & Toolchain Automation: Design, configure, and maintain a unified automated development environment-including build systems, code generation, CI/CD pipelines, automated test execution, and HIL/SIL/MIL integration. Toolchain Integration: Specify and integrate core engineering tools across the lifecycle, seamlessly connecting MATLAB/Simulink, autocode generation (TargetLink/Embedded Coder), compilers, static analysis tools, calibration (XCP/INCA), diagnostics, and ALM/PLM systems. Process & ASPICE Alignment: Support the definition and rollout of software engineering processes, methods, and quality gates aligned with ASPICE levels and functional safety expectations. Shift-Left Quality & Verification: Implement automated defect detection, model-in-the-loop (MIL), software-in-the-loop (SIL), processor-in-the-loop (PIL), and hardware-in-the-loop (HIL) automated testing frameworks to catch defects early. Metrics & Analytics: Establish quality metrics, dashboards, and feedback loops to monitor build stability, code coverage, defect trends, process compliance, and delivery cycle times. Cross-Functional Collaboration: Act as the technical nexus between embedded software, controls, systems engineering, motor design, electronics, and validation teams to ensure tool compatibility and architectural consistency. Release Engineering: Ensure release readiness through end-to-end requirements traceability, version control discipline, automated release generation, and verification evidence gathering. Technical Skills & Qualifications Essential Experience Automotive Software Architecture: Proven track record defining scalable, maintainable, real-time embedded software architectures for automotive or electric powertrain/drive applications. Model-Based Development (MBD): Deep hands-on experience with MATLAB/Simulink, Stateflow, and automated code generation workflows. CI/CD & DevOps for Embedded Systems: Demonstrable experience building and maintaining automated software delivery pipelines (e.g., Jenkins, GitLab CI, GitHub Actions) tailored for embedded C/C++ and MBD environments. Automotive Standards: Strong practical understanding of ASPICE process capability models and ISO 26262 functional safety requirements. Verification & Testing (X-in-the-Loop): Experience integrating MIL, SIL, PIL, and HIL (e.g., dSPACE, National Instruments, Vector) environments into continuous integration frameworks. Toolchain Mastery: Proficient with static/dynamic analysis tools (e.g., QAC, Coverity, Polyspace), version control (Git), issue tracking (Jira), and requirements tools (Doors/Jama). Randstad Technologies is acting as an Employment Business in relation to this vacancy