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High Integrity Software Engineer

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Primary Secondary Post-16

Imagine you are building the computer brains for something super important, like an aeroplane or a machine that helps doctors. That is what a High Integrity Software Engineer does. They make sure the computer programmes are absolutely perfect and will never make a mistake, because even a tiny mistake could cause big problems. They are like super detectives for computer code, checking everything to make sure it is safe and works exactly as it should, every single time. They use special tools and follow very strict rules to write code that is really strong and reliable. This job is all about making sure technology is safe for everyone to use. This role is really important in places where safety is the number one rule. Think about the software that controls a train, or the system that keeps a power station running safely. High Integrity Software Engineers work on these kinds of projects. They spend their time designing, writing, and testing computer code with extreme care. They have to think about all the possible things that could go wrong and make sure their code is ready for them. It is a job for people who love solving puzzles, are very careful, and want to make the world a safer place with technology.

High Integrity Software Engineer

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📊 Statistics

Starting Salary

A new High Integrity Software Engineer in the UK might start with a salary between 25,000 to 35,000 pounds a year.

Experienced Salary

With lots of experience, a High Integrity Software Engineer could earn between 50,000 to 80,000 pounds or even more a year.

Job Openings

In the UK, there are hundreds of job openings each year for software engineers who work on important and safe systems, especially in places like aerospace, defence, and medical technology.

🚀 Careers in this path

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Games Tester

Imagine you get to play computer games all day and help make sure they work perfectly before other children get to play them! You tell the grown-ups if there are any wobbly bits or funny glitches.

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Robot Builder

You get to design and build cool robots, maybe even ones that can do helpful jobs or play with you. You make sure their brains, which are like tiny computers, know exactly what to do and dont get confused.

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App Designer for Kids

You think of fun new apps for phones or tablets, especially ones that teach children new things or let them play exciting games. You help make sure the app works super smoothly and doesnt crash when youre trying to play.

Learning the Basics

Get Good at Maths

Maths is like a secret code for understanding how things work, and it's super important for building computer programmes. Practice your numbers and problem-solving!

Maths helps you think logically and solve problems, which are key skills for computer programming. When you're older, you'll use maths to understand how different parts of a programme fit together and to make sure calculations are correct. Focus on algebra and logic puzzles, as these skills are really helpful for understanding computer science concepts.

Start Playing with Computers

Try playing games that teach you how to give instructions to a computer, like 'coding games'. It's like teaching a robot what to do!

There are lots of fun, free websites and apps that teach basic coding concepts for kids. Look for games like Scratch, Code.org, or Hour of Code. These programmes use colourful blocks you can drag and drop to make characters move or tell stories, helping you understand how commands work together to create something. This is a great way to start thinking like a programmer without needing to write complicated code yet.

Build Something Fun

Use your computer skills to create something cool, like a simple game or a short animation. Seeing your ideas come to life is exciting!

After playing with coding games, try to make your own small project. Maybe you can make a simple game where a character jumps over obstacles, or an animation of a dog wagging its tail. This step helps you apply what you've learned and encourages creativity. It also shows you that computers are tools for building amazing things, not just for playing games made by others.

Growing Your Skills

Learn About Computer Science

When you're a bit older, you can learn more about how computers really work. This includes understanding things like coding languages and how data is stored.

In secondary school, you can choose to study Computer Science as a subject. This will teach you more advanced concepts like algorithms (which are like recipes for computers), data structures, and different programming languages such as Python. Learning these will give you a stronger foundation for understanding how complex software is built and how to design it so it works reliably.

Practice Writing Code

The best way to get good at coding is to do it a lot! Try writing programmes for different things, like making a calculator or a quiz game.

Once you know a programming language, try to solve small problems by writing code. There are many online platforms that offer coding challenges or tutorials. The more you code, the better you become at finding solutions, fixing mistakes (which is called 'debugging'), and understanding how to write clear, organised code. For a high integrity software engineer, writing clear and correct code is super important.

Join a Tech Club

Lots of schools have clubs where you can build robots or learn more about computers with your friends. It's a great way to learn together!

Joining a school coding club, robotics club, or even an online community can be very beneficial. You'll meet other people who are interested in technology, share ideas, and work on projects together. Collaborating with others helps you learn how to work in a team, which is a big part of being an engineer. You can also get help when you're stuck and learn new tricks from your friends.

Becoming an Expert

Go to University

After school, you'll go to university to study computer science or software engineering. This is where you learn all the tricky stuff about building super reliable software.

To become a High Integrity Software Engineer, a degree in Computer Science, Software Engineering, or a related field is usually essential. Universities in the UK offer specialised courses that cover topics like formal methods, software verification, and safety-critical systems. These are the advanced techniques used to guarantee that software for things like aircraft or medical devices will never fail.

Do a Work Placement

While you're at university, try to work for a real company that builds important software. This gives you amazing experience!

Many university courses include industrial placements or internships. This is a fantastic opportunity to work on real-world projects with experienced engineers. You might get to work on software for aerospace, defence, or automotive industries. These placements help you apply your classroom knowledge and understand the high standards required for safety-critical software. It also helps you make contacts in the industry.

Get Your First Job

After university, you'll look for a job with a company that builds really important, super-safe software. You'll start as a junior engineer and keep learning every day!

Your first job as a High Integrity Software Engineer might be with companies that specialise in sectors like aerospace, automotive, medical devices, or nuclear power. You'll work alongside senior engineers, learning about the very strict rules and processes used to develop software that cannot fail. This involves lots of testing, documentation, and making sure every single line of code is perfect. You'll continue to learn and specialise as you gain more experience.

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🎯 View Apprenticeships

Explore relevant apprenticeships that can help you kickstart your career in High Integrity Software Engineer. Apprenticeships offer hands-on experience and training while earning a wage.

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Career Progressions

This page showcases various career options and the pathways to reach them. Each career listed here shares transferable skills and knowledge, making it easier for individuals to transition between them.

Your current career is highlighted to help you see how it fits into the broader landscape of potential career choices. By clicking on any career, you can learn more about it, including the training and education required to pursue it.

Remember, progressing in your career often involves further learning and training. This page provides insights into future career options as well as those that can lead up to your current one.

These career progression decisions are informed by comparing the skills and knowledge needed for different occupations, along with data on how people move between them. Explore the possibilities and discover the exciting journey ahead in your career!

Sample Qualifications

A 'High Integrity Software Engineer' primarily focuses on creating robust, reliable, and secure software systems, which aligns perfectly with the responsibilities of a 'Design and development engineer' who designs and develops new products and systems, often involving software components and requiring meticulous attention to detail and quality.

How to become

You can get into this job through:

  • a university course
  • an apprenticeship
  • applying directly

University

You can take a foundation degree, higher national diploma or degree course. 

Subjects include:

  • engineering product design
  • industrial design
  • computer-aided design engineering
  • engineering design and manufacture
  • materials science
  • maths and physics

Mechanical, electrical and civil engineering qualifications might also be accepted by employers.

Courses accredited by the Institution of Engineering Designers (IED) may help your career development later on.

Entry requirements

You'll usually need:

  • 1 or 2 A levels, or equivalent, for a foundation degree or higher national diploma
  • 2 or 3 A levels, or equivalent, including maths

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Apprenticeship

You might be able to apply for a Product Design and Development Engineer, or Robotics Engineer, Level 6 Degree Apprenticeship.

This can take around 4 and a half years to complete.

Entry requirements

You'll usually need:

  • 4 or 5 GCSEs at grades 9 to 4 (A* to C) and A levels, or equivalent, for a degree apprenticeship

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Direct Application

You could apply directly for design and development engineer roles.

You'll need experience and qualifications in a particular branch of engineering, for example:

  • mechanical
  • aerospace
  • energy
  • automotive
  • manufacturing

More Information

Further information

You can find out more about engineering careers and training from the Institution of Engineering Designers (IED) and Neon.

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