About the role

Why you would like it:

• Own the software architecture strategy end-to-end 
• Modernise a legacy/on-prem platform without “stop the world” rewrites 
• Big mix of IoT + automation + real-world hardware integration 
• Build and mentor a small team into something scalable 
• Hamilton-based role with hybrid working

The opportunity:

This organisation’s software function is at a turning point. Today, it’s a small team supporting an established dairy automation platform that’s largely on-prem, with remote access that isn’t where customers want it to be. The goal is clear: evolve towards a modern, edge-focused architecture with sensible cloud integration — while keeping existing customers stable and supported.

You’ll come in to assess what’s there, understand the commercial drivers, and shape a pragmatic transition plan. Think stabilise, simplify, and modernise in parallel. It’s a hands-on architecture role with leadership responsibility, and it needs someone comfortable balancing technical direction with real-world constraints (time, compliance, manufacturing realities, and customer impact).

Company profile:

An established product-led organisation designing and supporting industrial machinery used in demanding, real-world environments. You’ll work closely with product development, manufacturing, technical support, and sales teams — with plenty of stakeholder contact and a clear mandate to lift software capability.

The role:

• Define the future software architecture for an edge-first platform with cloud integration
• Evaluate build vs buy vs third-party automation options and make clear recommendations
• Tidy up and stabilise the current platform for reliability and robustness
• Put strong engineering practices in place (including Agile ways of working)
• Hire, lead, mentor, and grow a small software team 
• Work across product, manufacturing, support, and commercial stakeholders
• Ensure documentation, IP protection, and quality practices are upheld
• Consider compliance expectations common to industrial/automation products

Your fit:

• Strong background in software architecture/design in industrial, automation, or IoT environments
• Comfortable integrating hardware + software components into a cohesive product platform
• Experience modernising legacy systems incrementally (not just greenfields)
• Proven ability leading teams and lifting engineering maturity (Agile, quality, delivery)
• Confident communicator who can translate trade-offs for technical and non-technical audiences
• Commercially pragmatic — able to make calls and move things forward
• Bonus: exposure to factory/industrial settings and product compliance constraints

If this sounds like the sort of “make it better without breaking it” challenge you enjoy, apply now and we’ll talk through the details.

REF:19353