Principal Software Engineer, Hawk-Eye Innovations
C++ - Cloud Video Framework
£74.8-98.4k
2-5 days a week in office
Sports officiating & broadcast technology
Open for applications
Sports officiating & broadcast technology
1001+ employees
Open for applications
£74.8-98.4k
2-5 days a week in office
1001+ employees
Company mission
To deliver best-in-class officiating, broadcast, and digital solutions to the sports world.
Role
Who you are
- C++ Authority: Mastery of modern C++ (ideally up to C++20) with extensive experience writing multithreaded, performance-optimized code for high-pressure environments
- Deep Video Expertise: Significant experience "under the hood" with video. You should have experience using FFmpeg and understand the trade-offs between different compression standards and bitstreams
- Leadership Gravity: Proven ability to lead people and technical directions. You have the soft skills to navigate stakeholders and the technical depth to win the respect of elite developers
- Tooling & Workflow: Total comfort with Git, Visual Studio, and advanced debugging workflows for complex, distributed systems
- Problem-Solving Mindset: A proactive approach to solving real-world problems and an eagerness to contribute to a culture of continuous improvement
What the job involves
- Hi, I’m Tim Seals, Principal Software Engineer and C++ Apps Discipline Lead
- At Hawk-Eye, we build systems that power some of the most exciting and critical moments in sport—from instant replays to high-stakes officiating decisions seen by millions around the world
- Our Cloud Video Framework team is the engine behind these moments
- We are looking for a Principal Software Engineer to lead the development of our next-generation video services
- While our heritage is in-stadia hardware, our future is a hybrid ecosystem where "the edge" meets the cloud
- This is a high-impact leadership role focused on building the foundational frameworks that ensure our video remains performant, frame-accurate, and rock-solid in any environment
- Architectural Leadership: You'll own the technical roadmap for our core C++ video frameworks, ensuring they are modular, scalable, and optimized for both local and distributed environments
- Engineering Excellence: Write and review high-performance, multithreaded C++ code that serves as the gold standard for the rest of the organization
- Video Mastery: Leverage deep knowledge of video codecs and containers—specifically using FFmpeg—to solve complex synchronization and transcoding challenges
- Strategic Mentorship: Lead technical discussions, contribute to design decisions, and act as a force multiplier by mentoring Senior and Mid-level engineers
- Cross-Functional Collaboration: Partner with product teams and customers to refine and deliver the best solutions for live global sports
Our take
Hawk-Eye Innovations, part of Sony, delivers technology that enhances fairness, safety, and excitement for thousands of sporting events worldwide. As a leader in vision processing, Hawk-Eye provides solutions for officiating, video management, production, broadcasting, and digital experiences, helping teams, officials, and fans enjoy sports more effectively.
With a long list of clients, including Adidas, Fox Sports, and Nascar, Hawk-Eye has firmly established itself as a cornerstone of sports innovation. The company is constantly pushing boundaries, and is often called upon to create bespoke solutions tailored to the unique needs of sports leagues and broadcasters.
More recently, Hawk-Eye has continued to expand its use of automated officiating systems, particularly in tennis and football, where line-calling and offside decisions are increasingly driven by real-time tracking and AI-assisted analysis. These systems not only improve accuracy but also speed up decision-making, reducing disruption to gameplay. As leagues look to balance fairness with flow, hawk-Eye's technology is becoming an integral part of how modern sports is governed.
Steph
Company Specialist at Welcome to the Jungle
Insights
13% employee growth in 12 months
Company
Company benefits
- Flexible & Remote Working
- Generous Annual Leave
- Company Reward Schemes
- Health & Wellness Activities
- Onsite Gym
- Free Access to Unmind App
- Sony Discounts
- Pension Scheme
Company HQ
Basingstoke, UK
Leadership
Rufus Hack
(CEO)Rufus joined Hawk-Eye in 2021 as CEO. Prior to this, he worked at the European Tour for 6 years as the Head of Strategy, Chief Content Officer, and COO.
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