About The RoleFDM is a global business and technology consultancy seeking a Software Engineer to support our client within the Defence and Secure Technology sector. This is an initial 6-month contract with potential to extend, offered on a hybrid basis in London with two days per week onsite. Candidates must be eligible for UK security clearance (or already hold clearance).The role will support a new secure innovation project focused on early-stage RandD and rapid prototyping. The role will contribute to the delivery of a Technology Readiness Level 3 proof of concept, demonstrating how security-first engineering and emerging technologies such as AI can enhance collaboration and information sharing in high-trust, defence-aligned environments. This opportunity is well suited to engineers who enjoy experimentation, fast iteration, and working in environments where requirements evolve.ResponsibilitiesDesign and build rapid proof-of-concept prototypes within a secure system environmentIterate quickly based on experimentation, feedback, and learningApply security-first thinking to collaboration and information-sharing challengesContribute to system architecture and design suitable for secure or restricted environmentsIntegrate AI capabilities, including but not limited to language models, into prototype solutionsBuild maintainable and well-structured prototype code using Python, with clear documentationCollaborate closely with engineers, security specialists, and product stakeholde