Software Integration Engineer – NATO Interoperability (NCDFCESMO)

Spektrum have a wide range of exciting opportunities in several global locations. We are always looking to add great new talent to our team and look forward to hearing from you.

Spektrum supports apex purchasers (NATO UN EU and National Government and Defence) and their Tier 1 supplier ecosystem with a wide range of specialist services. We provide our clients with professional services specialised aerospace and defence sales delivery and operational subject matter expertise. We are looking for personnel to join our team and support key client projects.

Who we are supporting

The NATO Communication and Information Agency (NCIA) is responsible for providing secure and effective communications and information technology (IT) services to NATOs member countries and its partners. The agency was established in 2012 and is headquartered in Brussels Belgium.

The NCIA provides a wide range of services including:

• Cyber Security: The NCIA provides advanced cybersecurity solutions to protect NATOs communication networks and information systems against cyber threats.
• Command and Control Systems: The NCIA develops and maintains the systems used by NATOs military commanders to plan and execute operations.
• Satellite Communications: The NCIA provides satellite communications services to enable secure and reliable communications between NATO forces.
• Electronic Warfare: The NCIA provides electronic warfare services to support NATOs mission to detect deny and defeat threats to its communication networks.
• Information Management: The NCIA manages NATOs information technology infrastructure including its databases applications and servers.

Overall the NCIA plays a critical role in ensuring the security and effectiveness of NATOs communication and information technology capabilities.

The program

Assistance and Advisory Service (AAS)

The NATO Communications and Information Agency (NCI Agency) is NATOs principal C3 capability deliverer and CIS service provider. It provides maintains and defends the NATO enterprise-wide information technology infrastructure to enable Allies to consult together under Article IV and when required stand together in the face of attack under Article V.

To provide these critical services in the modern evolving dynamic environment the NCI Agency needs to build and maintain high performance-engaged workforce. The NCI Agency workforce strategically consists of three major categorises: NATO International Civilians (NIC)s Military (Mil) and Interim Workforce Consultants (IWC)s. The IWCs are a critical part of the overall NCI Agency workforce and make up approximately 15 percent of the total workforce.

Role ID 2026-0099

Role Background

• The successful contractor will join the NCIA Command and Control Centre contributing to the design implementation testing and evolution of NATO interoperability standards used across multinational Command and Control (C2) systems.
• The role focuses on the implementation of the NATO Core Data Framework (NCDF) and CESMO (Coalition Electronic Support Measures Operations) standards supporting the development of software components APIs automated testing tools and validation activities that ensure interoperability across NATO systems.
• Working as part of a multidisciplinary Scrum team the consultant will collaborate closely with Project Managers Technical Leaders and subject matter experts to develop software maintain technical documentation participate in interoperability exercises and contribute to the continuous improvement of NATO standardisation activities.

Role Duties and Responsibilities

• Implement NATO interoperability standards within NATO software tools and frameworks.
• Contribute to the development review and maintenance of NATO standards including NCDF and CESMO.
• Develop and maintain software components supporting NATO Command and Control (C2) information exchange.
• Design and enhance TITO API software and supporting utilities.
• Develop XML message structures parsers decoders and protocol handling components.
• Design and implement automated testing tools supporting STANAG 5659 (NCDF).
• Execute functional integration and interoperability testing activities.
• Participate in NATO validation and interoperability exercises.
• Produce technical documentation API documentation and implementation guides.
• Maintain development backlogs provide project status updates and identify technical risks.
• Participate in Agile Scrum ceremonies and technical coordination meetings.
• Support the deployment of software within the NATO Software Factory (NSF).
• Deliver structured knowledge transfer through documentation code walkthroughs and technical presentations.
• Contribute to the design and development of CESMO traffic generation and validation capabilities.
• Deliver project outputs in accordance with agreed quality standards acceptance criteria and project milestones.

Essential Skills Experience and Certifications

• Proven experience in the redaction of NATO standards.
• Proven experience in the test of the ADatP-36 and the STANAG5659 standards.
• Proven knowledge of and practical experience in the operational or technical use of NCDF microservices supported by NCI Agency.
• Proven Knowledge of and practical experience in modern test engineering and test management methods and paradigms.
• Proven up-to-date knowledge of computer system architectures systems security client/server LAN/WAN and network concepts test techniques Database Management Systems (DBMS) and data management concepts.
• Proven recent experience in planning and execution of validation activities within largescale C2 exercises.
• 2 year of programming experience in one or more of JAVA JAVA Scripts Angular Python C#.
• Recent experience with XML and JSON technologies.
• Recent experiences with the Robot Framework test engine.
• Excellent written and spoken English skills.

Desirable Skills Experience and Certifications

• Desirable Bachelors degree in Computer Science Information Technology or a closely related engineering field.
• Experience in the test of the CESMO AEDP-13 / AEDP-13.3.1 Ed. B.
• Experience working in the NATO Software Factory (NSF).
• Experience supporting a recent NATO Interoperability exercises.
• Experience interpreting and/or capturing business and user requirements through use cases and developing test cases accordingly.
• Experience working with STANAGS 4774 and 4778.
• Knowledge of NATO FFT COT JDSS NCDF and other military or civilian interoperability standards for messaging and data exchange.

Working Location

• The Hague Netherlands.

Working Policy

• Remote with collaboration alongside the NCIA team in The Hague Netherlands.

• Approximately four weeks of on-site work at the NCIA in The Hague during the contract.
• 2 weeks at no later than 2 weeks after the kick-off meeting
• 2 weeks at the beginning of Dec 2026 to execute the handover activities.

• This contract is deliverable-based. Payment shall be linked exclusively to the satisfactory completion and formal acceptance of defined deliverables or percentage of them in accordance with agreed scope quality standards timelines and acceptance criteria.

Travel

• Some travel to other NATO sites may be required

Security Clearance

• Valid National or NATO Secret personal security clearance

We never know what new opportunities might be just over the horizon. If this opportunity isnt for you please feel free to send us your resume anyway and be the first to know if something suitable for your skills and experience comes up.