Design Engineer

We are looking for an experienced Hardware Design Engineer to join our Engineering team in the UK.

The successful candidate will be responsible for the design, development, testing, and continuous improvement of electronic hardware and circuit boards used in our products. You will work closely with firmware, software, manufacturing, and test engineering teams to take designs from concept through prototype, validation, production, and ongoing product support.

A key part of this role will also be the design and development of test equipment and production test systems, including the associated hardware and software required to test and validate products during manufacturing.

This is a hands-on engineering role suited to someone who enjoys solving technical problems, developing new hardware, testing prototypes, and supporting products through their full development lifecycle.

Key ResponsibilitiesHardware & Circuit Design

• Design and develop electronic hardware, circuit boards, and electrical assemblies.
• Create and maintain detailed schematics, circuit diagrams, and hardware specifications.
• Design analogue and digital electronic circuits.
• Select appropriate electronic components based on performance, availability, reliability, and cost.
• Evaluate new components, technologies, and design approaches to improve product performance.
• Perform design calculations, simulations, and technical analysis where required.
• Review existing hardware designs and identify opportunities for improvement.

PCB Design & Development

• Create and maintain PCB layouts using appropriate CAD/EDA tools.
• Work with PCB manufacturers and suppliers to ensure designs meet manufacturing requirements.
• Review PCB designs for signal integrity, power distribution, thermal considerations, manufacturability, and reliability.
• Support PCB prototyping, assembly, modification, and rework.
• Investigate and resolve PCB and hardware-related issues during development and production.

Prototype Development & Testing

• Build, modify, and test hardware prototypes.
• Develop test plans and procedures to verify hardware functionality and performance.
• Perform electrical measurements and troubleshooting using appropriate test equipment.
• Identify, diagnose, and resolve hardware faults.
• Analyse test results and implement design improvements.
• Support design verification, validation, reliability, and environmental testing.
• Investigate failures and perform root-cause analysis.

Hardware & Firmware Integration

• Work closely with firmware and software engineers to ensure effective hardware/software integration.
• Define and verify hardware interfaces required for firmware and software functionality.
• Troubleshoot issues involving the interaction between hardware, firmware, and software.
• Support firmware development and debugging where hardware-related issues are identified.
• Assist with hardware changes required to support new firmware features or product requirements.

Production Test Equipment & Systems

• Design and develop test equipment, fixtures, and systems for production testing.
• Develop electronic hardware used to test and verify production assemblies.
• Design interfaces between test equipment and the product under test.
• Develop and maintain software used to control or automate production test equipment.
• Work with Test Engineering and Production teams to improve test coverage, reliability, repeatability, and efficiency.
• Troubleshoot production test equipment and investigate false or intermittent test failures.
• Support the introduction of new production test systems alongside new product development.
• Document test equipment designs, schematics, software, operating procedures, and maintenance requirements.
• Improve existing production test equipment and processes as products and requirements evolve.

Compliance, Certification & Reliability

• Support product certification and compliance activities.
• Assist with EMC/EMI testing and troubleshooting.
• Support electrical safety, environmental, and reliability testing.
• Investigate and resolve issues identified during certification or compliance testing.
• Ensure hardware designs meet applicable technical and regulatory requirements.
• Work with external test laboratories and certification bodies where required.

Manufacturing & Production Support

• Support the transition of new hardware designs into production.
• Work with manufacturing teams to resolve hardware and assembly issues.
• Assist with Design for Manufacture (DFM) and Design for Test (DFT).
• Investigate production failures and recurring hardware issues.
• Support engineering changes, component substitutions, and product revisions.
• Work with suppliers and contract manufacturers when required.
• Provide technical guidance and documentation to production and manufacturing teams.

Documentation & Engineering Change Control

• Create and maintain hardware design documentation, including:
• Schematics
• PCB layouts
• Bills of Materials (BOMs)
• Component specifications
• Design specifications
• Test procedures
• Test reports
• Engineering change documentation
• Maintain accurate revision control of hardware designs.
• Document design changes and ensure appropriate engineering approvals are obtained.
• Ensure technical documentation remains current throughout the product lifecycle.

Required Experience & QualificationsEssential

• Proven experience as a Hardware Design Engineer, Electronics Engineer, Electronic Design Engineer, or similar role.
• Strong experience designing and troubleshooting electronic hardware.
• Experience designing analogue and digital circuits.
• Experience with schematic capture and PCB layout.
• Experience using electronic test and measurement equipment such as oscilloscopes, multimeters, signal generators, power supplies, etc.
• Experience developing and testing prototypes.
• Ability to read and interpret electrical and electronic schematics.
• Experience troubleshooting hardware at component and board level.
• Understanding of PCB manufacturing and assembly processes.
• Experience working collaboratively with firmware/software engineers.
• Strong analytical and problem-solving skills.
• Good technical documentation skills.

Desirable

• Experience designing production test equipment and automated test systems.
• Experience developing software used for production testing.
• Knowledge of embedded systems and microcontrollers.
• Experience with EMC/EMI testing and troubleshooting.
• Experience with electrical safety testing.
• Experience with power electronics.
• Experience with analogue measurement systems.
• Experience with Design for Manufacture (DFM) and Design for Test (DFT).
• Experience working with manufacturing and production engineering teams.
• Experience with product certification and compliance requirements.
• Experience in a regulated or safety-critical engineering environment.

Technical Skills

The ideal candidate will have experience with several of the following:

• Analogue and digital circuit design
• PCB design and layout
• Schematic capture
• Embedded hardware
• Microcontrollers and processor-based systems
• Power supplies and power electronics
• Sensors and measurement circuits
• Serial communication interfaces
• Hardware/software integration
• Production test systems
• Automated test equipment
• EMC/EMI testing
• Electrical safety testing
• Oscilloscopes and electronic test equipment
• Hardware troubleshooting and fault finding
• PCB assembly and manufacturing
• CAD/EDA design tools
• Test software and automation

Key Skills & Attributes

• Strong technical and analytical skills
• Hands-on approach to hardware development and troubleshooting
• Excellent problem-solving ability
• Attention to detail
• Ability to work independently and as part of a multidisciplinary engineering team
• Strong communication skills
• Ability to manage multiple engineering projects and priorities
• Practical approach to testing and fault finding
• Willingness to work directly with prototypes, production equipment, and test systems
• Ability to clearly document technical information and design decisions

Work Location: In person