Electronic Design Engineer – Senior & Principal – Defence & R&D
Location: North Somerset – On-site, full-time
Salary: £65k- £80k
Security Clearance: Sole UK Nationals required, with eligibility and willingness to undergo UK Security Clearance
NexGen Associates is working with a niche Defence SME and specialist R&D consultancy to recruit experienced Senior and Principal Electronic Engineers to join their growing engineering team.
This is an exciting opportunity to work on technically challenging projects across Defence, aerospace and advanced technology environments, developing bespoke electronic systems from initial concept through to prototype, testing and manufacture.
The successful engineers will work within small, multidisciplinary teams alongside embedded software, FPGA, mechanical and systems engineers. You will have the opportunity to take genuine ownership of complex electronic designs while contributing to innovative R&D projects involving intelligent sensing, embedded processing, RF technologies and bespoke instrumentation.
Key Responsibilities:
- Design complex analogue, digital and RF electronic systems using Altium Designer.
- Develop production-ready schematics, PCB layouts and manufacturing data packs.
- Design high-density, mixed-signal PCBs incorporating high-speed digital and RF circuitry.
- Develop embedded hardware platforms for DSP and SDR applications.
- Select appropriate components, considering performance, availability, lifecycle and supportability.
- Produce and maintain Bills of Materials and associated engineering documentation.
- Support prototype assembly, board bring-up, testing, debugging and hardware validation.
- Develop engineering and production test procedures.
- Liaise with PCB manufacturers and assembly partners throughout the manufacturing process.
- Work closely with embedded software, FPGA, mechanical and systems engineers to define interfaces and system requirements.
- Consider power, thermal, EMC, grounding, shielding and mechanical requirements within designs.
- Participate in technical design reviews and customer progress meetings.
- Identify and resolve technical issues throughout the design and development lifecycle.
- Ensure engineering designs and documentation meet appropriate quality and development standards.
- For Principal Engineers, provide technical leadership and mentoring to junior and less experienced engineers.
- Contribute to the development of engineering best practice and support the wider technical capability of the business.
Essential Experience:
- Degree or equivalent qualification in Electronic Engineering or a related discipline.
- Proven professional experience in electronic engineering, ideally within Defence, aerospace, R&D or another technically demanding environment.
- Strong experience using Altium Designer.
- Strong analogue and digital electronics design capability.
- Experience designing complex, high-density and mixed-signal PCBs.
- Experience working with high-speed digital interfaces and RF circuitry.
- Strong understanding of RF PCB layout, impedance control, grounding, shielding and EMC considerations.
- Experience developing hardware for embedded, DSP and/or SDR applications.
- Proven experience taking electronic designs from initial concept through prototype and into manufacture.
- Experience with PCB bring-up, testing, debugging, validation and fault finding.
- Practical soldering, rework and prototype assembly experience.
- Strong technical documentation and reporting skills.
- Excellent communication and interpersonal skills.
- Ability to work collaboratively within small multidisciplinary engineering teams.
Desirable Experience:
- Experience within Defence, aerospace, security or specialist R&D environments.
- Experience with FPGA development or FPGA-based hardware.
- Experience with embedded software bring-up and hardware/software integration.
- Knowledge of DSP and Software Defined Radio (SDR) technologies.
- Experience working with high-frequency or RF systems.
- Experience supporting products through design verification, qualification and production.
- Previous experience providing technical leadership or mentoring engineers.
- Experience engaging directly with customers and supporting technical discussions.
- For Principal level, demonstrated experience providing technical ownership and leadership across complex engineering projects.
Eligibility:
- Applicants must be Sole UK Nationals.
- Must have the right to work in the UK.
- Must be eligible and willing to undergo UK Security Clearance.
Location & Facilities:
- North Somerset
- On-site, full-time
- Free on-site car parking with EV charging points
- Train station within walking distance with access to/from Bristol
- Cycle storage and showers available
Staff Benefits:
- Competitive salary
- 25 days annual leave plus bank holidays
- Option to buy/sell annual leave
- Flexible working hours
- Pension scheme
- Private health plan
- Cycle to Work Scheme
- Tech Scheme
- Electric Car Scheme
- Company social events
- Fruit, snacks and hot drinks provided
Pay: £65,000.00-£80,000.00 per year
Work Location: In person
