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# Lead Hardware Engineer

- **Company:** Winsearch
- **Location:** Luton, UK
- **Experience:** Expert
- **Salary:** £135,200.0
- **Contract:** Temporary contract
- **Skills:** Altium Designer, Software Debugging, Digital Electronics, Ethernet, Firmware, Field-Programmable Gate Array (FPGA), OrCAD, PCI Express, Signal Processing, Signal Integrity, Software Requirements Analysis, Verification and Validation (Software), SC Clearance, Pcb Layout, Hardware Debugging
- **Published:** September 15, 2026
- **Apply:** https://www.collegerecruiter.com/job/2879177729-lead-hardware-engineer

## About the Role

We're keen to hear from engineers with experience in high-speed digital electronics design gained within defence, aerospace or other highly regulated industries.

Essential

 * Strong background in FPGA and SoC-based hardware architectures.
 * Experience designing complex multilayer PCB assemblies.
 * Knowledge of high-speed serial interfaces, processors and memory subsystems.
 * Experience with tools such as Altium Designer, OrCAD, Xpedition or equivalent.
 * Practical hardware debugging and fault-finding experience using industry-standard test equipment.
 * Understanding of signal integrity, power integrity and timing considerations.
 * Experience integrating hardware, firmware and software within embedded systems.
 * Ability to translate system requirements into effective hardware solutions.
 * Experience supporting verification, validation and qualification activities.

Desirable

 * Electronic Warfare, Radar, RF, Communications or Sensor Systems experience.
 * Safety-critical or mission-critical product development.
 * FPGA signal processing architectures.
 * Knowledge of aerospace and defence standards including DO-254, DEF STAN or MIL-STD.
 * Experience leading technical reviews and mentoring engineers.
 * Design for Manufacture, Design for Test and Design for Reliability methodologies.

Requirements

 * Active SC Clearance.
 * Sole British National status due to programme security requirements.
 * Strong communication skills and the ability to work effectively within multidisciplinary teams.

## Description

As a Lead Hardware Engineer, you'll take a key role in the design and development of complex digital and mixed-signal electronics for high-performance defence applications.

You'll work closely with systems, firmware, software and RF engineering teams to develop robust hardware solutions capable of operating in demanding environments.

Key Responsibilities

 * Design and develop advanced digital and mixed-signal hardware.
 * Define hardware architectures for FPGA, SoC and processor-based systems.
 * Create schematics and support PCB layout activities for high-speed designs.
 * Develop and verify interfaces including DDR memory, PCIe and Ethernet.
 * Integrate hardware, firmware and software into complete system solutions.
 * Perform simulation, verification and validation activities.
 * Support board-level bring-up, debugging and fault investigation.
 * Collaborate with cross-functional engineering teams across the product lifecycle.
 * Support environmental, EMC and qualification testing.
 * Produce technical documentation and engineering evidence to support programme delivery.
 * Support customer demonstrations, trials and acceptance activities.


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