Job Description:

We are working with an established technology business developing sophisticated electronic and optoelectronic products for demanding applications. Due to continued growth, they are looking for an experienced Principal Electronics Engineer to join a small, highly technical Engineering and Production team based in Wokingham.

This is a hands-on position suited to an experienced electronics engineer who enjoys taking ownership of technically challenging projects, from initial concept and system architecture through to design, prototyping, verification, production and continuous improvement.

As a Principal Electronics Engineer, you will work closely with the Engineering Manager, internal production teams, external consultants and contract manufacturers, providing technical leadership across new product development while also supporting and improving existing designs.

As the Principal Electronics Engineer, you will:

• Lead electronics activities across new product design and development projects, from initial concept through to production.
• Take technical ownership of system and electronics architecture, schematic capture, circuit design, modelling, simulation and PCB development.
• Design and develop mixed-signal analogue and digital electronics, with a strong emphasis on small-signal analogue design.
• Work on the development of sophisticated optoelectronic, sensing, detection and measurement technologies.
• Design, prototype and test electronic assemblies and PCBAs.
• Support the testing, calibration and verification of existing products and electronic sub-assemblies.
• Troubleshoot, modify and improve legacy electronic designs.
• Provide technical support to Production teams and external contract manufacturing partners.
• Work with external PCBA consultants and PCB designers, providing technical direction where required.
• Lead functional and quality assurance testing and support regulatory certification activities, including CE, LVD and RoHS.
• Maintain electrical and functional test specifications across a portfolio of 30 designs.
• Support design for manufacture and design for test activities.
• Lead continuous improvement, concessions and component obsolescence management.
• Work independently as a technical lead whilst collaborating effectively within a multidisciplinary engineering environment.

We are looking for an experienced Principal Electronics Engineer with 10 years' hands-on experience in electronics design, testing and low-volume manufacturing environments.

You will ideally have:

• A degree or equivalent qualification in Electronics Engineering or a related discipline.
• Strong experience in mixed-signal circuit design, including analogue and digital electronics.
• Significant experience with small-signal linear analogue design.
• Experience designing high-sensitivity receiver, detector or measurement circuits.
• Strong hands-on PCB design experience and familiarity with ECAD tools such as Altium, EAGLE, PADS or OrCAD.
• Experience with system architecture, schematic capture, PCB layout and engineering documentation.
• Practical experience using laboratory test equipment including oscilloscopes, function generators, bench power supplies and spectrum analysers.
• Experience with circuit simulation and mathematical modelling tools such as LTSpice, MathCad or Excel.
• Experience with microcontrollers, programmable devices and/or FPGA-based hardware.
• Knowledge of embedded controller hardware design.
• Experience with high-speed data conversion, clocks and timing circuitry.
• Knowledge of communication interfaces including UART, USB, TWI/I2C and RS485.
• Experience with power management and analogue/switched DC converters across approximately 3.3V–24V.
• A methodical and analytical approach to engineering and problem solving.
• Excellent attention to detail and strong communication skills.
• The ability to work autonomously and take ownership of technically complex projects.

Experience in one or more of the following areas would be highly advantageous:

• Optoelectronics, including laser diode and photodetector circuits.
• Pulsed laser drivers, SLD/SLED light sources.
• APD and PIN photodiode receivers.
• VOAs and optical modulators, including AOMs/EOMs.
• RF and microwave receiver design.
• Small-signal linear analogue circuit design.
• Electronics operating in challenging noise environments.
• Sensors incorporating high-speed ADCs (10–100MS/s).
• Temperature control using TECs.
• EMC-conscious PCB layout and design.
• Phase Locked Loop (PLL) design.
• Frequency conversion and RF amplifiers.
• Photon-counting detectors.
• FPGA experience, particularly Intel/Altera.
• Embedded software development, particularly bare-metal Embedded C.
• VHDL.
• Control systems, particularly temperature control.
• Project leadership and technical team leadership.
• Managing and directing external subcontractors and PCB designers.
• Designing multi-module mains-powered equipment.

The Principal Electronics Engineer will ideally be comfortable working hands-on with a range of laboratory and specialist test equipment, including:

• Oscilloscopes
• Function generators
• Bench power supplies
• Spectrum analysers
• RF signal generators
• Optical spectrum analysers
• Optical power meters

This is an excellent opportunity for a senior electronics professional to take genuine technical ownership within a small, specialist engineering environment.

You will have the opportunity to work across the full product lifecycle, combining hands-on electronics design with technical leadership, product development, testing and manufacturing support.

If you are an experienced Principal Electronics Engineer looking for a role where your technical expertise will have a direct impact on the development of sophisticated products, we would be keen to hear from you.