Hardware Engineer

Your Future role:

We are seeking a talented and motivated Hardware Engineer to join our Research & Development team in Plymouth, UK. In this role, you will play an essential part in both the maintenance and advancement of our train detection and tanker telemetry systems. Your responsibilities will include ensuring compliance with rigorous safety standards, specifically up to Safety Integrity Level 4 (SIL4). 

You will have a passion for engineering, a good understanding of a wide range of technologies and probably enjoy engineering solutions to problems outside the workplace. 

This position places a strong emphasis on electronic design, requiring you to engage in strategic planning and make key decisions that impact project outcomes. In addition to your primary focus on electronics, you will participate in various testing activities to validate system performance and reliability. 

Your scope of work will also extend to elements of mechanical engineering and software development, providing a multidisciplinary experience. Furthermore, you will be responsible for preparing technical documentation to support the development and implementation of our systems. 

We'll look to you for:

Hardware Design & Development:

• Design and simulate PCBs using CAD tools. 

• Select and integrate components including microcontrollers, FPGAs, and analog/digital ICs. 

• Ensure designs meet SIL4 safety and industry standards. 

Embedded Software Development:

• Develop embedded software using MS Visual Studio, MPLAB X, STM32CubeIDE, or similar environments. 

• Implement real-time control, data acquisition, and communication protocols (e.g., CAN, RS485, Ethernet). 

Testing & Validation:

• Design and implement Hardware-In-the-Loop (HIL) testing systems, including the development of automated test tools and scripts for comprehensive hardware and software validation. 

• Support integration testing and certification processes. 

Documentation & Accountability:

• Maintain comprehensive design documentation, test reports, and traceability matrices. 

• Participate in design reviews and safety assessments. 

• Take ownership of assigned modules from concept through deployment. 

All about you:

We value passion and attitude over experience. That’s why we don’t expect you to have every single skill. Instead, we’ve listed some that we think will help you succeed and grow in this role: 

• Bachelor’s or Master’s degree in Electronics, Robotic, Communications Engineering, or related field. 

• Experience in hardware and embedded software development. 

• Familiarity with SIL-rated systems, ideally up to SIL4. 

• Hands-on experience with modern microcontroller  SDKs. 

• Knowledge of FPGA design (VHDL/Verilog) and CPLD technologies. 

• Proficiency in automated testing, especially HIL systems. 

• Strong analytical and problem-solving skills. 

• Excellent communication and documentation abilities. 

Things you’ll enjoy

Join us on a life-long transformative journey – the rail industry is here to stay, so you can grow and develop new skills and experiences throughout your career. You’ll also:

• Enjoy stability, challenges and a long-term career free from boring daily routines
• Collaborate with transverse teams and helpful colleagues
• Contribute to innovative projects
• Utilise our agile working environment
• Steer your career in whatever direction you choose across functions and countries
• Benefit from our investment in your development, through award-winning learning
• Benefit from a fair and dynamic reward package that recognises your performance and potential, plus comprehensive and competitive benefits (pension, life ins., medical)
• Up to 52 weeks full maternity and adoption pay
• 25 days annual leave plus bank holidays, with the opportunity to buy or sell holidays
• Enjoy a wide range of flexible benefits that you can tailor to suit your lifestyle 
   
  You don’t need to be a train enthusiast to thrive with us. We guarantee that when you step onto one of our trains with your friends or family, you’ll be proud. If you’re up for the challenge, we’d love to hear from you!