Electronics Hardware Engineer

Orion Group Life Sciences are currently recruiting an Electronics Hardware Engineer on behalf of our Multinational Biopharmaceutical Client based in Cambourne, UK on an initial 2-year contract with potential to extend. Hybrid role.
 
Role Description
Our Technology Solutions division is evolving towards a Product Operating Model — a way of working that empowers product teams to take full ownership and accountability for delivering customer and business value.
We believe in customer centricity, ownership and accountability. Leadership of the Product team is shared between the Product Manager and Technology Lead, providing balanced guidance that connects product vision with technical execution.
Our product and platform teams are cross-functional and collaborative, bringing together the skills required to deliver impactful outcomes. Each team includes a Product Manager, Technology Lead, Product Designer, Delivery Lead, engineers and developers.
The team based in Cambourne will develop and deliver future generations of the Vence Collar, a multidisciplinary connected product with an advanced system architecture and demanding low-power, sensing and wireless requirements. Short delivery cycles and direct customer feedback will provide clear visibility of the impact of your work.
As an Electronics Hardware Engineer, you will own board-level hardware development from initial specification through to production release. You will have a significant impact on multidisciplinary R&D projects, contribute to the development of new technologies and support the connected-device product line throughout both discovery and delivery.
You will design, develop, debug and optimise robust, production-ready electronics hardware for resource-constrained, low-power IoT devices, while contributing to product discovery, delivery and continuous improvement.
 
Role Functions
Functions include, but are not limited to, the following:

• Own the complete board-level hardware lifecycle, including requirements definition, specifications, component selection and schematic design.
• Guide PCB layout and lead prototype bring-up, hardware debugging, firmware integration, design verification and validation.
• Develop low-power, mixed-signal and wireless designs that meet functional, reliability, manufacturability, EMI/EMC and regulatory requirements.
• Create clear and comprehensive technical documentation, including specifications, engineering calculations, test plans, reports, design records and production-release documentation.
• Support engineering changes, root-cause investigations and design improvements throughout the product lifecycle.
• Collaborate closely with multidisciplinary product and platform teams across the UK, Israel and the United States.
• Work effectively with software, firmware, mechanical, systems, manufacturing and test engineering teams to deliver integrated product solutions.
• Contribute to technical decision-making, design reviews and continuous improvement activities across the product development lifecycle.
• Support the transition of hardware designs from development through verification, validation and production.

 
Experience, Knowledge & Skills
The position requires strong practical electronics engineering capability, sound technical judgement and disciplined execution from concept through to production.
 
Hardware Design

• Proven ability to develop digital, analogue and mixed-signal circuitry using engineering calculations, simulations and structured design reviews.
• Strong understanding of board-level electronics design principles and component selection.
• Experience working through complete hardware development lifecycles from specification to production release.

 
Low-Power & Wireless Systems

• Proven ability to optimise battery-powered IoT hardware and manage power budgets.
• Experience integrating microcontrollers, power architectures, sensors and wireless technologies.
• Understanding of common embedded hardware interfaces, including I2C, SPI and UART.

 
Verification & Product Release

• Experience planning and executing prototype bring-up, design verification and validation.
• Experience with compliance testing, failure analysis and root-cause investigation.
• Understanding of design-for-manufacture and production transfer processes.
• Ability to produce complete and accurate technical documentation suitable for production environments.

 
Communication & Working Style

• Excellent technical communication skills, with the ability to clearly communicate design decisions, progress, risks and technical issues.
• Self-motivated, pragmatic and organised, with the ability to work independently.
• Comfortable working within multidisciplinary and geographically distributed teams.
• Strong attention to detail and a structured approach to engineering problem-solving.
• Collaborative approach with a willingness to contribute to continuous improvement and innovation.

 
Qualifications & Education
 
Mandatory Requirements

• BSc or equivalent qualification in Electrical Engineering, Electronics Engineering or a closely related discipline.
• 6–8 years of hands-on board-level hardware development experience, including involvement in at least one product developed from specification through to production release.
• Demonstrated experience in:
  • Schematic design
  • Component selection
  • PCB layout guidance
  • Prototype bring-up
  • Hardware debugging
  • Firmware integration
  • Design verification and validation
• Strong understanding of:
  • Low-power electronics
  • Digital, analogue and mixed-signal electronics
  • Embedded microcontrollers
  • I2C, SPI and UART interfaces
  • Structured failure analysis
• Methodical and organised approach, with the ability to deliver production-ready, maintainable hardware supported by complete technical documentation.

 
Desirable Experience

• Battery-powered micro-power systems and power-budget optimisation.
• Embedded microcontroller-based product development.
• Wireless technologies including LoRa, GNSS, Bluetooth or comparable technologies.
• RF coexistence and antenna considerations.
• EMI/EMC design and pre-compliance testing.
• Regulatory compliance.
• Design-for-manufacture and production transfer.
• Experience working with multidisciplinary IoT or connected-device products.
• Proficiency with Altium Designer or an equivalent professional PCB design platform.

 


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Orion Group was founded in 1987 and is now one of the largest, independent, international recruitment companies. We have a network of 200 employees working from 24 offices, delivering a range of services – Talent Acquisition, Recruitment Outsourcing Services, Retained Search, Global Workforce Solutions, Completions & Commissioning and Materials Management – across 68 countries. As a global leader in workforce solutions, we recruit personnel across the Engineering & Technical, Office & Commercial, Scientific and Skilled Trades disciplines, for sectors including Oil & Gas, Life Science, Power & Utilities, Constructions & Infrastructure, Manufacturing and Renewables.