UAV Electronics Engineer

Our client is a rapidly growing business designing some of the most innovative and interesting applications for the marine industry. If you are a meticulous individual with a passion for product development, for a pre-production project then this could be perfect for you.
 
UAV Electronics Engineer
Portsmouth
Permanent
25 days holiday plus bank holidays, private medical, enhanced maternity and paternity, life assurance and flexible working
 
Role Overview
We are hiring an Electronics Engineer for our client with some exciting applications for the defence industry. This would be the first hire for the Electronics team that will be growing.
 
Responsibilities will include:
 
Key Responsibilities

• Lead the design and development of electronic systems and subsystems for UAV platforms.
• Design and develop analogue and digital electronic circuits, ensuring performance, reliability and suitability for the operating environment.
• Undertake PCB design, schematic capture and PCB layout, including component selection, routing and design optimisation.
• Develop and design Power Distribution Units (PDUs), power supplies and associated power management systems.
• Design and integrate power distribution, battery management, voltage regulation and electronic control systems.
• Take ownership of electronics integration into wider UAV platforms, ensuring compatibility with mechanical, software, firmware and other electrical systems.
• Produce and maintain electronic design documentation, schematics, PCB layouts, bills of materials and technical specifications.
• Build, test and troubleshoot electronic prototypes, identifying and resolving design and integration issues.
• Support verification, validation and environmental testing of electronic assemblies and integrated systems.
• Work closely with multidisciplinary engineering teams to ensure successful product development and delivery.
• Support the transition of electronic designs from prototype through to manufacture, including design for manufacture (DFM) and design for test (DFT).
• Contribute to continuous improvement, design reviews and the development of engineering best practices.

 
Essential Requirements

• Degree or equivalent qualification in Electronic Engineering, Electrical Engineering or a related discipline.
• Proven experience in electronic product design and development within a complex engineering environment.
• Strong understanding of both analogue and digital electronics design.
• Demonstrable experience in PCB design, schematic capture and PCB layout.
• Experience designing and developing power supplies, Power Distribution Units (PDUs) or similar power electronics systems.
• Experience in electronic systems integration, ideally within complex electromechanical products.
• Strong understanding of power management, voltage regulation, signal conditioning and electronic interfaces.
• Experience building, testing and debugging electronic prototypes and assemblies.
• Ability to interpret technical specifications and translate requirements into practical electronic design solutions.
• Strong problem-solving skills and the ability to work independently within a multidisciplinary engineering team.

 
Desirable Requirements

• Experience within the UAV, aerospace, defence, robotics or autonomous systems sectors.
• Experience designing electronics for harsh or demanding operating environments.
• Knowledge of battery technologies, battery management systems and power distribution architectures.
• Experience with embedded systems, microcontrollers and associated hardware interfaces.
• Familiarity with communication interfaces such as CAN, SPI, I²C, UART or Ethernet.
• Experience with EMC/EMI considerations, electrical safety and environmental qualification testing.
• Knowledge of engineering standards relevant to aerospace or defence products.
• Experience supporting new product introduction (NPI) and manufacturing processes.

 
Benefits
What we offer:

• Pension Contribution – Pension scheme with the option to contribute via salary sacrifice.
• Life Assurance and Critical Illness Cover – Comprehensive protection including Life Assurance (4x salary) and Critical Illness Cover for added financial security.
• Annual Leave – Entitlement to 25 days of annual leave plus bank holidays.
• Christmas Leave – A Christmas shutdown is typically observed.
• Wellbeing Day – An additional Wellbeing Day each year to focus on personal health and wellbeing.
• Family Leave – Enhanced maternity and paternity pay.
• Private Healthcare – Access to comprehensive private healthcare coverage to support your physical and mental wellbeing.
• Professional Development – Commitment to ongoing learning and career growth, supported by training programmes and access to LinkedIn Learning.
• Flexible Working – Opportunities for flexible working arrangements to promote work–life balance.

 
Candidates must be able to obtain BPSS clearance and should have the right to work in the UK.