Electrical Instrumentation & Control Engineer

iO Associates; Aylesbury; On-site; GBP 60,000 - 90,000; Full time

Job summary

iO Associates is seeking an Electrical Instrumentation & Control Engineer to support the development and deployment of electrical and control systems for space applications. You'll bring expertise across electrical engineering, instrumentation, and control systems to support design, testing, and integration activities for high-performance systems.

A large part of the role is working across the supply chain to ensure procured electronic systems are correctly specified and delivered in line with

Qualifications

• Bachelor’s degree in Electrical Engineering or related field.
• Experience with electrical engineering/instrumentation for aerospace/defence/space is preferred.
• Solid understanding of ECSS standards in design and delivery.
• Experience with space mission integration and test environments.

Responsibilities

• Review and implement electrical, instrumentation, and control systems to ECSS standards.
• Act as a primary link between external electronics contractors and internal teams.
• Apply ECSS standards across design, integration, test and maintenance.
• Review microcontroller and FPGA-based embedded control systems (hardware/software).
• Review schematics, wiring diagrams, and control architectures for new projects.
• Perform system-level testing, validation, and commissioning against requirements.
• Support fault tolerance, redundancy and safety aligned to mission standards.
• Hands-on troubleshooting during assembly, integration and test phases.
• Collaborate with broader engineering teams to integrate systems into spacecraft.
• Produce technical documentation (design reports, test plans, verification procedures).
• Contribute to continuous improvement to optimise performance and reliability.
• Ensure design and test activities comply with industry standards and safety regulations.

Skills

ECSS standards

Space engineering

Electrical design

Instrumentation

FPGA/MCU

Education

Bachelor's degree in Electrical Engineering

Master's preferred

Job description

ABOUT THE COMPANY
A UK-based space and defence organisation is developing innovative propulsion systems and advanced space technologies. The team designs and manufactures high-performance components for commercial and government missions, with a strong focus on safety, sustainability, and engineering excellence. You'll join a collaborative environment with opportunities for professional development and training in relevant space technologies.

ABOUT THE ROLE - OVERVIEW
We're looking for an Electrical Instrumentation & Control Engineer to support the development and deployment of electrical and control systems for space applications. You'll bring expertise across electrical engineering, instrumentation, and control systems to support design, testing, and integration activities for high-performance systems.

A large part of the role is working across the supply chain to ensure procured electronic systems are correctly specified and delivered in line with overall system needs. This position requires a solid understanding of ECSS standards for space electronics, plus some experience with microcontroller and/or FPGA-based systems in a space context (hardware and software). Ideal for someone motivated by space missions and complex engineering challenges.

KEY DUTIES & RESPONSIBILITIES

• Review, assess, develop, and implement electrical, instrumentation, and control systems within the supply chain for space propulsion and related technologies, ensuring compliance with ECSS standards.
• Act as the primary link between external electronics contractors and internal multidisciplinary teams.
• Apply relevant ECSS engineering standards across the system lifecycle: design, integration, test, and maintenance.
• Review, guide, and critique microcontroller and FPGA-based embedded control systems (hardware/software aspects).
• Review electrical schematics, wiring diagrams, and control system architectures for new projects.
• Perform system-level testing, validation, and commissioning against mission-specific requirements.
• Support fault tolerance, redundancy, and safety mechanisms aligned to mission standards.
• Hands-on troubleshooting during assembly, integration, and test phases.
• Collaborate with wider engineering teams to integrate electrical/control systems into larger spacecraft systems.
• Produce and support technical documentation (design reports, test plans, verification procedures) in line with ECSS guidance.
• Contribute to continuous improvement to optimise performance, reliability, and efficiency.
• Ensure design and test activities comply with industry standards, quality processes, and safety regulations.

ABOUT YOU - SKILLS & QUALIFICATIONS

• Bachelor's degree in Electrical Engineering, Control Systems Engineering, or related (Master's preferred).
• Proven experience in electrical engineering/instrumentation (ideally aerospace/defence/space).
• Solid understanding and practical application of ECSS standards in engineering design and delivery.
• Familiarity with space mission integration and test environments (e.g., thermal, vibration, radiation testing).
• Strong written/verbal communication and ability to produce clear technical documentation.
• High attention to detail and quality; able to think critically under pressure.
• Proactive/self-motivated; able to work independently and collaboratively.
• Experience with space-qualified electronics (reliability, radiation tolerance, extreme environments).
• Exposure to space electronics testing/certification.
• Knowledge of analogue/digital circuitry for instrumentation/control.
• Knowledge of protocols such as UART, CAN, MIL-STD-1553, SpaceWire.
• Experience with spacecraft power distribution/management (HV/LV).

WORK ENVIRONMENT / CONDITIONS
Mixed environment including office, cleanroom, electronics lab, and test facilities. Safe working around known hazards is essential. Occasional late/night shifts, weekend/holiday work may be required. Physical demands may include manual handling, ladder use, bending/kneeling/climbing, working outdoors in varied weather, working at height, high-noise environments (hearing protection), and working around chemicals (lubricants/solvents/batteries/cleaning fluids/paints, etc.). Reasonable adjustments can be made.