Electronics Engineer

Smartbox Assistive Technology; West of England; Hybrid; GBP 50,000 - 75,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Hybrid working

Wellbeing support

Career development

Job summary

Smartbox Assistive Technology is seeking an Electronics Engineer to join the Hardware team and help shape next-generation assistive devices. You will work across electronics, embedded firmware, mechanical design and accessibility to deliver reliable, production-ready products that improve communication and independence for users.

In this hybrid role, you’ll contribute from concept through prototyping, validation and manufacture, collaborating with firmware, mechanical and manufacturing

Qualifications

• Engineering degree or equivalent experience required.
• Designing, analysing, testing and validating electronic systems.
• Embedded electronics interfaces: USB, I2C, SPI, UART, GPIO, ADC/DAC.
• Developing production-ready electronic products from concept to manufacture.
• Schematic capture and PCB layout using Altium Designer.
• Low-level embedded firmware development in C, C++ or Rust.
• Power electronics including DC-DC conversion and power management.
• Laboratory testing and debugging skills.
• Collaborating with firmware, mechanical and manufacturing teams.
• Clear communication of technical information.

Responsibilities

• Contribute to circuit design and embedded software development across product lifecycles.
• Develop and validate hardware, perform testing and certification readiness.
• Collaborate with cross-functional teams to deliver reliable, production-ready devices.
• Support manufacturing partners during scale-up and production optimisation.

Skills

Embedded firmware (C/C++/Rust)

Power electronics

Circuit design

Cross-functional collaboration

Clear communication

Education

Engineering degree or equivalent experience

Tools

Altium Designer

Job description

Join us in making sure no one is left without a voice

At Smartbox, our assistive technology empowers people with disabilities who experience speech difficulties to express themselves, connect with others, and live more independent lives.

We’re proud to be a global leader in augmentative and alternative communication (AAC), supporting people across the UK, US, Europe, and beyond. But what truly sets us apart is our people: passionate, collaborative, and driven by the impact our products have every day.

If you’re motivated by meaningful work and want to apply your technical expertise to something that genuinely changes lives, we’d love to hear from you.

The opportunity

This is a rare opportunity for an Electronics Engineer to combine technical excellence with purpose.

At Smartbox, you'll help create the technology that gives people a voice, supports independence and enables meaningful connections. The products you work on don't just solve engineering challenges, they help people communicate, learn, work and participate more fully in everyday life.

We're looking for a practical, innovative engineer to join our Hardware team and help shape the next generation of assistive technology. You'll contribute throughout the product lifecycle, from concept development and prototyping through to validation, manufacture and continuous improvement.

Working on highly integrated products that combine electronics, embedded firmware, mechanical design and accessibility, you'll collaborate with talented colleagues across multiple disciplines to deliver reliable, high-quality solutions that make a lasting difference.

What you’ll be doing

You'll bring your electronics expertise, problem-solving mindset and collaborative approach to a team focused on creating life-changing technology.

Working closely with hardware, firmware, mechanical, product and manufacturing specialists, you'll help develop reliable, production-ready products trusted by people every day. You'll contribute to circuit design, embedded systems development, testing, validation and continuous improvement while helping maintain the high standards of quality, safety and usability our users depend on.

You'll also have the opportunity to influence technical decisions, improve ways of working and help shape future product development. Whether solving complex engineering challenges, selecting critical components or collaborating with manufacturing partners, your work will directly support products that change lives.

Why this role is unique

This isn’t a typical electronics role; you’ll be working at the intersection of:

• Medical-grade hardware and embedded systems.
• Assistive technology and accessibility.
• Highly integrated, multi-disciplinary products.

We’re solving complex, real-world challenges where reliability, usability and performance truly matter, and where your decisions directly impact people’s daily lives.

What we’re looking for

We’re looking for a rare combination of deep technical expertise, curiosity, and purpose-driven thinking.

You’ll enjoy solving challenging engineering problems, working collaboratively across disciplines and taking pride in delivering high-quality products that make a meaningful difference.

Essential experience

• A relevant engineering degree or equivalent experience.
• Designing, analysing, testing and validating electronic systems.
• Embedded electronics, including USB, I2C, SPI, UART, GPIO and ADC/DAC interfaces.
• Developing production-ready electronic products from concept through to manufacture.
• Schematic capture and PCB design, ideally using Altium Designer.
• Low-level embedded firmware development in C, C++ or Rust.
• Power electronics experience, including DC-DC converters, battery charging or power management systems.
• Hands‑on laboratory testing and debugging skills.
• Cross‑functional collaboration with firmware, mechanical and manufacturing teams.
• Clear communication of technical information.

Some areas we often work with include:

• Assistive technology, AAC or accessibility-focused products.
• Product strategy, supply chains, and long‑term platform thinking.
• Working closely with manufacturers and external suppliers.
• Regulated industries such as medical devices, automotive or aerospace.
• EMC testing, debugging and certification.
• Wireless technologies including Bluetooth LE, Wi‑Fi and cellular connectivity.
• Design for Manufacturing (DFM) and production optimisation.

Why join Smartbox

• Purpose‑driven work with real‑world impact.
• Collaborative and supportive culture.
• Hybrid working and flexibility.
• Opportunities to grow, lead and shape future products.
• Strong benefits package + wellbeing support.

Inclusion and sustainability

At Smartbox, we’re committed to creating a workplace where everyone feels valued, supported and able to thrive. We’re proud to be a Disability Confident Employer and welcome applications from people of all backgrounds.

If there’s anything we can do to support you during the recruitment process, please feel free to let us know within your application.

We also aim to build sustainability into everything we do, from how we design our products to how we operate as a business.

Ready to make a difference

If you’re excited by the idea of combining cutting‑edge electronics engineering with real‑world impact, we’d love to hear from you.