Hardware Engineer

Alstom; Plymouth; On-site; GBP 43,000 - 53,000; Full time

Job summary

Alstom in Plymouth, UK is seeking a talented Hardware Engineer to join our Research & Development team. You will contribute to the maintenance and advancement of train detection and telemetry systems, ensuring SIL4 safety compliance and high reliability.

The role focuses on electronics design, with additional involvement in mechanical and software elements, testing, documentation, and cross-disciplinary collaboration to deliver safe and robust railway solutions.

Qualifications

• Bachelor’s or Master’s degree in Electronics, Robotics, 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.

Responsibilities

• 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.

Skills

Hardware development

Embedded software development

SIL4 familiarity

Microcontroller SDKs

FPGA design (VHDL/Verilog)

CPLD technologies

Automated testing / HIL

Documentation

Analytical skills

Communication skills

Education

Electronics/Robotics/Communications Engineering degree

Tools

CAD tools

Job description

Req ID:512992

Location: Plymouth On-Site

Appointment Basis: Permanent

Apply by: 28/8/26

Salary + Benefits: of £43k–£53k (DOE)

At Alstom, we understand transport networks and what moves people. From high-speed trains, metros, monorails, and trams, to turnkey systems, services, infrastructure, signalling and digital mobility, we offer our diverse customers the broadest portfolio in the industry. Every day, 86,000 colleagues lead the way to greener and smarter mobility worldwide, connecting cities as we reduce carbon and replace cars.

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.

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.

Preferred Desirable Skills:

• Experience with railway or industrial telemetry systems.
• Knowledge of functional safety standards (e.g., IEC 61508, EN 50128).
• Familiarity with version control systems (e.g., SVN, Git, MS Azure).
• Ability to work independently and collaboratively in a cross-functional team.

Important to note

Alstom is an equal opportunity employer committed to creating an inclusive working environment where all our employees are encouraged to reach their full potential, and individual differences are valued and respected. All qualified applicants are considered for employment without regard to race, colour, religion, gender, sexual orientation, gender identity, age, national origin, disability status, or any other characteristic protected by local law.

As a 'Disability Confident' employer, we will interview all disabled job applicants who match the essential criteria of the job description or specification. We will consider flexible working requests for all roles unless operational requirements prevent otherwise.