Lead Hardware Engineer

SoCode Limited; Cambridge; Hybrid; GBP 75,000 - 95,000; Full time

Job summary

SoCode Limited in Cambridge is seeking a Lead Hardware Engineer to shape electronic system architectures and drive detailed design across multiple sectors. You will work hybrid, balancing on-site collaboration with flexible remote work, and guide projects from concept to release.

The role requires strong grounding in analogue/digital design, embedded technologies, and regulatory awareness. You will mentor junior engineers while tackling diverse, high-profile challenges with cross-disciplinary

Qualifications

• Experience designing complex electronic system architectures.
• Expertise in analogue and digital circuit design and EDA techniques.
• Knowledge of MCUs, SoCs, SoMs, and FPGA exposure.
• Experience across full product lifecycle from concept to release.
• Understanding of UK, EU and US regulatory standards.
• Strong written and verbal communication skills.
• Degree in electronic engineering or related field.
• Eligibility to obtain UK government security clearance.
• Mentoring junior engineers and collaborating with cross-disciplinary teams.
• Willingness to work hybrids 2-4 days on site in Cambridge.

Responsibilities

• Develop electronic system architectures and designs for products across sectors.
• Collaborate with clients and the wider team to translate concepts into workable solutions.
• Lead full lifecycle development from concept through to product release.
• Mentor less experienced engineers and share knowledge with the team.
• Tackle high-profile, real-world engineering challenges.
• Coordinate with electronics, software and mechanical engineering colleagues.

Skills

Electronic system architectures

Analogue & digital circuit design

EDA techniques

Embedded technologies (MCUs, SoCs, SoM

FPGA exposure

Embedded software / RTL skills

Full product lifecycle experience

Regulatory standards knowledge (UK/EU/

Education

Degree in electronic engineering or related field

Tools

FPGA toolchain experience

Job description

Lead Hardware Engineer

Cambridge | Hybrid (2-4 days on site)

Up to £95k

Do you want to shape electronic system architectures for products that span a variety of sectors including consumer, defence and health sectors, for some of the world's biggest brands? Are you as comfortable at system level as you are down in the detailed design work?

We're partnering with a global product innovation consultancy to find a Lead Hardware Design Engineer to join their team, working across consumer, defence and security, and health and life sciences projects.

This role puts you at the centre of the full product lifecycle: working closely with clients and the wider team to develop solutions at system level, then taking on the detailed electronic design work to realise the concept. Projects vary widely - from connected devices to signal processing and networked systems - and clients often bring genuinely novel challenges, so an adaptable, creative outlook goes a long way. You'll work alongside industry-leading experts in electronics, software and mechanical engineering, with the opportunity to move across sectors and share ideas as you go. There's also a genuine mentoring element - helping build the careers of less experienced engineers on the team whilst also developing your abilities too.

What You'll Bring

• A proven track record developing complex electronic system architectures and implementing designs
• Breadth and depth - a good grounding across core electronics disciplines (analogue and digital circuit design and associated EDA techniques)
• Knowledge of key embedded technologies including microcontrollers, SoCs and SoMs, ideally with some FPGA exposure - alongside solid embedded software or RTL skills
• Full product lifecycle exposure, from concept generation through to product release, with real experience delivering designs into service
• A solid understanding of the UK, EU and US regulatory landscape, and a track record of designing to relevant compliance standards
• Excellent written and verbal communication, with the ability to comfortably explain complex engineering concepts to technical and non-technical audiences alike
• A degree in electronic engineering (or related) from a strong academic background
• Eligibility to obtain UK government security clearance is required due to some of the projects

Also Valued

• A hands-on, first-principles mindset - happy to work through problems on the bench with the team
• Energy and enthusiasm for unfamiliar challenges, with a genuine appetite to innovate and think freely

If you want variety in your work and the chance to solve high-profile, real-world engineering challenges across multiple sectors, this could be the role for you.