Principal Hardware Engineer

HARMAN International; Waterbeach; On-site; GBP 90,000 - 130,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Flexible remote work

Employee discounts on Harman products

Training opportunities through Harman/

Wellness benefits

Tuition reimbursement

Be Brilliant program

Inclusive culture

Job summary

HARMAN International in Waterbeach (Cambridge area) is seeking a Principal Hardware Engineer to join the Luxury Audio Engineering Group and contribute to high‑performance Mark Levinson hardware. You will design, analyze and optimise discrete analog circuits for premium amplifiers and components, delivering exceptional audio quality.

You will work with a cross‑functional team, develop test plans, review schematics and PCB layouts (Altium), perform rigorous measurements, and drive innovation while

Qualifications

• Bachelor's degree in Electrical Engineering or related discipline.
• Minimum of 8 years in system-level development of high-performance consumer audio systems.
• Experience with discrete analog electronics and analog audio hardware design.
• Knowledge of A/D and D/A design principles and digital audio hardware interfaces.
• PCB design using Altium with emphasis on EMC and noise considerations.
• Ability to debug hardware using test equipment and perform detailed design reviews.

Responsibilities

• Develop new hardware for luxury audio amplifiers and components.
• Understand schematics and ensure proper system design and function.
• Develop test plans and conduct rigorous hardware testing for luxury-class performance and reliability.
• Prepare and present project reports, design reviews, and technical documentation.
• Drive innovation in audio system design by staying current with industry trends.
• Ensure all designs meet quality, compliance, and performance standards.
• Demonstrate attention to detail and a passion for high-end audio quality.

Skills

System-level development

Discrete analog electronics

Analog audio hardware

PCB design (Altium)

EMC/EMI design

Audio measurement techniques

Debugging with test equipment

A/D and D/A understanding

Education

Bachelor's degree in Electrical Engineering

Tools

Altium

LTSpice/PSpice

Job description

Principal Hardware Engineer – Luxury Audio

Principal Hardware Engineer within the Luxury Audio Engineering Group will work within the legendary Mark Levinson brand, contributing to discrete audio circuit designs that deliver the highest level of performance.

About the Role

Work with a cross‑functional team of designers and engineers to develop new hardware for luxury audio amplifiers and components.

What You Will Do

• Develop new product hardware for luxury audio amplifiers and components.
• Understand schematics and ensure proper system design and function.
• Develop test plans and conduct rigorous hardware testing of platforms to ensure a luxury‑class user experience, superior audio performance, and reliability.
• Prepare and present project reports, design reviews, and technical documentation.
• Drive innovation in audio system design by staying up to date with the latest technological advancements and industry trends.
• Ensure all designs meet stringent quality, compliance, and performance standards.
• Bring attention to detail and a passion for achieving excellence in audio quality.

What You Need to Be Successful

• Bachelor's degree in Electrical Engineering or equivalent work experience in a related technical discipline.
• Minimum of 8 years of experience working in system‑level development of high‑performance consumer audio systems.
• Previous experience working on discrete analog electronics.
• Understanding of analog audio hardware design principles and digital audio hardware design including A/D and D/A.
• PCB design using Altium and the ability to carry out detailed design reviews of the PCB and schematic, with best design practices for EMC and noise.
• Debug hardware using test equipment.
• In‑depth knowledge of audio measurement techniques.

What Is Nice to Have

• Experience with serial communication protocols including RS‑232, I2C, SPI, I2S, and USB.
• Knowledge of high‑resolution audio formats, streaming technologies, and audio compression techniques.
• Familiarity with Wi‑Fi, Bluetooth, and Internet protocols (TCP/IP).
• Circuit simulation using LTSpice and/or PSpice.
• EMC compliance and testing experience.
• Experience developing, writing, and debugging automated test procedures (Python, Audio Precision Basic, C#, NI LabVIEW/TestStand).
• Previous experience in the HiFi audio industry.

What Makes You Eligible

• Willingness to travel up to 10%, domestic and international travel.
• Willingness to work in an office in Waterbeach / Cambridge, UK (subject to government guidelines).
• HARMAN will only be able to employ those who have the right to work in the UK. We are unable to offer visa/sponsorship support for this role.

What We Offer

• Flexible work environment, allowing for full‑time remote work globally for positions that can be performed outside a HARMAN or customer location.
• Access to employee discounts on world‑class Harman and Samsung products.
• Extensive training opportunities through HARMAN University.
• Competitive wellness benefits.
• Tuition reimbursement.
• “Be Brilliant” employee recognition and rewards program.
• An inclusive and diverse work environment that fosters and encourages professional and personal development.

Equal Opportunity Employer

HARMAN is proud to be an Equal Opportunity employer. HARMAN strives to hire the best qualified candidates and is committed to building a workforce representative of the diverse marketplaces and communities of our global colleagues and customers. All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, religion, color, national origin, gender (including pregnancy, childbirth, or related medical conditions), sexual orientation, gender identity, gender expression, age, status as a protected veteran, status as an individual with a disability, or other applicable legally protected characteristics. HARMAN attracts, hires, and develops employees based on merit, qualifications and job‑related performance.