Senior Electronics Engineer

Archangel Lightworks Ltd; Oxford; On-site; GBP 80,000 - 110,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Equity options

Job summary

Archangel Lightworks in Oxford leads cutting-edge laser communications engineering, overseeing end-to-end electronic subsystems and hardware-software integration. The role requires strategic leadership, strong design fundamentals, and mentoring of engineers within a fast-paced startup environment.

Based at our Osney Mead office in Oxford, there may be optional remote work and occasional travel. We offer equity options and a competitive compensation package aligned with experience in

Qualifications

• 5+ years in electronics development with end-to-end ownership of subsystems.
• Strong background in electronics design theory and analysis.
• Experience with HW-SW development: schematic, PCB, docs, and version control.

Responsibilities

• Provide strategic leadership of the electronics function.
• Own end-to-end development of electrical subsystems with architecture trade studies.
• HW-SW integration at board and subsystem level; coordinate with firmware teams.
• Mentor engineers and perform technical reviews; support production readiness.
• Participate in formal testing and verify hardware readiness for AIT flow.

Skills

End-to-end electronics

Schematic design

PCB layout

MCU programming

EMC compliance

HW/SW integration

System design tools

Spice simulation

Github/version control

Mentoring

Education

University degree (Electrical/Electronics)

Tools

KiCad

Altium

Spice

RapidHarness

Job description

About Archangel Lightworks

Archangel Lightworks is a laser communications company building wireless technology. Founded in 2017, we believe that laser communications to and from satellites is a key component of next-generation infrastructure. Our core product, the TERRA-M, is a deployable optical ground station with proven capability for space - ground data transfer.

Our team develops and operates products that advance the security and resilience of critical national infrastructure. We value compassion, resilience, curiosity, ownership and integrity. Our start-up is a fast-paced and supportive environment, where you can contribute to novel technology with meaningful applications like reducing the Digital Divide.

Archangel Lightworks recently closed over £10 million of investment in an oversubscribed Series A funding round. Our company is also supported by the UK Space Agency, the UK's Department of Science and Technology (DSIT) and the UK Ministry of Defence.

About the job

• Providing strategic leadership of the electronics function to meet organisational objectives
• Subsystem Ownership, leading the end-to-end development of electrical and electronic subsystems:
  • Requirements definition
  • Architectural design and trade studies
  • Design of electrical parts/systems
  • Component selection, procurement, and supplier coordination
  • Subsystem assembly and verification
  • Maintain power budgets, interface control documents, and system artifacts
• Hardware-Software Integration
  • Integration at board and subsystem level
  • Implement and debug communication protocols (e.g. CAN, SPI, UART, I2C)
  • Coordinate with embedded software and firmware teams
• PCB and Harness Development
  • Support PCB production, documentation, and sign-offs
  • Design, test, and maintain system harnessing
  • Collaborate with production partners and testing teams
  • Delegate work and provide reviews and mentorship to colleagues
• Testing & Ground Support
  • Participate in formal test campaigns
  • Design electrical test equipment
  • Ensure subsystem readiness for full AIT flow.

Requirements

• 5+ years in electronics development with end-to-end ownership of complex electronic subsystems; proven track record delivering to schedule, cost, and quality
• Strong background in electronics design theory, University degree or similar
• Demonstrated experience with electrical hardware-software development:
  • Schematic design
  • PCB layout and testing PCB Component library part creation and maintenance
  • Manage engineering documentation and version control (such as Github)
  • Electronic component selection
  • EMC compliance
  • Microcontroller programming and debugging for board bringup
• Good knowledge of Electrical design tools
  • PCB tools (e.g. Kicad/Altium)
  • Simulation (e.g Spice)
  • Harness design tools (e.g. RapidHarness)
• Experience of mentoring junior engineers.

Desirable additional skills

• High speed electronics design for communications interfaces (Gbps)
• Design for complex System-on-Chip components (e.g. Xilinx)
• Experience building & testing harnessing; selecting and procuring electrical components
• Exposure to space, aerospace, or high-reliability environments (ECSS or similar)
• Experience designing or supporting production processes from prototype to scaled hardware builds
• Experience in Tooling and process leadership: requirements management (e.g., DOORS/Jama/SysML), CI for hardware/firmware, configuration control, and traceability from requirements to test.

Location

Our office is based in Osney Mead, Oxford. There may be opportunity to work from home as agreed with your line manager. There may be opportunity for periodic business travel.

What we offer

• Opportunity to work on advanced optical systems to support a world-changing vision
• A collaborative and transparent culture with strong links between functions
• Regular socials and weekly company lunch
• Professional development and skills growth within a specialist engineering field
• Competitive salary and benefits package, with equity options in a growing start-up
• 25 days annual leave allowance plus bank holidays.

Archangel Lightworks is an equal opportunity employer

As part of our commitment to equality, we work to ensure a fair and consistent interview process. If you need any assistance or accommodation to complete your application or assessment, please contact us through the application form.

We recognise that many candidates us AI tools when applying. Please ensure your application reflects your own experience, skills, and thinking. We assess applications based on authenticity and accuracy, so anything generated with AI should be reviewed, personalised, and representative of you