Senior Hardware Technical Lead

Holt Recruitment; Farnborough; On-site; GBP 110,000 - 140,000; Full time

Job summary

Holt Recruitment is seeking an experienced Senior Hardware Technical Lead for a leading technology organisation in the secure communications and defence sector. You will provide technical leadership across development of complex electronic hardware solutions, combining hands-on delivery, governance, and mentorship.

You will own hardware architecture, PCB design, FPGA and thermal considerations, guiding projects from architecture through verification and into production.

Qualifications

• 10+ years in hardware engineering and electronic design environments.
• Degree in Electronic Engineering or a related technical discipline.
• Proven experience leading hardware development activities and defining engineering processes.

Responsibilities

• Define and improve hardware development processes, tools and workflows.
• Provide technical leadership across electronic, mechanical and FPGA engineering activities.
• Drive engineering governance through design reviews, quality standards and stage-gated development processes.
• Provide architectural guidance across hardware integration, PCB design and thermal considerations.
• Support project delivery by identifying and resolving technical challenges.

Skills

Hardware engineering

Technical leadership

PCB design

FPGA

System architecture

Governance

Education

Bachelor's degree in Electronic Engineering

Tools

PCB layout tools

Verification tools

Job description

A leading technology organisation operating within the secure communications and defence sector is seeking an experienced Senior Hardware Technical Lead to provide technical leadership across the development of complex electronic hardware solutions.

This is a senior engineering role combining hands‑on technical delivery, hardware governance, process improvement, and team mentorship.

You will act as a technical authority across electronics, mechanical design, and FPGA disciplines, driving engineering excellence and ensuring the successful delivery of high‑assurance hardware products.

Working closely with systems engineers, software teams, manufacturing partners, and project managers, you will provide technical direction across the full hardware lifecycle, from architecture and design through verification, production introduction, and sustaining engineering.

Due to business requirements applicants must be a sole UK national and eligible to obtain UK security clearance.

Key Responsibilities

• Define and improve hardware development processes, tools, and engineering workflows.
• Provide technical leadership across electronic, mechanical, and FPGA engineering activities.
• Drive engineering governance through design reviews, quality standards, and stage‑gated development processes.
• Provide architectural guidance across hardware integration, PCB design, and thermal considerations.
• Support project delivery by identifying and resolving technical challenges.

Team Mentorship & Development

• Mentor and support hardware engineers, helping develop technical capability and engineering best practices.
• Identify skills gaps, training requirements, and future capability needs.
• Promote collaboration across electronics, FPGA, mechanical, software, and systems engineering teams.

Hardware Development & Technical Delivery

• Lead electronic architecture design, schematic capture, high‑speed digital design, and PCB layout oversight.
• Drive hardware design verification and validation activities.
• Own technical aspects of New Product Introduction (NPI), ensuring smooth transition from development into manufacturing.
• Provide technical support for manufacturing challenges, testing issues, and component lifecycle management.
• Support continuous improvement of existing hardware platforms and product lines.

Required Experience & Qualifications

• 10+ years experience within hardware engineering and electronic design environments.
• Degree in Electronic Engineering or a related technical discipline.
• Proven experience leading hardware development activities and defining engineering processes.
• Strong understanding of hardware quality frameworks, governance, and technical reviews.
• Experience working across PCB, FPGA, and mechanical engineering disciplines.
• Must be a sole UK national and eligible to obtain UK security clearance.

Desirable Experience

• Experience with FPGA integration, programmable logic workflows, and high‑speed digital interfaces.
• Knowledge of Design for Test (DFT) and Design for Manufacturing (DFM) methodologies.
• Experience designing and delivering electronic products within defence, aerospace, or other high‑assurance industries.
• Strong track record of mentoring engineers and improving technical capability without relying on formal management structures.

Why Apply?

This is an opportunity to take a leading technical role within a highly skilled engineering environment, shaping hardware development practices and contributing to the delivery of secure, mission‑critical technology.

You will have the opportunity to influence engineering strategy, mentor talented engineers, and play a key role in delivering complex electronic systems from concept through to production.