Senior Staff Technical Architect - Hardware

Keysight Technologies SAles Spain SL.; Paignton; On-site; GBP 90,000 - 120,000; Full time

Job summary

Keysight Technologies is seeking a Senior Staff Technical Architect - Hardware to own the hardware system architecture for next-generation products. You will lead cross-functional teams across hardware, FPGA, firmware and software, translating system requirements into robust, scalable hardware solutions.

You will drive architectural trade-off studies, govern design reviews, and ensure security, reliability and manufacturability while aligning with product strategy and budgets.

Qualifications

• Honours degree in Electronic or Communications Engineering or similar.
• 8+ years in a similar hardware/architectural role with impact.
• Strong analog and digital electronics at system and component level.

Responsibilities

• Own and develop the hardware system architecture for next‑generation products, translating requirements into robust hardware.
• Provide technical leadership and design authority across complex hardware developments.
• Define system partitioning, interfaces, design principles and technology choices balancing performance, cost, power, and lifecycle.

Skills

Hardware architecture

Technical leadership

System-level design

Analogue & Digital electronics

GNSS knowledge

MATLAB

Education

Electronic Engineering (Honours)

Communications Engineering

Tools

MATLAB

Job description

Overview

Keysight is at the forefront of technology innovation, delivering breakthroughs and trusted insights in electronic design, simulation, prototyping, test, manufacturing, and optimization. Our ~16,800 employees create world-class solutions in communications, 5G, automotive, energy, quantum, aerospace, defense, and semiconductor markets for customers in over 100 countries. Learn more about what we do.

Our award-winning culture embraces a bold vision of where technology can take us and a passion for tackling challenging problems with industry-first solutions. We believe that when people feel a sense of belonging, they can be more creative, innovative, and thrive at all points in their careers.

We are growing the team within our Positioning, Navigation and Timing (PNT) Centre of Excellence and looking for a Senior Staff Technical Architect - Hardware ready to solve complex problems alongside people who know this technology inside out.

If you want your work to influence critical technologies used around the world, we would like to hear from you.

The Hardware Technical Architect is responsible for the design, development, and governance of the Hardware architecture of our products, ensuring that technical solutions support both business objectives and current and future product requirements.

Working closely with engineering, product management, technical leadership, manufacturing partners and suppliers, the architect defines hardware principles and standards, evaluates emerging technologies and develops technology roadmaps. They ensure that hardware architectures meet performance, reliability, security, regulatory, cost and lifecycle requirements while remaining aligned with the wider product and technology strategy.

As a senior technical role, the Hardware Technical Architect leads technical assessments, provides expert guidance on complex projects, and supports the lifecycle management of system hardware from procurement and deployment through to refresh and retirement. They act as the technical authority for hardware-related decisions, ensuring solutions are designed and implemented in accordance with best practices, business requirements, and budget constraints.

Responsibilities

• Own and develop the hardware system architecture for next-generation products, translating system and product requirements into robust, scalable hardware solutions.
• Provide technical leadership and design authority across complex hardware developments, guiding key architectural and technology decisions.
• Define system partitioning, interfaces, design principles and technology choices, balancing performance, cost, power, thermal, reliability, security, manufacturability, and lifecycle requirements.
• Lead architectural trade-off studies, design reviews and technical investigations, identifying and mitigating significant technical risks early in the development lifecycle.
• Work across Hardware, Systems, FPGA, Firmware, Software, Mechanical, Test and Manufacturing teams to ensure a coherent end-to-end product architecture.
• Evaluate and introduce new technologies and architectural approaches, using analysis, modelling and prototyping where appropriate to de-risk future product development.
• Drive design reuse, common platforms and engineering best practice, improving product quality and development efficiency across multiple product generations.
• Provide senior technical support during complex design, integration, verification and product delivery issues, leading teams towards effective resolution.
• Mentor and develop engineers, sharing specialist knowledge and raising the technical capability of the wider engineering organisation.
• Communicate architectural decisions, technical risks and recommendations effectively to engineering leadership, project teams and other key stakeholders.

Qualifications

Essential

• Honours degree in Electronic Engineering, Communications Engineering, or a similar discipline.
• Extensive relevant experience in a similar role (~8+ years) with the ability to add value with limited development.
• Strong Analog and Digital Electronics proficiency at both system and component level.
• Experience of system-level design involving hardware, FPGA, firmware and software elements.
• Understanding of the software development process and its interdependencies between hardware, firmware and software.
• Understanding of the mechanical design process for electronic packaging.
• The ability to work independently, exercise sound technical judgement and provide effective leadership with minimal supervision.
• Excellent written and verbal communication skills, including the ability to produce clear, concise technical reports and architecture documentation.
• Experience in Digital Modulation techniques, GNSS, Communications theory, Signal Processing, Encryption processes and Matlab are all advantages.

Desirable

• Experience of RF electronics or FPGA design
• Knowledge or practical experience in one or more of the following areas: digital modulation, GNSS, communications theory, signal processing and encryption techniques.
• Experience using MATLAB or similar modelling and analysis tools.

Behaviours

• Ability to both own and lead multi-disciplinary projects through the Keysight Lifecycle Process (KLC).
• Ability to work on extremely complex system wide problems where analysis of situations or data requires an evaluation of intangible variance factors.
• Takes on responsibility for delivery of products or components, including direction of other staff and reporting to stakeholders.
• Proven leader in technical areas of expertise, leading by example and results oriented, focused on getting to the desired outcome.
• Eager to learn new technologies with a self-motivated, energetic approach.
• Original/innovative thinker, ability to go beyond traditional approaches.
• Strong problem-solving and analytical skills coupled with an aptitude to innovate.
• Communicates and presents effectively, listens sensitively, adapts communication to audience and fosters effective communication with others.
• Team player with a highly collaborative and positive attitude.
• Develops the capability of others through mentoring, coaching, knowledge-sharing and constructive technical guidance.
• Works in an organised and methodical manner while remaining adaptable when priorities, requirements or circumstances change.
• Acts proactively, identifies opportunities to make a difference and takes appropriate action without waiting to be directed.
• Remains decisive, resilient and persistent when facing obstacles, demonstrating both personal accountability and a commitment to collective ownership.

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***Keysight is an Equal Opportunity Employer.***