Electronic Hardware Design and Developer

AWE is currently recruiting for an Electronic Design Engineer and Developer in our Nuclear Materials Control team working within our Operations function. As an Electronic Design Engineer and Developer, you will be required to modernise and enhance a range of bespoke legacy electronic systems. This role provides the opportunity to lead the upgrade, development, and ongoing maintenance of these systems within a full development simulation environment, preparing them for seamless deployment into a production-ready setting.

We’d like you to have experience in some of the following:

• Experience working on complex systems using innovative science and technology, following a stage-gated design process, and demonstrating strong proficiency in fault-finding and problem-solving.
• A hands-on approach to designing, building, and installing systems, including distributed control systems, network-controlled systems, and microcontroller-based solutions.
• A strong understanding of Linux environments, with good C programming skills considered a significant advantage.
• Good familiarity with ARM processors, Raspberry Pi, and Arduino platforms for rapid prototyping and concept development.
• Provide mentoring and coaching to team members, supporting their development and contributing to a strong technical capability within the group.
• Strong communication skills, with the ability to convey technical information clearly to both technical and non-technical stakeholders.

You’ll Be Set for Success If you have some of the following skills and experience:

• This role requires a candidate with a relevant BSc in Electronic Engineering or a computing-related discipline, or alternatively, proven experience gained in a comparable technical environment.
• Lead the delivery of conceptual designs through to detailed designs, manufacturing specifications, operational documentation, and validation evidence for electronic engineering solutions, ensuring full alignment with defined system and project requirements.
• Design and implement electronic simulators within the development environment to accurately replicate production processes and support effective testing, validation, and troubleshooting.
• Identify and support opportunities to improve existing legacy systems, with a focus on enhancing the performance, reliability, and maintainability of current legacy equipment.
• Collaborate with external suppliers to design and develop new electronic solutions that extend the operational life of existing bespoke legacy circuit boards.
• Contribute to maintaining high production availability by supporting the 1st-line support team with timely technical guidance and problem resolution.
• Develop and implement a dedicated build environment for compiling Pascal code targeting the Motorola 68K processor, using the Microware OS-9 operating system, and generating EPROMS from the resulting binary outputs.

Some reasons we think you’ll love it here:

• 9-day working fortnight – meaning you get every other Friday off work, in addition to 270 hours of annual leave.
• Market leading contributory pension scheme (we will pay between 9% and 13% of your pensionable pay depending on your contributions).
• Family friendly policies: Maternity Leave - 39 Weeks Full Pay and Paternity Leave - 4 Weeks Full Pay.
• Opportunities for Professional Career Development including funding for annual membership of a relevant professional body.
• Employee Assistance Programme and Occupational Health Services.
• Life Assurance (4 x annual salary).
• Discounts – access to savings on a wide range of everyday spending.
• Special Leave Policy including paid time off for volunteering, public service (including reserve forces) and caring.

Important things you need to know:

• You will need to obtain and maintain the necessary security clearance for the role. This will be funded by AWE. The nature of our work does mean you need to be a British Citizen who has been resident in the UK for the past 5 years in order to apply for SC clearance and 10 years for DV.
• We want you to feel comfortable and able to shine during our recruitment process. Please let us know on your application form if you need any adjustments/accommodations during the process.
• Our interviews typically take place over Teams and for most roles are a 1 stage process.
• Due to the nature of the work involved, there are limited opportunities to work from home in this role. It is anticipated that the successful candidate will spend the majority of their time working on site at AWE Aldermaston.
• Our ambition is to create workplaces where we recognise and celebrate differences, encourage diverse contributions and our employees feel able to be themselves at work.