Mechanical / Hardware Engineer – Defence Technology (Field Hardening) | UK
An early-stage UK defence technology company in Buckinghamshire is looking for a hands-on Mechanical Engineer to take their sensing product from working prototype to field-ready hardware.
The company builds a passive sensing system used for threat detection in contested environments. It already has real traction: selected for a major international defence innovation programme, demonstrated at a NATO exercise, and heading toward field trials with international defence partners over the coming months, with a first commercial contract targeted within the next year.
The role
The product works. The job now is to make it survive contact with the real world — connectors, enclosures, weatherproofing, vibration and thermal resistance — and to help the business move from hand-built units toward small-batch, repeatable manufacture.
The compute platform is already chosen and proven; deep electronics design experience is not required. This is a mechanically-led, hands-on hardware role.
You'll be:
- Designing rugged, field-ready enclosures and mounting solutions
- Hardening connectors and interfaces against water, vibration, and rough handling
- Working hands-on with sensor and compute hardware to manage thermal performance in a sealed housing
- Supporting rapid prototyping, bench testing, and field validation – including direct involvement in trials and exercises
- Helping transition the product toward scalable manufacture: BOMs, supplier relationships, design-for-manufacture decisions
About you
- Hands-on mechanical/hardware engineering background – defence, aerospace, space, marine, motorsport, or robotics all considered
- Real experience with ruggedisation, environmental sealing, vibration/shock resistance, or similar hardening work
- Comfortable owning a problem independently in a small team with no engineering management layer – this is a "figure it out yourself" role, not one with a lot of oversight
- Defence sector experience is a genuine plus but not a hard requirement if your hands-on hardening experience is strong
- Open to candidates earlier in their career if the self-direction and hands-on evidence is there – this is about ability, not years served
The opportunity
- Genuine ownership of a problem that matters – your work will be tested in the field within weeks, not years
- Ground-floor role at a company with real momentum and a credible path to its next funding round
- Small, founder-led team – direct access and real influence on product direction
- UK-based, full-time. Some international travel required for trials and exercises.
Interested candidates should be eligible to work in the UK and able to work with sensitive defence-related projects.
