Mechatronics Engineer

Full-time position. Onsite 5 days a week – Chiswick, London. We’re hiring a Senior Mechatronics Engineer to help deliver the motion control, sensing, and real-time system behaviour needed for the HoloDrive system.

About HoloMem - At HoloMem, we’re building the next generation of mass data storage hardware; highly efficient, long life, and ultra durable. Our pioneering and patented holographic technology encodes data as light within advanced polymers, enabling a resilient and future fit alternative to today’s short lived and energy intensive data storage infrastructure. Over the past 24 months HoloMem has graduated from both the Intel Ignite and Deeptech Labs accelerators, been awarded two Innovate UK Smart Grants, closed a seed+ funding round, and most recently deployed a working HoloDrive prototype to a live data centre to prove the robustness of our system. Off the back of our breakthrough partnership with BDT, the world’s largest tape library manufacturer, we now begin the transition from prototype to product, maturing our validated system into a mass-produced technology platform that enables state of the art data storage performance at scale. We have ambitious plans, and we are now scaling up our West London based team to enable them. Join us.

What You’ll Be Doing - You will work across motor control architecture, actuator selection, encoder and sensor integration, control loop tuning, test rigs, motor drivers, embedded software, and real-time system behaviour. Some motion control functions may sit close to FPGA-based hardware interfaces, including FOC, encoder processing, high-speed timing, commutation, PWM generation, synchronisation, and closed-loop control. You will not own FPGA implementation, but you should be able to reason clearly about whether an issue is coming from the control system, electronics, sensors, or mechanics.

The Specifics About the Role - This role is suited to a senior mechatronics engineer who has delivered motor control in real hardware systems, and who is comfortable working across mechanical motion, electronics, embedded software, sensors, actuators, and system test. You should be able to:

• Define and develop motor control approaches for precision motion in a complex electromechanical system
• Support actuator selection across stepper, servo, piezo, linear motor, or related motion technologies
• Integrate encoders, optical sensors, and other feedback mechanisms into motion control systems
• Tune and validate PID, FOC, or related control approaches for speed, position, repeatability, tension, or synchronisation
• Work with motor drivers, embedded C/C++, real-time control systems, and hardware interfaces during bring-up and integration
• Develop test rigs and measurement approaches to characterise motor behaviour, repeatability, and control stability
• Debug motion issues across mechanical, electrical, embedded software, FPGA-interface, sensing, and control system boundaries
• Document control behaviour, test results, risks, trade-offs, and engineering decisions clearly

Who You Are - You are a hands-on mechatronics engineer who is comfortable where software, electronics, mechanics, and control theory meet. You understand that reliable motion control requires the right actuator, clean sensing, stable control loops, practical test methods, and disciplined debugging. You enjoy working with real hardware. You can move from control logic to oscilloscope traces, from sensor signals to mechanical behaviour, and from test results back to system-level design decisions. You communicate clearly across multi-disciplinary teams, and challenge decisions when the evidence does not support them.

Required Experience - Degree-level education in mechatronics, mechanical engineering, electrical/electronic engineering, control engineering, robotics, or a closely related discipline. 3 – 5 years relevant industry experience developing motor control or precision motion systems in real hardware. Hands-on experience building, testing, measuring, and improving hardware systems. Practical judgement in balancing time, cost, specification, quality, scalability, and delivery risk.

Desirable Skills - Exposure to FPGA-based motor control systems, deterministic timing, encoder processing, PWM generation, commutation, safety interlocks, synchronisation, or closed-loop control. Ability to diagnose whether motor control issues originate in FPGA implementation, embedded software, electronics, sensing, control loop behaviour, or mechanical system behaviour. Experience with precision media handling, tape handling, web handling, cartridge systems, or other mechanically sensitive motion systems. Experience supporting hardware through EVT, DVT, PVT, production readiness, or launch phases. Experience working closely with mechanical engineers on tolerance, friction, alignment, wear, or repeatability issues.

Benefits At HoloMem - Competitive salary, 25 days annual leave, employer pension contributions, cycle-to-work scheme, a collaborative, knowledgeable team working on deeply technical, world-positive problems.

How to Apply - Click apply or send your CV to careers@holomem.co.uk. Show us what you’ve designed, built, or tested. If you’re excited about the mission, even if you don’t meet every requirement, we’d love to hear from you. HoloMem is an equal opportunity employer. We value diversity and are committed to building an inclusive environment for all.