At a Glance
- Tasks: Lead the design and development of innovative electronic hardware solutions for critical industries.
- Company: Join Aquam, a forward-thinking company focused on essential infrastructure.
- Benefits: Enjoy a competitive salary, great benefits, and a supportive engineering culture.
- Other info: Collaborative environment with opportunities for mentorship and career growth.
- Why this job: Make a real impact on mission-critical products that shape our world.
- Qualifications: Degree in Electronic Engineering and significant experience in hardware design required.
This role will support Aquam, Ovarro's sister company. We are seeking a Senior Electronic Hardware Engineer to lead the design and development of robust electronic hardware solutions used in critical industrial and infrastructure environments. The role focuses on PCB design, embedded electronics, microcontroller-based systems, and RF/antenna integration, with a strong preference for experience in ATEX / hazardous-area certified products.
You will play a key role across the full product lifecycle—from requirements capture and schematic design through PCB layout, prototype bring-up, compliance, and transition into manufacture—working closely with firmware, mechanical, test, and product teams.
Key Responsibilities
- Hardware Design & Development
- Lead the design and development of analogue, digital, and mixed-signal PCBs
- Produce schematics, PCB layouts, BoMs, and manufacturing documentation
- Design low-power, ruggedised electronics suitable for long-life industrial deployment
- Support hardware bring-up, debugging, and root-cause analysis
- Design and integrate RF circuits and antennas (e.g. cellular, NB‑IoT, LTE‑M, sub‑GHz, ISM bands)
- Support antenna selection, matching, tuning, and validation
- Work with enclosure / mechanical teams to ensure RF performance in real-world installations
- Compliance & Certification
- Design hardware to meet ATEX / IECEx requirements (where applicable)
- Ensure compliance with UKCA / CE (EMC, LVD, RED)
- Support testing with external test houses and internal validation teams
- Contribute to technical files, risk assessments, and compliance documentation
- Lifecycle & Manufacturing Support
- Support DFM, DFA, and DFMEA activities
- Work with manufacturing partners on prototype builds and production ramp-up
- Support component selection with an eye on availability, obsolescence, and lifecycle risk
- Provide technical support to quality, test, and field teams as required
- Technical Leadership
- Act as a technical authority for electronic hardware within the team
- Mentor and review work of junior engineers
- Contribute to design reviews (DDR / gates) and engineering governance processes
- Drive continuous improvement in tools, design practices, and standards
Qualifications
- Degree (or equivalent experience) in Electronic Engineering
- Significant experience in electronic hardware design for commercial or industrial products
- Strong expertise in PCB schematic capture and layout (Altium, OrCAD, KiCad, etc.)
- Solid understanding of analogue electronics, power regulation, and signal integrity
- Experience integrating antennas and RF subsystems
- Hands-on experience with hardware debugging (oscilloscope, logic analyser, spectrum analyser)
- Experience working in regulated or safety-critical environments
Desirable / Advantageous
- ATEX / IECEx design experience (or strong exposure to hazardous-area products)
- Experience with low-power IoT devices
- Familiarity with EMC mitigation techniques
- Experience supporting cellular certification (RED, PTCRB, GCF, carrier approvals)
- Understanding of functional safety concepts
- Previous experience in water, energy, oil & gas, rail, or industrial automation sectors
Personal Attributes
- Structured, detail-oriented, and safety-conscious
- Comfortable taking technical ownership of complex designs
- Strong collaborator across hardware, firmware, mechanical, and test disciplines
- Able to balance innovation with robustness and long-term supportability
What We Offer
- Opportunity to work on mission-critical products used in essential infrastructure
- Exposure to end-to-end product development, from concept to deployed systems
- Supportive engineering culture with strong technical standards
- Competitive salary and benefits package
Aquam recognise the need for a diverse workforce and we are committed to equal opportunities in employment. Aquam employees and candidates who apply to work at Ovarro will be treated fairly and valued equally. All job requirements fit the needs of the business and those who work in it, regardless of age, disability, race, nationality, ethnic or national origin, gender, religion, beliefs, sexual orientation, domestic circumstances, social and employment status, HIV status, gender reassignment, political affiliation or trade union membership.
Senior Electronic Hardware Engineer in Chesterfield employer: Ovarro Limited
Aquam, as part of Ovarro, offers an exceptional work environment for a Senior Electronic Hardware Engineer in Wirksworth/Chesterfield, UK. With a focus on mission-critical products and a supportive engineering culture, employees benefit from exposure to the full product lifecycle and opportunities for professional growth. The company values diversity and fosters an inclusive atmosphere, ensuring that all team members are treated fairly and valued equally.
