Lead Hardware Design Engineer

Job Title: Lead Hardware Design Engineer
Location: Colchester
Salary: £60,000 to £70,000
Employment Type: Permanent
Working Arrangements: Onsite working

We’re supporting a growing engineering business near Colchester that is looking for a Lead Hardware Design Engineer to take full ownership of new product development. This role is ideal for someone who enjoys hands-on design, technical leadership, and driving projects from concept through to completion. As the team expands, this position is expected to progress into a Team Lead role.

What you’ll be doing
- Leading hardware development projects from requirements capture through to production release
- Designing detailed schematics for electronic and embedded systems
- Completing PCB layouts, including multi-layer and high-speed designs
- Collaborating with firmware, mechanical, and production teams to ensure seamless integration
- Managing documentation, design reviews, testing, and validation activities
- Acting as the technical authority for hardware decisions and project direction
- Contributing to the growth and structure of the hardware function, with a clear path to future team leadership

What you’ll bring
- Strong background in hardware design for electronic products
- Proficiency in schematic capture and PCB layout using industry-standard tools
- Experience leading projects and delivering high-quality designs on time
- Solid understanding of EMC, signal integrity, DFM/DFT, and full product lifecycle
- A proactive, hands-on approach with strong communication and leadership potential

Why join?
- High level of ownership and influence over hardware design
- Clear progression into a Team Lead position as the department grows
- Supportive engineering culture with room to innovate
- Stable, growing business with long-term opportunities
- On-site role in Colchester within a collaborative team

For more information, please contact Cathy Swain.
T: (phone number removed)
E: (url removed)