Hardware Engineer

Hardware Engineer

About Averna powered by Spherea

Averna powered by Spherea designs, manufactures and supports complex test and quality systems for aerospace, defence and other regulated industries. Based in Bournemouth, the UK engineering team delivers bespoke test equipment for major contractors and equipment manufacturers.

The Hardware Engineer Role

You will design and develop electrical and electronic hardware for bespoke test systems, working with systems, software, mechanical, production and project engineering colleagues.

The role spans the full engineering lifecycle, from requirements and concept development through detailed design, integration, verification, commissioning and customer acceptance. The role is primarily based in Bournemouth, with occasional UK and overseas travel.

Hardware Engineer Key Responsibilities

• Analyse customer and system requirements and develop practical hardware solutions, contributing to feasibility studies, concepts and system architecture.

• Design electrical and electronic hardware for automated and manual test systems, selecting and integrating instrumentation, power supplies, switching, data acquisition, communications and control equipment.

• Define interfaces between the test system, unit under test and associated equipment. Support bespoke electronic assemblies and PCB development where required.

• Produce and maintain specifications, schematics, wiring diagrams, interface definitions, bills of materials, design calculations, component-selection records, manufacturing information and verification documentation.

• Prepare hardware costings and estimates of materials and engineering effort, and participate in internal and customer design reviews.

• Ensure designs meet functional, safety, reliability, maintainability, cost and schedule requirements. Identify technical risks, component obsolescence and opportunities for improvement.

• Work with engineering, procurement, production, quality and project teams to support procurement, manufacture, assembly and integration, investigating design, integration and component-level faults.

• Support verification, validation, qualification, factory acceptance testing, installation, commissioning and customer acceptance, including equipment safety assessments and CE/UKCA conformity activities.

Hardware Engineer Essential Skills and Experience

• Degree, HNC or HND in electronic, electrical, aerospace engineering or a related discipline.

• Experience in an electrical or electronic hardware design role, with a sound understanding of analogue and digital electronics.

• Experience developing electrical or electronic equipment throughout the engineering lifecycle, including selecting or integrating components, instrumentation or commercial hardware.

• Ability to produce clear electrical schematics, wiring information and supporting design documentation.

• Practical fault-finding and diagnostic skills, ideally to component level, and an understanding of manufacturing, assembly, integration and test processes.

• Ability to interpret technical requirements, solve problems methodically and develop robust, practical solutions.

• Effective written and verbal communication skills, a collaborative approach and the ability to take ownership of engineering activities through to completion.

• Awareness of cost, schedule, technical risk and configuration control in a project-based environment.

• Full driving licence valid in the UK and the ability to meet company vehicle-insurance requirements for occasional travel.

• Must have the right to work in the UK.

Hardware Engineer Desirable Technical Experience

Experience in one or more of the following areas would be advantageous:

• Aerospace, defence, space, rail, energy or another regulated sector.

• Automated or special-to-type test equipment.

• 19-inch rack systems, electrical cabinets, wiring, data acquisition, instrumentation, signal conditioning or control systems.

• PCB design tools such as Altium, KiCad or OrCAD, and microcontroller firmware or FPGA design and debugging.

• Power electronics, high-voltage systems, electrical safety, EMC design or compliance.

• Interfaces and protocols including Ethernet, RS-232, RS-422, RS-485, CAN, SPI or I²C.

• National Instruments hardware, LabVIEW or TestStand, and SolidWorks Electrical or another electrical CAD package.

• CE/UKCA conformity, electrical safety standards, requirements management, verification and validation.

• Obsolescence management, legacy equipment replacement, maintainability and long operational-life design.

• Multidisciplinary engineering teams, defence customers or security-classified programmes.

Security Requirements

Applicants must be eligible to obtain and maintain the UK national security clearance required for the role. Some programmes may have additional nationality, residency or export-control restrictions.

What we offer

Technically varied projects, involvement across the test-system lifecycle, access to experienced engineering specialists, and opportunities to develop technical skills and take on greater responsibility.

Reporting and Benefits

The reporting line will be to the Regional Operations Manager or an Engineering Team Leader, to be confirmed. Benefits include competitive salary, performance-related bonus, pension, family healthcare and health cash plans, 27 days’ annual leave plus UK bank holidays, cycle-to-work scheme and professional development.