Lead Hardware Engineer – Electric Drive Systems

About the role

We are seeking an experienced Lead Hardware Engineer to own the design and delivery of electronic hardware for advanced electric drive systems. You will work within an agile, medium‑sized engineering team, taking full technical responsibility from concept through to high‑volume production release.

Key responsibilities

• Lead, mentor and organise a team of hardware engineers to meet project milestones.
• Develop 600 V power electronics, including 3‑phase motor drive inverters, bi‑directional DC‑DC converters, control electronics and AC mains battery chargers.
• Drive Design for Manufacture (DFM) and Design for Cost (DFC) practices for high‑volume automotive production.
• Collaborate with Project Managers to plan hardware activities, assess technical risks and manage budgets.
• Oversee FMEA and support Design Verification Plans (DVP) to ensure reliability, safety and EMC compliance.
• Work closely with software, mechanical and system integration teams to resolve cross‑disciplinary challenges.

Required profile

• Proven experience leading multidisciplinary engineering teams in an automotive or high‑voltage environment.
• Strong background in schematic design and architecture of complex 600 V power electronic hardware.
• Deep understanding of the automotive product development lifecycle, supply‑chain considerations and production scalability.
• Hands‑on experience defining test strategies, debugging hardware issues and navigating EMC, environmental and safety certifications.
• Excellent collaboration skills with internal teams and external suppliers.

Required skills

• Power electronics design
• High‑voltage (600 V) system architecture
• 3‑phase motor drive inverter design
• Bi‑directional DC‑DC converter design
• Control electronics development
• AC mains battery charger design
• Design for Manufacture (DFM)
• Design for Cost (DFC)
• Failure Mode and Effects Analysis (FMEA)
• Design Verification Plans (DVP)
• EMC compliance
• Automotive safety standards
• Hardware testing and debugging

What we offer

• Supportive, modern working environment
• Competitive benefits package, including a workplace pension (4% employee / 5% employer contribution)
• Competitive salary (GBP 75,000‑80,000 per year)
• 37.5‑hour week, Monday‑Friday
• Hybrid/on‑site work pattern (3‑4 days on site)