Principal Hardware Engineer

Date Posted:

2026-05-13

Country:

United Kingdom

Location:

Glenrothes, Fife

Position Role Type:

HybridJob Description

Role: Principal Hardware Engineer (Power Electronics)

Location: Glenrothes / Livingston

At RTX, the world largest aerospace and defense company, 185,000 great minds are united by purpose and inspired to make a difference solving the world’s most complex problems. With our three market leading businesses, world-class operations and investments in research and development, we offer capabilities and opportunity no one else can. Together, we push the boundaries of known science and find new ways to connect and protect our world.

Raytheon brings the strength of more than 100 years of experience and renowned engineering expertise to meet the needs of today’s mission and stay ahead of tomorrow’s threat. We deliver solutions that help our nation and allies defend freedoms and deter aggression, creating a safer, more secure world. Join us and help shape the future of aerospace and defense.

We're interested in people who are passionate about electronics— an experienced engineer looking for a new challenge. If you can demonstrate a solid understanding of hardware systems and a practical, problem-solving mindset, we want to hear from you.

The Senior Hardware Engineer (will consider applications from a Senior level candidate with 10+ years of relevant experience in designing hardware) will be able to make their mark on a broad and varied range of product designs and will be expected to assist in the integration of these designs into products, being the focal point for the complete system.

We are looking for a Principal Hardware Engineer with deep expertise in Power Electronics who is motivated by technically challenging designs and the opportunity to influence product direction. This is a senior, hands‑on technical leadership role, ideal for an experienced engineer seeking to shape architectures, mentor others, and see designs through from concept to production.

You will act as the technical focal point for complex electronic systems, leading and supporting multi‑disciplinary teams across internal and customer‑funded programmes. Your work will span early concept studies, detailed design, verification, and successful integration into production hardware.

Main Duties:

• As a Principal Hardware Engineer, you will:

• Provide technical leadership within a multi‑disciplinary design team

• Lead the design and development of power electronic systems, from concept through qualification

• Lead by example with respect to Safety and Quality, embracing internal and external processes.

• Solve complex technical problems on both new developments and existing products

• Capture, interpret, and derive customer requirements into clearly bounded design specifications

• Produce high‑quality schematics, simulations, PCB designs, and support component selection, evaluation, and verification

• Direct design reviews, commissioning, debug, fault diagnosis, and lifecycle support

• Design to cost and schedule, working effectively within approved budgets

• Ensure designs meet relevant industry, customer, and regulatory standards

• Support configuration control and managed design change

• Produce clear, concise technical documentation and reports

• Act as a technical authority in customer discussions within your area of expertise

• Maintain a strong hands‑on laboratory presence, assembling, testing, and troubleshooting hardware when required

Candidate Requirements:

We welcome applications from engineers who can demonstrate strength in most of the following areas — not necessarily every item:

• Applying a systems engineering approach across the full product lifecycle

• Significant experience in power electronics design, including a range of topologies

• Proven ability to take designs from prototype through to production

• Experience designing custom or semi‑custom magnetic components

• Strong understanding of embedded digital electronics, including microprocessors

• Practical experience with schematic capture, PCB design, and verification

• Ability to analyse problems using SPICE‑based and Simulink simulation tools, make sound engineering decisions, and communicate outcomes clearly

• Confidence working independently, while also mentoring and supporting others

• Comfortable operating in a changing environment with competing priorities

• Eligible for, or able to obtain, SC security clearance

Desirable Experience:

• The following experience would be advantageous but is not essential:

• Experience with ADC/DAC, memory devices (SRAM, Flash), and mixed‑signal design.

• Compliance of products to defence engineering standards (DEF-STAN, MIL-STD etc).

• Design for, and compliance to, European Directives [Low Voltage Directive, Electromagnetic Compatibility Directive etc.]

• Product design for Manufacture, Assembly and Test.

• Product design for environmental requirements (shock, vibration, EMC, etc.)

• Familiarity with Mentor Xpedition,

• Experience developing DO‑254 compliant electronic systems

• Experience with FPGAs, SoCs, and high‑speed digital interfaces

What we offer:

• Competitive salaries.

• 25 days holiday + statutory public holidays, plus opportunity to buy and sell up to 5 days (37hr)

• Contributory Pension Scheme (up to 10.5% company contribution)

• Company bonus scheme (discretionary).

• 6 times salary ‘Life Assurance’ with pension.

• Flexible Benefits scheme with extensive salary sacrifice schemes, including Health Cashplan, Dental, and Cycle to Work amongst others.

• Enhanced sick pay.

• Enhanced family friendly policies including enhanced maternity, paternity & shared parental leave.

Work Culture

• 37hr working week, although hours may vary depending on role, job requirement or site-specific arrangements.

• Remote, hybrid and site based working opportunities, dependant on your needs and the requirements of the role.

• A grownup flexible working culture that is output, not time spent at desk, focussed. More formal flexible working arrangements can also be requested and assessed subject to the role. Please enquire or highlight any request to our Talent Acquisition team to explore the flexible working possibilities.

• Up to 5 paid days volunteering each year.

RTX

Raytheon UK is a landed company and part of the wider RTX organisation. Headquartered in Arlington, Virginia, USA, but with over 180,000 employees globally across every continent, RTX provides advanced systems and services for commercial, military and government customers worldwide and comprises three industry-leading businesses – Collins Aerospace Systems, Pratt & Whitney, and Raytheon.

Supporting over 35,000 jobs across 13 UK sites, RTX is helping to drive prosperity. Each year our work contributes over £2.7bn to the UK economy and offers a wealth of opportunities to 4,000 suppliers across England, Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland. We’re investing in all corners of the country, supporting 29,040 jobs in England, 3,040 in Northern Ireland, 1,900 in Scotland and 1,600 in Wales.

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