Design & Development Engineer

Contract type:Full time
Hours: 37 hours per week
Salary: Up to £50,000
Location: Southport

Reporting to the Head of Product Design and Development, you will be a key member of the Design Engineering team, responsible for the analysis, design, development, and continual improvement of innovative electronic products for manufacture, leveraging new and emerging technologies to support the company’s growth objectives.

Working under the guidance of Principal and Senior Engineers, the role requires the delivery of high-quality engineering outputs, including schematics, PCB designs, simulations, calculations, technical specifications, drawings, bills of materials and user manuals to support engineering change and approval processes.

You will actively support the full product lifecycle assessment across the existing product portfolio, managing design modifications, component obsolescence, cost, and reliability improvements.

In parallel, you will contribute to project management activities by supporting planning, scheduling and risk management to ensure projects are delivered to agreed time, cost, and quality targets, while collaborating closely with cross-functional teams, including mechanical, software, manufacturing, and product management, to ensure alignment with product roadmaps and priorities.

Strong engagement with manufacturing is required to drive Design for Manufacture and Test (DFM/DfT), improve build and test processes, enhance product quality, and provide hands-on technical support to resolve production issues.

The role also involves coordinating with procurement, supply chain, and vendors to ensure timely sourcing of components and quality for prototyping and production.

The position requires a mid-senior level of expertise in analogue and digital circuit design, PCB layout and review, power electronics, embedded systems, component selection and compliance (e.g. EMC, safety, and relevant regulatory standards), alongside proficiency with CAD and simulation tools, design verification and validation, failure analysis, and lifecycle documentation, complemented by strong communication, problem-solving, stakeholder engagement, and continuous improvement skills.

This position offers numerous opportunities for professional development, including training programs and workshops to enhance your skills and knowledge in electronics engineering and railway signalling. You will benefit from mentorship by experienced engineers who will guide you through your professional growth and development.

The role encourages both autonomy and initiative, allowing you to take ownership of your work and responsibilities. At the same time, you will be an integral part of a collaborative team, contributing to a supportive and dynamic work environment. Demonstrating your skills and dedication can lead to career advancement within the company

Essential Criteria:

• Degree in Electronics Engineering
• Expertise in both analogue and digital electronic design as well as possessing an excellent knowledge of embedded software (PIC and C).
• Working knowledge of Engineering design systems (Autocad / Cadstar / eCadstar) and design rules
• Experience in product design lifecycle – from concept to introduction into manufacturing (ideally in safety critical industry)
• Experience of design office revision control and file management
• Experience in component obsolescence management
• Excellent analytical and problem-solving skills
• Able to liaise with customers to understand technical requirements
• Strong customer focus
• Passion for producing innovative design solutions
• Excellent team player
• IT literate

Desirable Criteria:

• Experience / knowledge of rail industry standards, SMD LED technology / optical design
• Product safety knowledge EN 50128, EN 50129
• Project Management Experience highly desirable

Why Join Us?

• Innovative Environment: Be part of a team that values creativity and forward-thinking
• Career Growth: Opportunities to advance and become a leader in railway signalling engineering
• Supportive Culture: Work in a collaborative and supportive environment

Benefits

• Competitive salary
• Pension and death in service provisions for employees in pension scheme
• 25 Days Hols (plus Bank Holidays)
• Employee Assistance Programme (EAP)
• Health and Wellbeing Initiatives
• Employee offers and discounts from various retailers
• Cycle to work scheme, recognition events and rewards
• Free car parking
• Blended/hybrid working available

Unipart – Who are we?

Unipart Rail & Tech is part of the Unipart Group, one of Europe's leading independent logistics’ companies that employs more than 8,000 employees worldwide and has an annual turnover of more than £1 billion.We have a long heritage in the rail industry based on decades of experience, we have continuous improvement plans to embrace innovation in both products and business techniques to ensure that we remain the first and best choice for our customers. As a valued employee of Unipart, you can look forward to a varied and rewarding career with a company that holds the Investors in People accreditation and also world class status in employee engagement.

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