OBDH Sub-System Lead Engineer

Guildford, Surrey, United Kingdom
2 weeks ago
Job Type
Permanent
Work Pattern
Full-time
Work Location
On-site
Seniority
Lead
Education
Degree
Posted
14 May 2026 (2 weeks ago)

Benefits

32 days annual leave + BH Annual Company Bonus Scheme Up to 8% employer pension contribution Life Assurance (6X salary) Private Health Care Enhanced Maternity & Paternity leave Multiple Discount, Memberships schemes

OBDH (On-board Data Handling) Sub-System Lead Engineer

We are seeking an electronics engineer from the space sector who has experience of Several years experience of FPGA design using VHDL along with OBDH (On-board Data Handling) systems for spacecraft

Key Purpose Of Job

An exciting opportunity to make a difference and deliver highly innovative On-board Data Handling (OBDH) solutions for spacecraft missions. This role has responsibility for undertaking the design, analysis, development, verification and delivery of OBDH systems into the mission, including but not limited to on board computer, data recorders, payload interface units and associated test hardware.

You will be involved on a mission right from concept through to launch, commissioning and operational life; a true cradle to grave experience and will give you the chance to see your work in Space in a rapid timescale! This key role will often sit within the core team of a satellite mission interacting with other technical leads across multiple disciplines to generate the technical solutions for innovative projectsKey Tasks

Primary role will be OBDH sub-system role working with project core team and/or product owners within the matrix structure with projects - Typical duties include:

Evaluation of mission requirements, derive subsystem requirements, and generate verification plans

Define OBDH sub-system architecture and interfaces to other sub-systems with internal/external products including trade offs.

Responsible for the delivery of all aspects of the defined/delegated package of work which includes, Technical Solution, Budget and Schedule via interaction with other product owners

Work closely in a core project team, providing technical support to project managers, suppliers, and customers with regular interactions/reporting.

Interaction with other product owners to delivery for the products to Project.

Interaction with internal/external customers and presentations at peer reviews and/or project milestone reviews

Generation of appropriate technical documentation (including design, development and verification plans, interfaces, build instructions assembly & test procedures, reports and technical descriptions etc.) and/or project level documentation

In addition to the primary role, other responsibilities could include:

Update existing FPGA designs, and create new FPGA IP cores, against the mission requirements to support the technical solution

Managing engineering updates to heritage designs and/or development of digital circuits for future missions for OBDH products.

Providing input into bids for future contracts

PERSON SPECIFICATION (essential requirements)

Qualification

BTEC/Degree in Electrical EngineeringExperience

Experience of On-boards Data Handing Products including system level design in either the satellite industry or equivalent.

Several years experience of FPGA design using VHDL.

Several years’ experience of hands-on digital board level design, manufacturing experience, and fault finding during tests

Great experience on presentation and discussion of technical material to/with a technical audience is essentialKnowledge & Skills

Good understanding of OBDH systems

Knowledge of FPGAs.

Knowledge of Digital Design Software and Simulation tools

Knowledge of Lab Test Equipment.

Excellent inter-personal skills - both written and oral communications; ability to interface with customers and technical representatives

Highly organised with clear communication skills

Ability to work under pressure

Flexible & adaptable to changing priorities with good planning skills.

Ability to work simultaneously on a variety of projectsBenefits

Highly competitive Salary dependent on experience

Flexible working policies

32 days annual leave + BH

Annual Company Bonus Scheme

Up to 8% employer pension contribution

Life Assurance (6X salary)

Private Health Care

Enhanced Maternity & Paternity leave

Multiple Discount, Memberships schemes

Related Jobs

View all jobs
Spotlight

Senior Processor Architect

Fractile London, United Kingdom
Spotlight

Semiconductor Test Engineering Team Leader

Fractile Bristol, United Kingdom
On-site

Industry Insights

Discover insightful articles, industry insights, expert tips, and curated resources.

Where to Advertise Semiconductor Jobs in the UK (2026 Guide)

Where to advertise semiconductor jobs UK in 2026: the specialist boards, academic channels and community routes that actually reach IC, fab and EDA talent. The candidate pool is one of the smallest and most specialised in any engineering discipline — spanning IC design engineers, process engineers, fab technicians, EDA tool developers, compound semiconductor physicists and power electronics specialists. General job boards are largely ineffective for semiconductor hiring. The community is tight-knit, highly academic in its roots and concentrated around a small number of university groups, fab facilities and design centres. Specialist boards, academic channels and direct community engagement are the primary sourcing strategies that work. This guide, published by SemiconductorJobs.co.uk, covers where to advertise semiconductor roles in the UK in 2026, how the main platforms compare, what employers should expect to pay, and what the data says about hiring across different role types.

Semiconductor Jobs UK 2026: What to Expect Over the Next 3 Years

Semiconductor Jobs UK 2026: roles, salaries and the hiring trends shaping UK semiconductor recruitment over the next three years — what to expect now. Semiconductors are the foundational technology of the modern world. Every smartphone, electric vehicle, data centre, medical device, satellite, and AI accelerator depends on them. And yet for much of the past decade, the strategic importance of semiconductor design and manufacturing was something that governments, investors, and employers took largely for granted — until supply chain crises, geopolitical tensions, and the insatiable compute demands of artificial intelligence made the vulnerability of global semiconductor supply chains impossible to ignore. The response has been significant and sustained. The UK's National Semiconductor Strategy, the US CHIPS Act, the EU Chips Act, and parallel investment programmes across Japan, South Korea, and Taiwan have collectively committed hundreds of billions of pounds to semiconductor research, design, and manufacturing capability. In the UK specifically, that investment is beginning to translate into real hiring — across compound semiconductor manufacturing, chip design, semiconductor equipment, advanced packaging, and the growing ecosystem of fabless design companies that are choosing Britain as their base. For job seekers, the semiconductor jobs market of 2026 represents an opportunity that is more commercially urgent, more geographically distributed, and more technically diverse than at any previous point in the sector's UK history. The roles being created span the full semiconductor value chain — from fundamental materials research and process engineering through chip design, verification, and the software that makes silicon useful. The candidates who will thrive over the next three years are those who understand where that value chain is being built, which technical areas are attracting the most investment, and how to position their skills at the intersection of the sector's greatest needs. This article breaks down what the UK semiconductor jobs market is likely to look like through to 2028 — covering the titles emerging right now, the technologies driving employer demand, the skills that will matter most, and how to position your career at the leading edge of one of the most strategically important technology sectors in the UK economy.