Location: St Leonards on Sea, East Sussex
23rd Apr, 2026
Introduction
Photonic Science & Engineering Limited (PSEL) is a leading specialist imaging equipment manufacturer of high-performance digital cameras and detector systems covering the spectrum from X-ray, visible, Short-Wave Infrared (SWIR) and neutron detection. The company is based in St Leonards on Sea, East Sussex and has around 30 employees. PSEL is part of the Tibidabo Scientific Industries group of companies.
The Role
PSEL are looking for a full-time, office-based Electronics Development Engineer to join its R&D team. The role involves the design, develop, test, and support electronic and firmware solutions for PSEL’s scientific and industrial imaging products, working as part of a small multidisciplinary R&D team.
The role spans hardware, firmware, and embedded software, with responsibility for taking designs from concept through prototype, verification, and into production support.
Reporting, Location & Travel
This is a full-time, office-based role reporting to the R&D Manager as an individual contributor, with no line management responsibility and minimal requirement for travel.
Key Responsibilities
Responsibilities include, although are not limited to the following:
Electronic & Hardware Design
- Design analogue and digital electronic circuits to meet functional and performance requirements.
- Capture schematics and produce PCB layouts suitable for manufacture and assembly (external manufacturers).
- Specify and select electronic components using supplier datasheets.
- Design power supplies and signal-conditioning circuitry for camera and imaging systems.
Firmware & Embedded Software
- Develop and maintain FPGA firmware (VHDL / schematic-based design).
- Develop embedded software in C for microcontrollers or soft/hard processors.
- Modify and extend existing firmware designs to add features or resolve issues.
- Populate and assemble prototype PCBs.
- Bring up new designs to an agreed production-ready standard and debug hardware and firmware issues.
- Perform functional testing and verification against specifications.
- Support development of test fixtures or test electronics where required.
Production & Cross-Functional Support
- Support manufacturing by investigating and resolving design-related production issues.
- Work with mechanical and software engineers to ensure system-level compatibility.
- Assist with fault-finding on returned or failed units.
- Provide technical input to sales or customers when required (pre- or post-sales).
- Support the transition of development projects into released products, including contributing to design finalisation, documentation, and internal handover activities.
Successful candidates should be able to demonstrate the following relevant skills and competencies:
- Practical and hands‑on approach to solving engineering problems.
- Comfortable working across multiple disciplines (specifically firmware, hardware and software).
- Ability to manage own workload with minimal supervision.
- Adaptability and resilience in a small‑team environment.
- Methodical, with attention to technical detail and quality requirements.
- Willingness to support production and business needs when required.
Candidates should assess their suitability against the following essential and/or desirable requirements:
- Degree, HND/HNC, or equivalent experience in Electronic or Electrical Engineering
- Proven industrial experience in electronic design and development
- Experience with schematic capture and PCB layout (Altium Designer preferred)
- Experience designing and debugging mixed‑signal electronic circuits
- Ability to read and interpret complex IC and image sensor datasheets
- Experience with FPGA firmware development (VHDL preferred)
- Experience with embedded C programming
- Strong practical fault‑finding and debugging skills
- Experience working on camera, imaging, or sensor‑based systems
- Experience supporting products through manufacture
- Familiarity with laboratory instrumentation and test methods
- Experience contributing to the release or launch of engineering products beyond prototype stage
- Awareness of design‑for‑manufacture, test, and long‑term support considerations.
- Experience working with non‑engineering stakeholders (eg. operations, quality, sales, or marketing) during product release activities.
- Understanding the difference between prototype, pre‑production, and released product states.
Employee Benefits
In return for a rewarding and fulfilling career, successful candidates can look forward to receiving a competitive salary, plus the following employee benefits:
- Holiday (Annual Leave Entitlement): Employees receive 25 days annual leave each year for use between January and December; this is in addition to Bank Holidays, of which there are typically eight. After five full holiday calendar years’ service, leave entitlement increase to give 26 days.
- Pension Scheme: eligible employees will be automatically enrolled into the company’s Group Personal Pension Scheme with Royal London after completing three months’ service. The scheme is run on a salary sacrifice system with Pension contributions made at 6% Employer and 2% Employee, although employees may increase their contributions if they choose.
- Group Life Assurance: Employees are automatically enrolled into the Company’s GLA scheme which pays 4x salary in the event of death in service.
- Income Protection Scheme: the Company provides an income protection scheme which pays up to 75% of an Employee’s basic salary in the event of sickness or disability for more than 13 weeks. The scheme is available to all Employees between the ages of 16 and 70.
- Employee Assistance Programme: the Employee Assistance Programme is available to all Employees, providing free access to a confidential helpline for immediate help and support with any issues for Employees and their family, whether work related or personal.
- Private Healthcare: Employees are eligible to join the private medical insurance (PMI) scheme after 3 months service, with the company paying the full premium of single cover membership for employees. The scheme is considered as a taxable benefit. Employees can join the scheme at any time during their employment, with the option of extending cover to include a partner, children or family with the cost of extended cover deducted from month salary payments.
Full details of the Employee Benefits are available upon provisional offer of employment.
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