Introduction
Saab UK is part of Scandinavia’s largest defence company, bringing together the best of Swedish and British innovation. Saab offers world‑leading solutions and services in defence, aviation, space, and civil security to keep people and society safe. Our UK presence has been growing at pace, meaning we can offer a wide range of opportunities for personal fulfilment and career growth. We currently employ over 600 people across eight sites in the UK, and our specialisations include software engineering, underwater robotics, radars, AI, and armed forces training.
What You Will Be Part Of
Saab is a leading defence and security company with an enduring purpose, to help nations keep their people and society safe. Empowered by its 28,000 talented people, Saab constantly pushes the boundaries of technology to create a safer and more sustainable world. Saab designs, manufactures and maintains advanced systems in aeronautics, weapons, command and control, sensors and underwater systems. Saab is headquartered in Sweden. It has major operations all over the world and is part of the domestic defence capability of several nations.
The Role
This role will be part of our BlueBear Business in Bedfordshire. This Head of Electronics position will head up the electronics design and prototyping department, leading overall design and managing a team of electronic engineers. The role is suited to a person with extensive experience in detailed electronic design, strong leadership capability, and extensive knowledge of safety‑ and mission‑critical development environments, including DO‑254 compliance and controlled design documentation processes.
Key Responsibilities
Leadership & Management
- Lead, mentor and develop a high‑performing team of electronic and embedded engineers (8–12 staff) across multiple programmes. Define team objectives, competency development plans and performance goals aligned with business needs. Foster a culture focused on engineering excellence, traceability, accountability and continuous improvement.
Technical Leadership & Design Execution
- Own and drive the electronic hardware design lifecycle from requirements capture to production release, acting as design authority.
- Lead detailed design activities for digital, mixed‑signal, Application Processor and FPGA‑based, and high‑reliability systems.
- Oversee complex circuit design, worst‑case analysis, component derating, power integrity assessment and reliability engineering.
- Provide expert review and approval of schematics, PCB layouts, component selection and detailed design documentation.
Design Standardisation & Quality Governance
- Act as the organisational subject‑matter expert for DO‑254 processes, standards and industry best practice.
- Maintain design assurance processes and verification traceability across safety‑critical electronics developments.
- Oversee configuration control, verification and validation activities.
Project & Stakeholder Coordination
- Work cross‑functionally with Systems Engineering, Software, Mechanical, Test and Programme Management teams to ensure aligned delivery.
- Support bid development, cost estimation, design planning and reporting to internal and customer stakeholders.
- Ensure workloads, priorities, project risks and dependencies are managed effectively to meet schedule commitments.
Qualifications and Skills
Essential
- Extensive experience in electronics hardware design across digital and mixed‑signal systems.
- Team leadership experience.
- Strong project and programme management experience.
- Chartered/Incorporated Engineering status.
- Experience applying and designing to DO‑254.
- Extensive wiring and PCB rework experience.
- Significant expertise in detailed electronics hardware design.
- Detailed understanding of the electronics manufacturing processes.
- Excellent attention to detail.
- Process driven, ability to read legislation and implement processes to ensure adherence.
- Experience managing multiple projects/programmes with many stakeholders.
- Excellent time management and prioritisation skills.
- Highly organised and able to work on multiple projects in a fast‑paced environment.
- Good verbal and written communication skills.
- Excellent organisational skills.
- Conscientious, with a proactive work ethic.
Desirable
- Experience working on many projects at once and managing time effectively.
- Experience of interfacing with subcontractors.
- Experience writing VHDL or Verilog.
- Experience writing embedded C and Python.
Security Clearance Requirements
Subject to UK MoD security clearance vetting to a minimum SC level. As a National Security Vetting clearance is required for this role, applicants must hold or be able to obtain SC clearance.
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