Senior PCB Design Engineer

Location: Reading, United Kingdom

Thales is a global technology leader with more than 83,000 employees on five continents. With over 7,500 people in the UK, operating across defence, space, aerospace, and digital security, we help build a future we can all trust. Thales supports the security and stability of our nation by providing extraordinary technology to our customers, as well as delivering social value to the UK with our products and services.

Join a highly skilled Engineering Services team delivering cutting-edge solutions across EMC, environmental testing, and advanced PCB design. You’ll work at the heart of complex defence and engineering programmes, collaborating with multidisciplinary experts to design high-performance, low-noise RF and analogue boards.

Location: Crawley or Reading or Belfast or Glasgow

What you’ll be doing

• Designing single, double, and multilayer PCBs for high-speed and RF applications

• Producing high-quality PCB layouts and full manufacturing data packs

• Applying DFM/DFT principles to ensure robust, manufacturable designs

• Managing constraints within CAD tools to meet performance requirements

• Supporting schematic capture and design updates where needed

• Collaborating closely with RF, electronics, and mechanical engineers

• Engaging with internal and external manufacturers to deliver on time and to quality

• Supporting engineering change processes and continuous improvement initiatives

What we’re looking for

• Proven experience in PCB design (analogue and/or RF environments)

• Strong understanding of high-speed, low-noise design principles

• Experience with industry-standard PCB CAD tools and constraint management

• Knowledge of manufacturing processes and design for manufacture/test

• Comfortable working in a collaborative, multi-disciplinary engineering environment

Why join?

• Work on technically complex, real-world engineering challenges

• Collaborate with leading experts across RF, electronics, and systems

• Be part of a centralised engineering capability supporting major programmes

• Opportunity to influence design standards and continuous improvement

Benefits:

• Performance-related bonus

• Half day every Friday, usually finishing around 13:00

• 28 days annual leave (plus bank holidays) with opportunity to buy up to 40 hours/year (pro rata)

• 24 hours volunteering paid for

• Private healthcare

• Pension scheme

• Life cover

• 24/7 Employee Assistance Program and access to mental wellbeing app

• Employee discount shopping schemes on major brands and retailers

• Gym membership discounts

Security Clearance Requirement:

Due to the nature of the work that we do at Thales, many of our roles are subject to security restrictions.  This role requires you to be a UK National and achieve Security Clearance (SC) without any caveats. It would be advantageous if currently held, however, if not currently held, it is a requirement that the successful applicant undergo, achieve, and maintain SC Clearance prior to commencing employment.  If approved by the MOD, a dual national from a non-ITAR country may be considered. 

To be eligible for full SC, you generally need to have resided in the UK for the last 5 years.  In some circumstances, a minimum of 3 years’ residence in the UK over the last 5 years may be accepted, with additional overseas checks.

Please visit the UKSV website for further guidance: 

https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/united-kingdom-security-vetting-clearance-levels/national-security-vetting-clearance-levels.

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At Thales, we ensure equal opportunities, pay and working conditions for all. The benefits we offer include private medical insurance, buying or selling annual leave, cycle to work schemes, employee discounts, paid volunteering day, stocks and shares, annual bonus and much more depending on the role. Read more about our benefits here.

We are committed to creating a workplace where everyone feels valued for who they are and the unique strengths they bring. Discover more about our programmes, employee networks, wellbeing policies, and inclusive features here.

If this role isn’t quite right for you, we encourage you to join our talent community where your details will be shared with our recruitment teams for other potential opportunities. Join the Talent Community here.

Join Thales in the UK – Innovate with us and shape the future!