Head of Electronic Engineering

Job summary

Shaping the future of hardware engineering at the heart of UK national security.

HMGCC is at the forefront of engineering innovation, delivering high-impact, technology-driven solutions for UK national security. Through our commitment to excellence, continuous improvement, and cross-disciplinary collaboration, we push the boundaries of what’s possible. Technology and hardware are at the heart of what we do and we’re looking for an inspirational leader to shape and elevate our electronics profession.

You will lead the electronics profession working to solve the most difficult problems across a wide range of areas to support our customers to protect national security. You will oversee the development of electronics capability across the organisation, manage technical risk, mentor engineering talent, and ensure our electronics portfolio aligns with business goals. You will not just be an experienced electronics principal, but you will also have the leadership and vision to influence the long-term technical direction, standards, tools and ways of working.

This comes at a time when we are changing to embrace more open ways of working with industry, academia, and wider government, so you will be leading your part of that transformation to ensure that HMGCC continues to provide the astonishing diversity of operational technology that our most iconic national security organisations need to keep the country safe and prosperous.

Job description

Putting your skills to use

Using your diverse range of skills and reporting to the Chief Engineer, you will:

• Lead and grow the electronics profession: define vision, strategy, and roadmaps for electronics engineering within the organisation.
• Provide deep technical leadership on critical electronics and multi-discipline programmes.
• Mentor, coach, and develop a team of electronics engineers, enabling career progression, skills growth and professional excellence.
• Collaborate cross-functionally: work with engineering leads and other heads of professions to identify emerging tools, techniques and technologies, evaluate their relevance, and guide their adoption into our products.
• Manage technical risk: lead design reviews, identify critical risks, and define mitigation strategies.
• Represent the electronics profession with stakeholders, providing expert insight.

Person specification

More about you

To apply for this role, you will already have:

• Substantial expertise in electronic engineering. This may be demonstrated through a Chartership or equivalent professional experience.
• Significant experience in electronics/hardware design, with an excellent track record of leading complex projects.
• Proven experience in technical leadership, mentoring, and capability building.
• Excellent communication skills, with the ability to present a clear vision to stakeholders at all levels to drive transformational change.

It would be beneficial if you also have the following (although these are not essential):

• Deep understanding of a wide variety of disciplines, e.g. analogue, digital, mixed-signal, power electronics, PCB design, RF, FPGA and embedded systems.
• Proficient in ECAD tools in an enterprise environment.
• Experience defining and implementing technical standards and best practices.
• Prior experience of managing and working collaboratively with external suppliers and partners.

Your personal skills

You will be someone who:

• Inspires and motivates teams to do their best in their work.
• Displays behaviours that promote a collaborative working environment which supports equality, diversity and inclusion.
• Can set and maintain a clear direction with highly focussed priorities to deliver pragmatic outcomes.
• Is adept at driving a performance culture across the organisation, empowering teams to deliver, whilst holding them accountable for outcomes.
• Is skilled in problem-solving and decision-making, especially around trade-offs and risk.

Benefits

What we offer

Now that we’ve explained a bit about what you will we be doing, here’s what we can offer you:

• A positive, collaborative and inclusive work environment.
• 25 days annual leave, rising to 30 after 5 years’ service.
• 8 bank holiday days off in addition to your annual leave.
• 2 ½ additional days leave (set dates through the year).
• Pension. Our government pension scheme is Alpha. It’s a competitive, defined benefits scheme.
• Opportunities for development.
• Paid overtime or time off in lieu. Your salary is for your contracted hours. If you work more, we believe you should be rewarded for that.
• Flexible or compressed hours to support you to balance your life with your work.
• Paid parental and adoption leave and neonatal policy.
• Opportunities for mentoring and coaching.
• Free secure parking and allocated parking for car shares.
• Affinity groups – whether you are a person with a disability, part of the LGBTQIA+ community and/or from an ethnic minority background, we provide an inclusive environment, support and a variety of networks for everyone.
• Free onsite gym, open 24 hours a day.
• Bike to work scheme.
• Multi-faith prayer room. This is a quiet contemplation room for staff to use for prayer or reflection.
• 3 days paid leave a year to support a registered charity of your choice.
• Sports & social society. We have a range of clubs and societies and offer regular subsidised theatre tickets and on-site activities.
• On site café and restaurant.
• On site nursery (subject to availability).
• Relocation Loan*.

About HMGCC

We are HMGCC, the engineering specialists at the heart of the UK’s national security.

We work with the national security community, UK government, academia, private sector partners and international allies to bring engineering ingenuity to the national security mission, creating tools and technologies that drive us ahead and help to protect the nation.

We invest in our people, not only with training but also support throughout your career with us; to allow you to reach your full potential at work, as well as enjoy the work/life balance many aspire to.

To find out more about us and if we’re right for you, please visit our website.

Equal Opportunities

Inclusion and diversity really matter to us. It's not just about numbers or visible differences.

HMGCC are committed to providing equal opportunities and encourage applications from candidates of all backgrounds, ethnicities, gender identities, sexual orientations, and those with disabilities or who are neurodiverse.

We’re not looking for any one type of person. We’re looking for talent from all different backgrounds to join our organisation, where we genuinely respect and value each other's differences, as well as our similarities. It makes us even better at what we do.

To find out more about our culture and inclusion and diversity, please visit our website.

We are proud to offer applicants who declare a disability or long-term health condition the opportunity to apply through the Offer of Interview Scheme. We aim to ensure that a fair and proportionate number of disabled applicants that best meet the minimum essential criteria for this position are offered an interview where practicable.

Things you need to know

Artificial intelligence

Artificial intelligence can be a useful tool to support your application, however, all examples and statements provided must be truthful, factually accurate and taken directly from your own experience. Where plagiarism has been identified (presenting the ideas and experiences of others, or generated by artificial intelligence, as your own) applications may be withdrawn and internal candidates may be subject to disciplinary action. Please see our candidate guidance (opens in a new window) for more information on appropriate and inappropriate use.

Selection process details

Apply now

Discover more by applying on our website

Our recruitment team will process your application once the role has closed and everyone will get a response.

Please note dependent on the recruitment requirements, we withhold the right to bring forward the closing date for this role from the original closing date.

*If you are relocating to the area and renting a property then we can offer an interest free relocation loan of up to £2,500, which is to be repaid in instalments over a period of 24 months.

Feedback will only be provided if you attend an interview or assessment.

Security

Successful candidates must meet the security requirements before they can be appointed. The level of security needed is developed vetting (opens in a new window).

See our vetting charter (opens in a new window).People working with government assets must complete baseline personnel security standard (opens in new window) checks.

Nationality requirements

Open to UK nationals only.

Working for the Civil Service

Please note this Post is NOT regulated by the Civil Service Commission.The Civil Service embraces diversity and promotes equal opportunities. As such, we run a Disability Confident Scheme (DCS) for candidates with disabilities who meet the minimum selection criteria.

Diversity and Inclusion

The Civil Service is committed to attract, retain and invest in talent wherever it is found. To learn more please see theCivil Service People Plan (opens in a new window) and the Civil Service Diversity and Inclusion Strategy (opens in a new window).

Apply and further information

Once this job has closed, the job advert will no longer be available. You may want to save a copy for your records.

Contact point for applicants

Job contact :

• Name : Recruitment
• Email : Opportunities@hiringteam.org.uk
• Telephone : 0845 337 3217 (Our lines are open Monday to Friday from 9am until 4pm)

Recruitment team

• Email : Opportunities@hiringteam.org.uk