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Principal Hardware Engineer (Digital)

Date: 11 Mar 2026

Location: Hatfield, GB

Company: Alstom

Location: Hatfield (On-Site)
Appointment Basis: Permanent
Apply by:25/03/25
Excellent Salary + Benefits

At Alstom, we understand transport networks and what moves people. From high-speed trains, metros, monorails, and trams, to turnkey systems, services, infrastructure, signalling and digital mobility, we offer our diverse customers the broadest portfolio in the industry. Every day, 86,000 colleagues lead the way to greener and smarter mobility worldwide, connecting cities as we reduce carbon and replace cars.

Overview

To lead the design and development / improvement of control centre hardware products, tools and adherence to process. Ensure activities are delivered on time and to budget including work package management. Provide mentorship to other team members. Lead the management of product obsolescence activities (re-design of multiple boards, including support for firmware migration from obsolete to new devices). Supporting and documenting industrial PC configurations, migration of NPI documentation into new PLM tool. Support of product approval, software integration and project delivery, ensuring that the products, tools and processes remain fit for purpose.

You’ll help to improve quality and product robustness through better design methodology. Day-to-day, you’ll work closely with teams across the business such as software, supply chain and component engineering. You will also work towards improving requirements capture and much more.

Responsibilities

You’ll specifically take care of digital hardware design, but also interfacing and power management. We’ll look to you for:

• Design, development and implementation of digital hardware (at component level and above) and firmware for railway signalling control systems on bespoke and COTS platforms
• Preparation of hardware / firmware development plans
• Interfacing with software team
• Including specifying the hardware / software interface requirements
• Debugging and trouble shooting
• Technical documentation

We value passion and attitude over experience. That’s why we don’t expect you to have every single skill. Instead, we’ve listed some that we think will help you succeed and grow in this role:

• Master’s Degree in Electronics Engineering or Computer Science, or Bachelor of Science in Electronics Engineering with experience in the domain.

Experience or understanding

• Digital hardware and firmware
• FPGA and CPLDs
• RTOS
• Housekeeping with Intel processors
• Carrier boards for SoM and CoM
• Bus translation e.g. PCIe to local buses
• Serial and parallel buses
• Communication protocols
• Working to process
• Working from and creating requirements / test specifications
• Design and code reviews
• Configuration / version control
• Design analysis - timing diagrams etc

Knowledge of

• Memory technologies
• Spartan and Virtex FPGA families or similar
• Ability to read schematics / datasheets
• BSPs
• Knowledge of embedded software and operating systems

Familiarity with

• DFM / DFT
• Setting up test environments
• Set-up and configuration of development tools
• V&V
• Characterisation of HW
• Obsolescence management

Things you’ll enjoy

Join us on a life-long transformative journey - the rail industry is here to stay, so you can grow and develop new skills and experiences throughout your career.

You’ll also

• Enjoy stability, challenges and a long-term career free from boring daily routines
• Collaborate with transverse teams and helpful colleagues
• Contribute to innovative projects
• Steer your career in whatever direction you choose across functions and countries
• Benefit from our investment in your development, through award-winning learning
• Benefit from a fair and dynamic reward package that recognises your performance and potential, plus comprehensive and competitive social coverage (life, medical, pension)

You don’t need to be a train enthusiast to thrive with us. We guarantee that when you step onto one of our trains with your friends or family, you’ll be proud. If you’re up for the challenge, we’d love to hear from you!

Important to note

Alstom is an equal opportunity employer committed to creating an inclusive working environment where all our employees are encouraged to reach their full potential, and individual differences are valued and respected. All qualified applicants are considered for employment without regard to race, colour, religion, gender, sexual orientation, gender identity, age, national origin, disability status, or any other characteristic protected by local law.

As a ‘Disability Confident’ employer, we will interview all disabled job applicants who match the essential criteria of the job description or specification. We will consider flexible working requests for all roles unless operational requirements prevent otherwise.