Graduate Component Engineer
Location: Clacton-On-Sea, Essex
Salary: Up to £26,000
Department: Hardware Design
Reporting To: Hardware Design Engineer and Team Lead
Why This Role Is Exciting
Are you a recent electronics graduate looking to gain a broad understanding of how components shape real-world products? As a Graduate Component Engineer, you'll play a key role in selecting, managing, and evaluating electronic components that underpin high-performance hardware designs.
You'll work closely with experienced engineers, manufacturing, quality, and procurement teams, gaining hands-on experience in product development and component lifecycle management. This is a unique opportunity to build a strong foundation in electronics, supply chain awareness, and design decision-making, with structured exposure to testing and hardware design activities that will prepare you for progression into a hardware engineering role.
What You'll Do
- Assist in the selection and approval of electronic components for new and existing products
- Support engineers by evaluating alternative components, parametric comparisons, and second sources
- Maintain and update structured component libraries
- Monitor component lifecycle status (NRND, LTB, EOL) and assist in obsolescence mitigation strategies
- Support last-time-buy analyses to ensure continuity of supply
- Assist with BOM generation, BOM risk assessments, and component documentation
- Ensure compliance with company standards and industry regulations, including RoHS and REACH
- Support testing and evaluation of components and end products to assess performance and suitability
- Liaise with procurement teams and suppliers to gather technical and availability information
- Contribute to improving component selection processes and standards
- Participate in training courses, workshops, and trade shows to expand your knowledge and skills
- Assist with internal and external quality system audits
What We're Looking For
- Education: Degree in Electronic Engineering or a closely related discipline
- Experience: Familiarity with schematic capture and PCB layout tools
- Exposure to BOMs, datasheets, and component evaluation
- Experience working in multi-disciplinary engineering teams
- Comfortable using spreadsheets for analysis and tracking
Skills And Competencies
- Strong verbal and written communication skills
- Analytical problem-solving ability
- Ability to prioritise tasks and work collaboratively
- Eagerness to learn and develop within a hardware engineering environment
Why You'll Love Working Here
- Hands-on Learning: Gain practical experience with components and hardware that shape real products
- Structured Development: Receive mentorship and training to grow into a hardware design or component engineering role
- Collaborative Environment: Work closely with engineers across hardware, manufacturing, quality, and procurement teams
- Career Growth: Build a strong foundation in electronics and component management with opportunities to progress
This role is a fantastic opportunity for a graduate looking to gain practical experience in electronics and component engineering, supporting high-performance hardware development while learning from experienced engineers.
