Head of Electrical and Electronic Engineering
An exciting climate‑tech start‑up is looking for a Head of Electrical and Electronic Engineering to join their growing team based in Oxford, UK. This is an exceptional opportunity for an experienced engineer with a background in electrical system design and development to play a key role in an ocean energy start‑up set to revolutionise renewable generation.
The Company
The grid needs predictable power to complement wind and solar. Gas provides this today, but it is expensive, imported, and polluting. Tidal power is predictable, clean, affordable, and, if we can make it work in 3‑5 km currents, plentiful worldwide. We are an Oxford University spin‑out, backed by significant VC investors and recently awarded a large Innovate UK grant. We are a small but impactful team of seven and expect to double in size this year.
The Role
The Head of Electrical and Electronic Engineering will be a key member of a small, agile group working to develop our tidal platform. They will own the design, build, and testing of the subsystem that converts intermittent mechanical motion into electricity, along with surrounding control systems.
Responsibilities
System Design
* End‑to‑end design and delivery of electrical and control systems, from requirements capture through to commissioning.
* Development of system architectures covering power conversion, control, protection, sensing, and communication.
* Integration of multiple subsystems into a coherent product, ensuring performance, safety, maintainability, and standards compliance.
Control Systems
* Experience with industrial automation protocols and networks (Modbus TCP, CAN‑based protocols, PROFINET, RS422, etc.).
* Specification and integration of PLCs, motor controllers, instrumentation, and safety‑related control systems.
* Ability to develop and review control logic (S7 Ladder, SCL), including interlocks, fault handling, and closed‑loop control.
* Lead HAZOP and FMEA activities.
* Specification and integration of high‑precision sensors for dynamic measurement and feedback.
* Design and implementation of control loops and diagnostic/error‑handling logic on S7‑1200‑class platforms.
Power Systems
* Design and specification of 3‑phase AC (380 V) electrical systems, including generators, drives, power converters, DC supplies, protection devices, and cooling solutions.
* Equipment sizing and protection coordination (MCCBs, fuses, DC‑DC converters, thermal considerations).
* Development of electrical schematics, SLDs, panel layouts, and cable schedules using eCAD tools.
* Design of enclosures, harnessing, and cabling for reliability, thermal performance, environmental resistance, and maintainability.
* Close collaboration with mechanical teams to ensure compatibility across electrical, control, and structural design elements.
* Contribution to multidisciplinary design reviews and resolution of interface issues across electrical, mechanical, and software domains.
Requirements
Education and Experience
* Experience across the full product development lifecycle: concept, design, build, and test.
* Power‑generation system design experience involving gearboxes and generators/motors.
* Experience with industrial control systems.
* Ability to manage budgets, schedules, and risks for electrical engineering design and delivery.
* Prior experience working in the marine industry in a development role.
Job Details
* Seniority level: Mid‑Senior level
* Employment type: Full‑time
* Job function: Engineering and Project Management
* Industries: Energy Technology and Industrial Machinery Manufacturing
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