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