Embedded Hardware Engineer

We are seeking an experienced Embedded Hardware Engineer specializing in safety-critical systems for fire alarm control panels and related devices. The ideal candidate will have a strong background in hardware architecture, design, and compliance with industry standards such as EN 54-2 and EN 54-4. This role involves leading the development of multi-layer PCBs, performing reliability analyses, integrating STM32 microcontrollers, and ensuring robust power management and protection mechanisms. Collaboration with cross-functional teams and supporting certification processes are key aspects of the position.

Key Responsibilities

Safety-Critical Hardware Architecture: Design schematics and multi-layer PCBs for addressable fire alarm control panels, loop cards, and network interface modules. Translate EN 54-2 and EN 54-4 requirements into clear, traceable hardware specifications.

Safety & Reliability Analysis: Lead hardware FMEA/FMEDA, single-fault analysis, and MTBF predictions. Develop independent hardware watchdogs and fail-safe fault relays to detect CPU or memory failures in compliance with EN 54-2.

STM32 System Integration: Select and deploy STM32H7/F7 MCUs to manage TFT/LCD graphical interfaces, real-time event logging, and multi-loop communication. Implement memory integrity checks such as ECC and CRC to support fault detection.

Addressable Loop Circuits: Design constant-current/variable-voltage loop transceivers capable of powering and communicating with numerous addressable devices over long cable runs. Incorporate fault monitoring and compatibility with Class A/B loop topologies and EN 54-17 short-circuit isolators.

Industrial Communication Bridges: Implement isolated RS-485 (Modbus/BACnet), CAN, Ethernet, and wireless interfaces for panel networking, repeater panels, BMS integration, and alarm transmission.

Power Management & Redundancy: Design internal SMPS, sealed lead-acid battery chargers, deep-discharge protection, and seamless mains-to-battery changeover systems compliant with EN 54-4. Perform standby and alarm-load battery calculations.

Surge, ESD & Isolation Design: Protect field-wired circuits against lightning surges, ESD, and fast transients using galvanic isolation, TVS diodes, and gas discharge tubes. Ensure creepage and clearance meet EN 62368-1 standards.

Design for Manufacture & Test: Apply DFM/DFA/DFT principles, including test points, panelization, and conformal coating keep-outs, following IPC-2221 and IPC-A-610 Class 2–3 standards. Collaborate with manufacturing to develop end-of-line test fixtures.

Bring-Up, Verification & HIL Testing: Lead board bring-up, signal and power integrity analysis, worst-case loop-limit testing, and automated hardware-in-the-loop testing using oscilloscopes, logic analyzers, and protocol sniffers.

EMC, Environmental & Safety Pre-Compliance: Conduct in-house pre-compliance testing against EN 50130-4, EN 61000-6-3, EN 55032, EN 60068-2, and EN 62368-1. Diagnose and resolve issues prior to formal testing.

Certification Support: Collaborate with compliance leads and approval bodies (e.g., LPCB, VdS, BRE) to prepare technical documentation, attend formal testing, and address non-conformances. Evaluate re-certification impacts of hardware changes.

Cross-Functional Collaboration: Define hardware–firmware interfaces, coordinate with mechanical engineering on enclosure and thermal considerations, and lead schematic and layout design reviews.

Lifecycle & Supply Chain: Select long-lifecycle components with qualified second sources. Support BOM cost targets, obsolescence management, and analysis of field returns and RMAs.

Required Qualifications

Education: Bachelor’s or Master’s degree in Electrical, Electronics, or Telecommunications Engineering.

Experience: Minimum of 5 years in embedded hardware design, with at least one product successfully brought to volume production. Experience in fire detection, life-safety, security, or other safety-critical industrial electronics is highly preferred.

Standards Knowledge: Proficient understanding of EN 54-2, EN 54-4, EN 50130-4, and EN 62368-1, with the ability to design hardware compliant from the outset.

PCB CAD Mastery: Advanced skills in Altium Designer or Cadence Allegro for high-density multi-layer PCB layouts, including grounding, isolation barriers, and creepage/clearance best practices.

STM32 Ecosystem Expertise: Deep knowledge of STM32 hardware architecture, including DMA controllers, FMC interfaces, LTDC/DMA2D pipelines, hardware encryption, and advanced timers.

Signal Isolation & Protection: Strong understanding of galvanic isolation techniques and transient suppression methods for field-wired circuits exposed to surges and lightning.

Power Electronics: Practical experience designing isolated and non-isolated switch-mode power supplies and battery charging circuits.

Safety Analysis: Hands-on experience performing hardware FMEA and designing for single-fault detection.

EMC Design & Debug: Proven track record of passing formal EMC testing, including root cause analysis and resolution of immunity or emissions failures.

Low-Level Software Validation: Proficiency in C/C++ and STM32CubeMX/HAL for writing bare-metal routines to validate hardware and verify hardware–software interfaces.

Preferred Qualifications

Experience delivering products with EN 54 approval and CPR CE marking (LPCB, VdS, BRE, or other notified bodies) or UL 864 listing.

Expertise in graphical UI acceleration on STM32 platforms (TouchGFX, Chrom-ART/DMA2D).

Familiarity with addressable fire alarm loop protocols and EN 54-13 system compatibility assessments.

Exposure to IEC 61508 or comparable functional safety design methodologies.

This role offers the opportunity to work on cutting-edge safety-critical hardware projects within a collaborative and standards-driven environment.