North West Archives | KO2 Recruitment

Embedded Engineer

Embedded Software Engineer
Manchester

Salary up to £50,000 DOE

KO2 is working with an exciting medtech startup based in Manchester, who are now on the lookout for an Embedded Software Engineer to join their growing team. This is a fantastic opportunity to join a dynamic business at a pivotal moment in its growth, working on prototype medical devices that have the potential to make a real impact in the medical technology landscape.

This is a chance to join a startup at a pivotal stage of growth, working on technology that could genuinely change lives. If you’re driven by innovation, enjoy working hands-on across software and hardware, and want to make a tangible impact in medtech — this is the role for you.

Key Responsibilities

Develop and maintain STM32-based control software and firmware drivers
System integration and integration testing to ensure interoperability between STM32-based hardware and control software
Develop and maintain a secondary software module based on ESP32 running FreeRTOS
Electronics fault-finding on the existing STM32-based electronics platform
Carry out minor updates to the existing electronics platform as identified during fault-finding
Conduct unit testing, participate in code reviews, and support the software validation process
Adhere to the company’s software development lifecycle processes
Collaborate with a cross-functional team to create and build prototype medical devices

What You’ll Need

Strong experience developing embedded software using C and C++
Familiarity with STM32 and ESP32 microprocessors
Experience with FreeRTOS
Familiarity with schematic design and PCB layout software (e.g. Altium, KiCad, Eagle)
Experience with electronics fault-finding on multi-board controller systems
Hands-on experience performing PCB schematic modifications, updates, and fixes
Strong written communication skills

Nice to Have

Previous experience on medical device projects
A relevant degree in Electronic Engineering or Software Engineering
Experience working within a QMS environment, and/or exposure to regulatory standards such as ISO 62304 and ISO 60601

For more information or to apply, get in touch with KO2 Embedded Recruitment Solutions.

Software Engineer – C++, C and/or C#

Software Engineer – C++, C and/or C#

Location: Manchester + Hybrid Working From Home
Salary: Up to £57,000 DOE + Benefits

KO2’s client is seeking a Software Engineer to join their established engineering team based in Manchester. This is an excellent opportunity for a software developer who enjoys solving technical challenges, working within a collaborative environment, and continuously developing their skills.

The role is particularly suited to engineers who have experience developing software for real-world products, embedded systems, or environments where performance, efficiency, and resource management are important considerations.

KO2’s client has a proven track record of supporting engineers from a range of technical backgrounds and helping them develop new skills whilst working on innovative products.

Key Responsibilities

Design, develop, test, and maintain high-quality software solutions.
Develop software that forms part of real-world products and systems.
Collaborate with engineers and stakeholders to deliver reliable and efficient solutions.
Participate in code reviews and contribute to software architecture and design discussions.
Investigate, troubleshoot, and resolve technical issues.
Support continuous improvement of development processes and engineering best practices.

What KO2’s Client Is Looking For

Essential

Commercial experience in object-oriented software development.
Strong understanding of software engineering principles and development practices.
Experience with programming language such as C#, C, C++
Microsoft Visual Studio & git version control.
Experience working on software that interacts with hardware, physical products, industrial systems, or embedded platforms, or a genuine interest in moving into this type of environment.
Understanding of performance optimisation, efficient memory usage, or development within resource-constrained environments.
Excellent problem-solving and analytical skills.
Strong communication skills and the ability to work effectively within a team.

Desirable

Experience with embedded software development.
Experience working within memory-constrained or performance-critical systems.
Experience with C# and .NET technologies.
Fieldbus, industrial Ethernet protocols, MQTT
Knowledge of modern software development methodologies.
Exposure to electronics, industrial automation, instrumentation, IoT, or other product-development environments.

The Person

KO2’s client values attitude, curiosity, and a willingness to learn just as highly as technical capability. They are open to candidates from a variety of backgrounds, including embedded systems, industrial software, games development, and other engineering disciplines.

The ideal candidate will enjoy understanding how software interacts with real products and systems and will be motivated by solving complex technical problems. They will be someone who embraces learning opportunities and can grow within a supportive engineering team.

What’s On Offer

Hybrid working, combining home working with time in the Manchester office.
A supportive and collaborative engineering environment.
Exposure to technically challenging projects and real-world products.
Competitive salary and benefits package.
Ongoing mentoring and professional development opportunities.
Long-term career progression within a growing business.

Apply

If you’re a Software Engineer with experience of, or an interest in, embedded systems, real-world products, or resource-constrained environments, and you’re looking for a role where your potential is valued as highly as your current experience, KO2’s client would be keen to hear from you.

Embedded Software Engineer

May 19, 2026/in North West Permanent /by Chris Oddy

Position: Embedded Software Engineer
Location: Blackburn
Salary: Up to £45,000

KO2’s client, an innovative and fast-growing technology company, is looking for an Embedded Software Engineer to join their expanding team based in Blackburn.
This is a fantastic opportunity for an engineer with 3+ years commercial embedded software experience who is keen to work on cutting-edge products and contribute to the development of new technologies and integrations.

Key Responsibilities:
• Embedded software development using C
• Working with TI MSP430 and STM32 microcontrollers
• Bare-metal embedded programming
• Enhancing and maintaining existing codebases
• Adding new features and improving system functionality
• Collaborating closely with hardware engineers and understanding hardware design considerations

The successful candidate will play a key role in enhancing and maintaining the existing embedded software codebase, while also contributing to the development of new features and functionality across a growing product range. You’ll also gain exposure to a proprietary wireless communication protocol, making adaptability and a willingness to learn essential for success in the role.

With a strong focus on rapid product development, the company consistently brings new products to market, offering engineers the chance to work on varied and technically challenging projects in a fast-paced environment.

This is an excellent opportunity to join a dynamic engineering team where you’ll gain hands-on experience across the full product lifecycle while contributing to innovative embedded systems projects.

The role offers a salary of up to £45,000 alongside the opportunity to grow your career within a supportive and forward-thinking environment.
If you’re passionate about embedded technology and looking for your next challenge, KO2’s client would love to hear from you.

Apply today to take the next step in your embedded software engineering career.

Senior Application Engineer

May 15, 2026/in North West Permanent /by Chris Oddy

Senior Applications Engineer

Location: Lancaster + Hybrid Work from Home

Salary: Up to £70,000

About the Role

We’re looking for a Senior Applications Engineer to help our client to scale the deployment of technology solutions into real-world client environments — guiding customers from initial engagement through live trials and into full production.

The successful Applications Engineer will be the first hire within the new function; this role offers significant ownership and the opportunity to shape how implementation and delivery operate as the business grows.

The technology spans mobile, cloud, manufacturing and machine vision, so you’ll thrive working at the intersection of physical and digital systems. You’ll be comfortable solving complex, undefined problems and creating scalable processes where no playbook yet exists.

What You’ll Be Doing

Acting as the senior technical lead during customer engagements and sales opportunities
Defining realistic timelines, dependencies, and technical risks
Leading customer trials end-to-end, including hands-on support during live production testing
Managing technical onboarding and accelerating time-to-production while maintaining quality
Integrating technology into customer systems and operational workflows
Troubleshooting across hardware, software, manufacturing, and integration environments
Building scalable implementation processes, tools, and playbooks to support multiple parallel deployments
Training customer teams to become operationally and technically production-ready
Feeding implementation insights back into engineering and product teams to improve delivery and scalability

Key Experience & Skills

Experience delivering and implementing integrated hardware and software solutions
Strong background in applications engineering, field engineering, implementation engineering, or similar customer-facing technical roles
Proven troubleshooting capability during live trials, commissioning, pilots, or production ramp-ups
Solid software understanding, including mobile SDKs and cloud APIs, with the ability to bridge software workflows and physical systems
Experience in startup or scale-up environments, with the ability to operate effectively in ambiguity and improve delivery processes as the business grows
Strong communication skills across engineering, operations, and IT stakeholders
Comfortable leveraging automation and AI tools to improve execution, efficiency, and scalability

Nice to Have

Experience with machine vision systems, production or print lines, and quality control systems
Experience within security printing, anti-counterfeit, authentication, or brand protection industries

Location & Travel

This role is based in Lancaster, with an expectation of at least 3 days per week in the office.

Regular UK and international travel to customer sites is required. Much of the work is hands-on, supporting line production environments under real operational conditions.

Benefits

30 days annual leave plus public holidays
Relocation support for candidates moving to Lancaster
Flexible working hours
Hybrid working
Cycle to Work scheme
Pension scheme
Performance bonus
Participation in the company share scheme

Apply today with an up-to-date CV for this exciting new Applications Engineer opportunity.

Electronics Engineer

April 21, 2026/in North West Permanent /by Chris Oddy

Electronics Engineer

Chester Area

Up to £65,000 + Bonus

KO2’s client is a well-established, employee-owned consultancy that designs bespoke embedded electronic products for a wide range of applications. With a strong reputation for delivering high-quality engineering solutions, they combine in-house product development with custom design work, giving engineers the chance to work on varied, technically challenging projects across the full lifecycle.

They are now looking for a Mid to Senior Electronics Engineer with strong embedded software experience to join their growing team.

This is a hands-on role sitting right at the hardware–software boundary. You’ll be involved in everything from schematic capture and PCB design through to board bring-up and embedded C development, working on complex embedded systems including microcontroller and application processor-based designs.

What you’ll be doing:

Designing analogue and digital electronics, including PCB layout
Bringing up new hardware and debugging at board level using embedded software
Developing embedded C code to support hardware validation and functionality
Working across the full product lifecycle, from concept through to production
Contributing to a range of projects, including next-generation embedded and IoT-style systems

What they’re looking for:

A well-rounded electronics engineer with solid embedded software skills
Strong experience in analogue and digital design
Confidence with board bring-up and debugging using embedded C
Experience with common interfaces such as SPI, I²C, UART, CAN
Comfortable working with microcontrollers (e.g. ARM Cortex-M) and ideally application processors
Someone adaptable and capable of picking up new technologies (e.g. Linux, FPGA, or higher-level software where required)

Desirable experience:

Embedded Linux or RTOS experience
Mains-powered design / power supply experience
Experience with single board computer or similar embedded platforms
Exposure to production or manufacturing environments

Why join KO2’s client?

This is an opportunity to join a collaborative, engineering-led environment where you’ll work on genuinely interesting products rather than narrow, siloed tasks. Engineers here are involved in real problem-solving, not just incremental changes.

The business offers a unique and highly attractive working pattern:

Every other Friday off
Early finish at 1pm on the alternate Friday

They are also employee-owned, which means you benefit directly from the company’s success.

This includes:

A profit-related bonus, with up to £3,600 per year tax-free
The opportunity to receive free shares and purchase additional shares in the business

Additional benefits include:

Private medical insurance
Competitive holiday allowance, increasing with service
A supportive, non-corporate culture focused on quality engineering rather than long hours

This role is based on-site, reflecting the hands-on nature of the work, particularly around hardware development and lab-based testing.

If you’re an engineer who enjoys working across both electronics and embedded software, and you want to be part of a business where your work genuinely makes an impact, this is well worth exploring.

Compliance Manager

January 27, 2026/in North West Permanent /by Chris Oddy

Role: Compliance Manager
Location: Wigan (5 days onsite)
Salary: £45,000 – £60,000 + Private Healthcare

KO2 is working with one of its clients, a global engineering business that designs and develops access control systems used in the retail banking sector, alongside high-security safes and vaults for private banks throughout the world.

Due to the upcoming retirement of the current Compliance Manager, the business is seeking an experienced individual to take ownership of product compliance and verification activities across its product range. A full handover will be provided, and the company is committed to training and developing the successful candidate as part of a long-term succession plan.

This is a key role within the organisation, managing the verification function and ensuring products meet regulatory requirements and third-party certification standards.

Role Overview
As Compliance Manager, you will lead the verification and approvals function, ensuring all new and existing products meet relevant standards and certifications. The role involves extensive third-party testing, ongoing certification renewals, and close collaboration with R&D and external test houses.

This position would suit an established Compliance Manager or a technically strong individual from an electronics or embedded systems background looking to step into management.

Key Responsibilities

Manage a team of verification technicians and engineers (5 direct reports)
Plan and prioritise verification activities, including in-house EMC testing
Own product approval and re-approval processes
Define and manage third-party testing and certification strategies
Maintain certifications, approvals, and technical documentation
Review test reports and resolve technical queries and non-conformances
Liaise with external test houses and certification bodies
Monitor regulatory requirements across all regions of operation
Communicate compliance and approval status to senior management
Maintain Declarations of Conformity, Declarations of Performance, and Technical Construction Files
Ensure internal test facilities are calibrated and fit for purpose
Work in line with ISO9001 Quality Management Systems

The Environment
You will work closely with a well-established Research & Development team of over 30 engineers, based in a purpose-built facility in Lancashire, focused on developing new and improved electronic products.

Skills & Experience

Experience in a compliance, verification, or approvals role
Strong knowledge of standards such as BS EN 54, EN 50131, EMC, LVD, RED, ROHS and REACH
Experience working with third-party test houses and certification bodies
Background in electronics or embedded systems preferred
Strong organisational, communication, and people management skills

Qualifications

Degree or equivalent in an engineering discipline
Minimum 5 years’ experience in a similar role
Management experience preferred, or readiness to step into management
Legal right to work in the UK

What’s on Offer

Salary £45,000 – £60,000
Permanent role based in Wigan
Full handover and structured training
Private healthcare
Long-term career development within a growing engineering business

Apply today for immediate consideration.

Data Engineer

January 8, 2026/in North West, Remote Working Permanent /by Chris Oddy

Role: Data Engineer

Salary: Up to £60,000

Location: 4 days remote, 1 day per week in the Burnley office

About the company

KO2’s client designs and delivers remote sensor technology for automotive applications. The business works with large volumes of data collected from multiple sources and uses cloud-based platforms to turn that data into meaningful insights for internal teams and customers.

The role

KO2 are looking for a Data Engineer to join a growing technical team. This role will focus on building, maintaining and improving data pipelines that bring together data from a range of internal systems, external APIs and cloud environments. You will work closely with colleagues who consume the data, ensuring it is reliable, well structured and fit for purpose.

This is a hands on role with a mix of data engineering, cloud infrastructure and light DevOps responsibilities. You will have the opportunity to help tidy up and standardise existing solutions, migrate or replace legacy components, and implement best practices across the data platform.

Key responsibilities

Designing, building and maintaining data pipelines in AWS
Combining and transforming data from multiple sources into usable datasets
Writing and maintaining production-quality Python code
Working with databases and data storage solutions
Improving existing pipelines through standardisation and best practices
Supporting CI/CD and infrastructure work, including CloudFormation and related tools
Taking ownership of solutions and validating that outputs make sense from a data and business perspective

Required experience

Strong Python programming experience is essential
Hands-on cloud experience is essential, ideally AWS
Experience working with databases and data-driven systems
Background in data engineering, analytics engineering or a closely related role
Ability to understand data logic and question results, not just move data from A to B

Desirable experience

AWS services for data engineering
CI/CD and DevOps tooling
Infrastructure as code, such as CloudFormation
Experience with Azure or GCP is acceptable if you can demonstrate the ability to transfer skills to AWS

The ideal candidate

You will have a solid foundation in data engineering and cloud technologies and be keen to continue developing your skills. You may not tick every box, but you will be curious, proactive and comfortable learning new tools where needed. Attitude, problem-solving ability and long-term fit are as important as existing technical skills

Location and working pattern

This role is remote-first, with four days per week working from home and one day per week in the Burnley office. The in-office day is typically Tuesday and is an important part of team collaboration. Candidates should be within a reasonable commuting distance to make weekly attendance sustainable.

Salary

Up to £60,000 depending on experience, with flexibility for candidates who meet the majority of requirements.

Apply today with an up to date CV for immediate consideration.

Senior Electronic Engineer

December 9, 2025/in North West Permanent /by Chris Oddy

Senior Electronic Engineer | Warrington

Up to £70k DOE

About the Role

We’re seeking an experienced Senior Electronic Engineer to join our growing team in Warrington. This is a key technical position offering the opportunity to lead innovative design projects, mentor junior engineers, and shape the future of our electronic systems and products.

Key Responsibilities

Lead the design, development, and testing of electronic circuits and systems
Produce detailed schematics, PCB layouts, and technical documentation
Oversee product lifecycle activities including prototyping, validation, and certification
Collaborate with cross-functional teams including software, mechanical, and project management
Provide technical leadership, guidance, and mentoring to junior engineers
Investigate and resolve complex engineering issues and contribute to continuous improvement
Ensure designs meet compliance requirements, quality standards, and project deadlines

About You

Strong experience in analogue and digital circuit design
Proficiency with industry-standard tools (e.g., Altium, KiCad, OrCAD, SPICE simulation tools)
Solid understanding of embedded systems, microcontrollers, and communication interfaces
Knowledge of EMC design principles and relevant regulatory standards
Strong problem-solving skills and a hands-on, proactive approach
Excellent communication and leadership skills

Why Join Us?

Competitive salary and benefits package
Opportunities for continued professional development
Work on exciting, cutting-edge projects in a supportive team
Modern facilities with a strong focus on innovation
Hybrid working options

Location

Based in Warrington, with excellent transport links and nearby amenities.

If you’re a driven Senior Electronic Engineer looking to make an impact, we’d love to hear from you.

Please send your CV and cover letter to KO2 Embedded Recruitment Solutions.

Senior Embedded Software Engineer

December 1, 2025/in North West Permanent /by Chris Oddy

Role: Lead Embedded Software Engineer

Location: Frodsham, Cheshire

Salary: £60,000 to £70,000

When it comes to engineering medical technologies used at the point of need, whether in a GP surgery, an ICU, or a specialist hospital department, our client is setting new benchmarks for innovation, safety, and quality. Their devices are designed to prolong life, support clinicians, and deliver absolute reliability in critical environments.

With over a century of combined group expertise in high pressure medical systems and patient care technology, the business has earned long standing trust from healthcare professionals and patients alike. Building on this heritage, they are now expanding their engineering department and are looking for a highly capable Lead Embedded Software Engineer to guide the next generation of life saving products.

The Opportunity

As the Lead Embedded Software Engineer, you will take ownership of embedded software development within the department, acting as the technical lead and setting the standards for quality, architecture, documentation, and compliance. You will play a central role in developing devices used in hospitals, critical care wards, and frontline clinical environments.

You will work closely with hardware, systems, and regulatory teams, ensuring products meet the stringent requirements expected of medical grade technology. This is a key appointment within a growing medical device start up environment, where your expertise and leadership will meaningfully shape the future of the department and its products.

Who They Are Looking For

The business is open minded and will consider applicants from three backgrounds:

Medical device specialists, experienced embedded software engineers with a background in medical, healthcare, or other regulated environments such as ISO 13485, IEC 62304, aerospace, automotive safety, and similar sectors
Regulated industry engineers, with transferrable skills from other safety critical or regulated sectors and the appetite to transition into medical devices
Exceptional embedded software engineers, without regulated industry experience but who demonstrate the drive, determination, and personal qualities to thrive in a medical device environment

Titles considered include Senior Embedded Software Engineer, Principal Embedded Software Engineer, and Lead Embedded Software Engineer, with salary aligned to capability and experience.

Location and Hybrid Working

The Director is supportive of remote working and is happy for the role to be office based one to two days per week, potentially less. However, due to internal policy, the successful candidate must live within a sensible commuting distance and be able to reach the Frodsham site within around one hour and fifteen minutes when needed for collaboration, test activities, or project requirements.

Package

£60,000 to £70,000 salary, depending on experience and seniority
5.9% company pension contribution
8% annual performance based bonus
Flexible hybrid working
An opportunity to lead an embedded function within an innovative medical device environment.
Meaningful work on products that improve and save lives

If you want your work to have purpose, this is a rare chance to combine cutting edge engineering with real world clinical impact. You will be joining an ambitious and passionate team dedicated to improving patient outcomes through technological excellence.

Senior Embedded Software Engineer

November 28, 2025/in North West Permanent /by Chris Oddy

Role: Senior Embedded Software Engineer

Location: Manchester

Salary: Up to £70,000 DOE + Benefits

Are you an experienced Embedded Software Engineer looking to take your career to the next level? Join our clients innovative Manchester-based team, where you’ll help shape the next generation of embedded software solutions used across high-performance systems used around the globe.

What You’ll Be Doing

You’ll play a key role in designing, developing, and optimising embedded applications across a range of embedded and Linux-based platforms. Working alongside talented engineers, you’ll help build robust, efficient systems that power real-world products.

Skills and Experience Required:

Solid, hands-on experience in embedded systems
Strong C or C++ skills within embedded environments
Java development experience
Knowledge of communication protocols including RS232, I2C, TCP/IP, and USB
Strong analytical problem-solving abilities
Ability to stay focused and effective under pressure

Desirable:

Experience developing on Ubuntu and Windows environments
Familiarity with Yocto or Buildroot
Understanding of Linux kernel configuration
Experience developing Java OpenJDK on embedded Linux platforms
SAS Experience

Why Apply?

Work with cutting-edge embedded technologies
Be part of a collaborative, supportive engineering culture
Opportunities for growth, training, and technical leadership
Competitive salary + comprehensive benefits package

Apply today with an up-to-date CV and a member of the KO2 team will be in touch to progress your application.