Contract Archives | KO2 Recruitment

Contract Manufacturing Engineering Manager – PCBA

March 13, 2026/in Greater London, South Contract /by Chris Oddy

Rate: up to £60 per hour, outside IR35

Contract length: 12 months initially

A leading electronics organisation in Horsham is seeking a Manufacturing Engineering Manager to lead the electronics manufacturing engineering function responsible for PCBA production used in complex electronic equipment.

This role is critical in shaping the future of the company’s electronics manufacturing capability, including defining production processes, selecting equipment, and leading new product introductions into manufacturing.

The Role

You will lead the manufacturing engineering team responsible for PCB assembly processes, ensuring robust, scalable manufacturing capability for new and existing products.

You will also act as the technical authority for electronics assembly, advising the wider business on process capability, equipment investment, and manufacturing strategy.

Key responsibilities:

Managing a team of Manufacturing Engineers and Technicians
Leading introduction of new electronic products into production
Defining and optimising PCBA manufacturing processes
Providing technical leadership across SMT and through-hole assembly technologies
Selecting and specifying electronics manufacturing equipment
Supporting manufacturing improvements and process optimisation
Working with ERP/MRP systems (preferably SAP) to define:
- Bills of Materials (BOM)
- Manufacturing routings
Acting as the internal expert on PCBA manufacturing processes
Supporting troubleshooting and root cause analysis of production issues

Required Experience

Strong background in PCBA manufacturing
Experience with Surface Mount Technology (SMT) and Through-Hole assembly
Leadership or management experience within manufacturing engineering
Experience introducing new electronic products into production
Knowledge of electronics assembly equipment and process selection
Experience working with ERP/MRP systems (ideally SAP)

Ideal Candidate

You may currently be:

A Manufacturing Engineering Manager in electronics manufacturing
A Senior Manufacturing Engineer / Lead Engineer ready to step into management

Contract Manufacturing Engineer / Process Engineer (Through‑Hole PCBA)

March 12, 2026/in South Contract /by Chris Oddy

Rate: up to £55 per hour (outside IR35)
Location: Crawley, West Sussex
Contract: 6 months (extension likely)
Start: ASAP

A contract opportunity for an experienced Manufacturing or Process Engineer with strong knowledge of through‑hole PCBA assembly. You’ll support the development, optimisation, and configuration of electronics manufacturing processes, focusing on how boards are built and how equipment is programmed.

What you’ll be doing
• Define assembly sequences for through‑hole PCBAs
• Configure and program semi‑automatic placement equipment
• Support programming of wave soldering machines
• Develop and refine processes for conventional leaded components
• Work closely with production teams to improve efficiency
• Drive continuous improvement across the electronics assembly area

This is an engineering and process definition role, not hands‑on board assembly.

Skills and Experience required:
• Experience in electronics assembly / PCBA manufacturing
• Strong understanding of through‑hole components and processes
• Background with semi‑automatic placement machinery
• Knowledge of wave soldering
• A process‑driven mindset and practical approach to optimisation

Mechanical Assembly Technician

February 26, 2026/in Midlands Contract /by Chris Oddy

Location: Birmingham – Onsite
Rate: up to £30 per hour, outside IR35
Contract length: 3 months

An innovative Birmingham based electronics business requires a Mechanical Assembly Technician to support a production ramp up ahead of a manufacturing handover to a third party.

You’ll be working as part of a small team assembling a compact electro-mechanical product. The product consists of a metal and plastic housing with a mounted electronic PCB and requires mechanical assembly, calibration and quality checks.

This is an onsite role for 3 months, ideal for a hands-on assembly technician who can come in, follow established processes, and deliver consistent, high quality assembly work with minimal supervision.

Key responsibilities:

Mechanical assembly using hand tools (tightening bolts, mounting components, small press operation)
Installing pre-built electronic PCBs (no soldering required)
Carrying out calibration and functional testing procedures
Performing QC inspections and verifying measurements
Using metrology equipment (e.g. dimensional and surface measurement tools)
Completing production documentation
Providing practical feedback to support process improvement

Production output is targeted at approximately 20 units per week.

Key Skills and Experience needed:

2 to 3 years hands-on assembly, production or workshop experience
Mechanically minded and confident using tools
Experience in an electro-mechanical or electronics environment preferred
Familiar with ESD procedures and quality control processes
Comfortable following structured build instructions for full working days (7.5 hours)
Reliable, detail-focused and able to get up to speed quickly

This role is best suited to someone with practical industry experience rather than a purely academic background.

If you’re an experienced Mechanical assembly technician looking for your next contract role, please get in touch.

Electronics Engineer – Contract

January 21, 2026/in Remote Working, Scotland Contract /by Chris Oddy

Contract Electronics Engineer – Product Test & Development

Rate: Up to £70 per hour (Outside IR35)
Location: East Glasgow – Hybrid (3 days onsite)
Contract: 6 months initially (likely to extend)

A medical electronics company is looking to hire a Contract Electronics Engineer to join an established engineering team. This role covers the full electronics product lifecycle, with a strong emphasis on electronics testing, characterisation and verification, rather than brand new electronics design.

You’ll work in a collaborative, multi-disciplinary environment alongside electronics engineers, mechanical engineers, embedded software engineers and scientists, helping to understand and improve complex medical systems.

The role

Work across the full electronics product lifecycle, from design review through to test and verification
Lead and execute electronics testing, characterisation and system level investigations
Develop and run test plans to assess performance, limits and system interactions
Review schematics and PCB designs and contribute to design discussions
Collaborate daily with mechanical, software and scientific teams
Support systems involving fluidic control mechanisms and optics

This role suits an Electronics Engineer who enjoys hands on hardware work and understanding how systems behave in the real world.

Skills required

Strong experience as an Electronics Engineer, covering both design and test
Solid electronics fundamentals with the confidence to challenge designs
Hands on experience with electronics testing and characterisation
Able to communicate clearly with non-electronics specialists
Curious, practical mindset and interest in electronics

Years of experience are flexible. The focus is on capability, attitude and the ability to contribute quickly.

Tools & environment

Schematic and PCB design using Altium
On site lab and test facilities
Close collaboration with other electronics engineers and wider engineering teams

If you’re an electronics engineer who enjoys testing, problem solving and working on real products, this is a great contract opportunity.