Position: Mechanical Design Engineer

Location: Reading

Salary: Up to £100,000 DOE

KO2’s client is hiring a founding mechanical engineer to take ownership of mechanical design across a new, high performance engineering and manufacturing facility in Reading

This is a key early hire where you will define the mechanical architecture for current and future products, playing a central role in building what is set to become the best in class motor manufacturing facility in Europe

KO2’s client is building advanced, high reliability systems within a vertically integrated environment, combining design, manufacturing and validation under one roof. The focus is on developing precision engineered products that demand exceptional performance, quality and repeatability

As the founding mechanical engineer, you will own the mechanical design of small brushless motors ranging from 1kW to 15kW power, operating across 6 to 14S voltage platforms. You will lead motor design and broader mechanical systems, taking concepts through to production ready solutions

You will define motor architecture including rotor and stator design, thermal management, structural integrity, bearings, housings and overall system integration. You will work closely with electrical, manufacturing and test teams to ensure designs are optimised for performance, manufacturability and reliability

A key part of the role is ownership. You will drive design decisions, establish best practice, and influence how products are engineered as the company scales. You will also contribute to defining manufacturing processes, ensuring designs align with the realities of production across both motor winding and PCB assembly within the facility

You will be involved in validation and testing, supporting activities such as dynamometer testing, thermal profiling, vibration analysis and endurance testing to ensure products meet demanding application requirements

This role requires a hands on engineer with strong experience in motor design and mechanical systems within high performance or high reliability environments. You should be comfortable owning designs from concept through to production, making trade offs between performance, cost and manufacturability

Candidates with experience from high performance engineering environments such as McLaren Applied would be particularly well suited

You should be motivated by building something from the ground up, working in an environment where speed, quality and ownership are critical

Role requirements and logistics

Full time onsite role based in Reading
Salary £80,000 to £100,000 with flexibility for exceptional candidatesShort term contracts can be considered as an interim solution while a permanent hire is secured

If you are looking for a role where you can take full ownership of mechanical design and help define a new benchmark for motor performance and manufacturing in Europe, this is that opportunity

Apply today with an up-to-date CV.

Position: Manufacturing Architect

Location: Reading

Salary: Up to £100,000 DOE

KO2’s client is hiring a founding motor manufacturing architect / engineer to take full ownership of a brand new, high performance manufacturing facility in Reading

This is a genuine ground up opportunity. You will set up the motor assembly facility from scratch, defining how it should be designed, laid out and operated. With a blank sheet in front of you, you will architect the manufacturing processes, select equipment, and build a production environment that sets the benchmark for motor manufacturing in Europe

The facility will focus on small brushless motors used in defence applications, with specifications ranging from 1kW to 15kW power and 6 to 14S voltage platforms. Alongside motor production, the site will also incorporate PCB assembly, creating a tightly integrated manufacturing environment

Your remit is not just to build the facility, but to run it. You will manage day to day operations, implement robust processes, and continuously optimise performance across yield, throughput and quality. The ambition is clear to scale this into the highest volume production facility of its type in Europe

Working closely with design engineering, you will take motors from concept into full production. You will establish stator winding processes, rotor and stator assembly, bearing installation, balancing and final verification. You will procure and commission winding equipment, develop fixtures and tooling, and implement quality systems including process controls, inspection and traceability

You will also take ownership of supplier qualification across key components such as laminations, magnets, winding wire, bearings and housings, ensuring consistent quality from incoming materials through to final product

As the facility grows, you will build and lead the manufacturing team, setting the standard for how the operation runs and scales

This role requires a hands on engineer who can move between strategy and execution. You should have experience in motor or electromechanical manufacturing, particularly in scaling or optimising production lines. Experience with winding, assembly and in process electrical testing is essential, and exposure to high reliability environments such as aerospace or defence would be highly valuable

This is an opportunity for someone who wants full ownership and the chance to build a best in class manufacturing operation from the ground up, then prove it at scale

Role requirements and logistics

Full time onsite role based in Reading

Salary £50,000 to £100,000 with flexibility for exceptional candidates
Short term contract options can be considered as an interim solution while a permanent hire is secured

If you are looking for a role where you can design the factory, build the processes, and run the operation to a world class standard, this is that opportunity

Apply today with an up to date CV.

Senior Embedded Software Engineer (Motor Control & Real-Time Systems)
Location: Reading with Hybrid WFH

KO2’s client, a cutting-edge and rapidly scaling start-up based in Reading, is looking for a Senior Embedded Software Engineer to play a key role in developing next-generation motor drive and propulsion systems.

This is a high-impact opportunity to work on advanced embedded platforms at the intersection of real-time control, power electronics, and high-performance firmware, helping to shape both product direction and engineering culture from an early stage.

What You’ll Do

• Design and implement real-time embedded firmware for ESC controllers and next-generation motor drive systems, from initial architecture through to production release
• Develop and optimise motor control algorithms for BLDC motors, including field-oriented control, sensorless commutation, and current loop tuning
• Integrate sensors and implement feedback control systems for position, speed, and current regulation
• Own and implement communication stacks including CAN, UART, SPI, I2C, and DShot, and define telemetry interfaces
• Optimise firmware for performance, memory efficiency, and deterministic real-time behaviour on resource-constrained microcontrollers
• Collaborate closely with power electronics engineers to define hardware–firmware interfaces (gate drivers, current sensing, ADC configuration, protection logic)
• Lead firmware architecture decisions including RTOS selection, scheduling strategies, and platform abstraction
• Establish engineering best practices: version control, code reviews, testing frameworks, and CI/CD pipelines
• Conduct system-level validation including hardware-in-the-loop testing, dynamometer integration, and field trials

Required Skills and Experience

• 5+ years of hands-on experience in embedded C/C++ for real-time systems
• Proven experience in motor control, power electronics, or high-reliability embedded systems
• Experience in a technical lead or architect role, owning firmware from concept through production
• Strong expertise in RTOS (e.g. FreeRTOS, Zephyr), including scheduling, interrupts, and deterministic timing
• Experience implementing and debugging communication protocols (CAN, UART, SPI, I2C)
• Strong debugging skills using oscilloscopes, logic analysers, and hardware tools
• Proficiency with Git, CI/CD pipelines, unit testing, and modern development workflows

Preferred

• Background in aerospace, defence, or UAV systems, particularly propulsion or ESC development
• Knowledge of advanced motor control techniques (FOC, sensorless control, space vector modulation)
• Familiarity with safety-critical standards (DO-178C, IEC 61508, MISRA C)
• Understanding of power electronics fundamentals (PWM, gate drivers, current sensing, thermal considerations)

What’s on Offer

• Opportunity to join a cutting-edge start-up at a pivotal growth stage
• Work on industry-leading technology with real-world impact
• Competitive salary, equity, and benefits package
• Flexible and hybrid working options
• A highly collaborative, ambitious, and technically driven culture.

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