Job description
Wanted: Embedded Systems Engineer
Anticipated start date: As soon as possible
Closing Date: 23rd February 2026
Salary Band: £40k - £50k (depending on experience)
Full Time, Sheffield, UK
Do you want to utilise your skills to make a real-world impact working at the forefront of the most impactful industry of the 21st century? Do you love building and have a passion for biotechnology? Do you find joy working across all electronics disciplines, from board design and electronics production to embedded systems?
We seek a driven and enthusiastic engineer to help us design, prototype, and manufacture our bioproduction instruments. You will work on all aspects of our electronics R&D - from breadboard prototypes to electronics and embedded systems to power our bioproduction systems in regulated environments.
You will play a crucial role in building the future of autonomous science, creating tools to help scientists discover and manufacture new medicines and products, and in helping us fulfill our ambition to be one of the largest biotech companies in the world (we think and go for big).
You are a self-starter with a deep understanding of electronics, embedded systems, software, and translation systems across bench, fabrication, production, and client-use environments. You are a born builder; your spare time is likely spent deconstructing and rebuilding engineered systems. You thrive in a collaborative team environment under tight deadlines and have a professional background in electronics and electromechanical systems manufacturing.
WE VALUE
- A bias for action to build products with customer value.
- Engineers who care about what they build, not just how.
- Clear thinking, pragmatism, and sound judgment over buzzwords.
- Friendly, organised, efficient, and enthusiastic people with a can-do attitude.
- People who take responsibility and follow problems through.
- Using the right tools, including AI, to work smarter, not harder.
- Low-ego individuals who love asking questions & go above and beyond to help the team succeed.
THE ROLE
You will play a leading role in a growing engineering team, designing, building, testing, and manufacturing novel bioproduction systems. You will be directly involved in the entire electronics product development cycle, from understanding user and system requirements to creating prototypes, delivering manufactured products, and ensuring ongoing uptime and monitoring for networked bioproduction systems deployed in the field.
You must be comfortable operating with uncertainty and upskilling to meet new challenges. This role involves both independent work with high autonomy and collaborative work, where clear, consistent communication and attention to detail are paramount.
The startup journey is not easy, nor is it for the faint of heart. You must see this challenge as invigorating rather than intimidating. Your work will be exciting, and the learning opportunities will be significant. Expect to expand your skill set more in a year than many do in five years.
Key Responsibilities:
- Operational oversight of electronics development projects (board design, embedded systems, system controllers, wiring, EMI-testing), including technical progress and regulatory compliance.
- Prototyping designs in our electronics workshop to rapidly test concepts and coordinate with our internal team, suppliers, and manufacturing partners.
- Translating prototypes into manufacturable boards that enable the reliable operation of our bioproduction systems.
- True full-stack software engineering, from embedded systems to inter-machine communications and data infrastructure management.
NEED TO HAVE
- A pragmatic, builder’s mindset, you enjoy rapid iteration, fabrication, and practical problem-solving.
- Proven experience designing, assembling, and debugging electronics hardware (e.g., PCBs, wiring looms, sensors, power electronics).
- Hands-on experience with embedded systems; firmware development in C/C++ or similar for microcontrollers (e.g., STM32, ESP32, ARM).
- Understanding of control systems, signal conditioning, and basic circuit design.
- Competence with software integration between embedded systems and higher-level applications (e.g., via serial, CAN, Ethernet, or similar protocols).
- Experience developing or maintaining full-stack software with a Python, Node.js, or similar backend; basic front-end exposure (React, Vue, etc.) is desirable.
- Evidence of end-to-end product lifecycle involvement: concept, prototyping, design for manufacture, verification/validation, and client delivery.
NICE TO HAVE
- Exposure to industrial control, robotics, or bioprocess instrumentation.
- Understanding of compliance testing (EMC, CE, UL) and design for reliability.
- Familiarity with Python for control and analytics.
- Prior experience working in small, fast-moving startup environments.
- Previous experience embedded in a biology laboratory or a scientific research team.
While we consider applicants from any relevant background, you will likely have >2 years of industry experience.
BENEFITS
- Join a fast-moving, transformative industry in a high-growth environment.
- The opportunity to work on real systems with real-world impact - you could help scientists cure deadly diseases like cancer and heart failure.
- Direct influence on product direction and technical decisions.
- Close collaboration with world-class scientists and engineers
- A culture that values autonomy, responsibility, and thoughtful work
- You will be based in the UK's greenest city on the doorstep of the Peak District with world-class hiking, biking, running, and climbing, 15 minutes from our custom-built, independently owned R&D centre.
ABOUT US
Unicorn Biotechnologies is building the next generation of autonomous laboratory and bioproduction systems. Our mission is to both accelerate scientific discovery by combining robotics, biology, and software into powerful, easy-to-use platforms and to enable rapid, affordable scale-up to turn bleeding-edge innovations into real-world products that help people. We are an early-stage company. This means moving fast, learning constantly, and taking responsibility, but it also means having real ownership, real influence, and the chance to build something genuinely new and a generational business.
JOIN OUR TEAM
Submit your application here: https://forms.gle/jv1R9q5B2uunxN9o9
Please fill out the application form; however, if you get stuck or have any questions email: careers@unicornb.io
Unicorn Biotechnologies is an equal opportunity employer committed to providing a working environment that embraces inclusion and diversity.