Electronic Hardware Technician

At McLaren, our mission is to set the standard for high performance in sport. And everyone, in every part of the team, has a role to play. So if you want to test your ideas with the world watching... And measure your progress in milliseconds... And play your part in racing history... You belong here. High performance starts with you.

Purpose of the Role:

Provide full life-cycle electronic and electrical design support for the build, calibration, inspection and maintenance for all aspects of the electronic systems used for the Formula 1 Racing programme. This includes hands-on involvement in the physical delivery of on-car instrumentation, as well as contributing to ongoing engineering projects aimed at improving the quality and reliability of vehicle data through continuous development of advanced instrumentation systems. This role is pivotal in the generation and processing of on-track data to feed racing decisions.

Role Dimensions: 

This role operates as a core member of an agile team of expert technicians, collaborating with cross-functional groups including Electronic Engineering, Design, Car Build, Project Management and Trackside Operations.

This role is based on site at MTC, Woking, and may require some flexibility for evenings/weekend work as part of the demands of the role and team, in line with the F1 race season.

Principal Accountabilities

• Maintain strong and professional communication with key stakeholders in the instrumentation and control systems in order to ensure the equipment delivered is as required and fit for purpose

• Coordinate day to day activities with leaders and colleagues in other groups in order to prioritise tasks and coordinate equipment work progress and delivery.

• Prioritise week to week and seasonal activities to best match the demands of the wider team e.g. freight return and turnaround preparations with time, parts and consumables planning

• Intend for continuous improvement and reliability focus, identifying opportunities for improving system reliability, reducing weight or simplifying serviceability.

• Generate accurate documentation, results and records to support engineering systems focused on data quality and traceability e.g. calibration records, production drawings.

• Develop new and evolving existing calibration and validation processes and procedures with both McLaren engineering groups and external suppliers in order to enhance data quality.

• Be proactive with improving the instrumentation and production programme.

• Escalate technical and design issues as well as reliability and quality concerns to leaders in the appropriate teams and engineering groups.

• Perform root-cause investigations on sensor and transducers in order to facilitate team wide reliability and fault correction processes.

• Take an active role in reliability through implementing preventative maintenance regimes, monitoring damage trends, escalating observations and making recommendations where appropriate.

• Ensure third party supplier quality levels through specialised inspection and component testing and escalating quality and supplier concerns where appropriate.

• Liaise directly with external suppliers to coordinate production, calibration work and fault investigation and rectification.

• Plan and coordinate scheduled servicing and calibration work to cover the full car lifecycle from development through to winter testing and the race season.

Knowledge, Skills and Experience:  

Essential:

• Proven experience in the assembly and testing of high-reliability wiring harnesses using motorsport-standard materials and connectors (e.g. DR-25, Lemo, Souriau).

• Excellent skills using hand tools, electronic tools and electrical equipment (e.g. soldering-irons, multi-meters, power supplies).

• Knowledge of precision instrumentation systems and transducers used in high end professional motorsport as well as calibration processes and variables.

• Excellent communication skills to relay key information, advice, recommendations and support with wider team

• Proven experience with interpreting mechanical drawings and electronic design documents.

• Experience with precision electronics e.g. working with 0603 size surface mount components

• Familiarity with the Formula 1 or high-end professional motorsport environment, time scales, life cycles and common protocols

• Coordinated and structured training and mentoring of junior staff, trainees and new recruits

Desirable:

• Strong background in motorsport or aerospace electronic systems is advantageous.

• Experience using CAD tools for mechanical, electrical and electronic design is advantageous, but not essential.

• Experience with CAD tools is desirable.

Personal Attributes

• Meticulous and accurate approach to working standards and practices and the highest possible professional standards

• Clear and concise communicator both written and verbally and comfortable communicating with all levels of the team

• Willingness to take the initiative and escalate a concern or issue to lead

• Ability to take a holistic view of the work being undertaken within the group and awareness of overall team objectives and protocols

• Confidence with handling and working on mission and safety critical equipment e.g. Steering wheels, Gearbox control wiring, electronic braking systems. 

• Adaptable and flexible approach to the work demanded by the team with a willingness to support all objectives and activities of the team and to support other team members to do the same.

What McLaren can offer?

We constantly strive to be better tomorrow than we are today. Our ambition is to be the most pioneering and exhilarating racing team in the world, and our collective task is to set the standards for high performance in sport. We show up every day with energy and enthusiasm, ready to play our part.

We encourage and support diversity, equity and inclusion. We will actively promote a culture that values difference and eliminates discrimination in our workplace.

McLaren Racing is based at the iconic McLaren Technology Centre (MTC) near Woking. Our state of the art, sustainable campus offers many facilities including a gym, restaurant and indoor and outdoor break-out areas, as well as direct access to park and common land. The MTC is connected to Woking mainline station via regular shuttle buses, from which London Waterloo is a 30 minute train ride.

We  offer a comprehensive package of benefits including private healthcare, car schemes, life insurance and generous pension contributions.