Engineering Lead II

Alpha FMC

Alpha Financial Markets Consulting (Alpha) is a leading global consultancy to the financial services industry. We are a boutique management consulting firm that offers the world’s top industry players a competitive edge through our expertise and industry insight. Our team is of a uniquely high calibre and by focusing across the General Insurance & Specialty value chain, we build deep knowledge and experience within our industry. We have our headquarters located the United Kingdom, as well as offices in major global financial centres across the United States, France, Netherlands, Luxembourg, Switzerland, and Asia. The Insurance team works with industry leading carriers, brokers, market bodies, ancillary businesses, and technology providers to position our clients for future success. We have a fast growing team of dedicated consultants with deep experience from working both within the industry and consulting. Successful candidates should expect a diverse range of complex and strategic engagements across the market. As we continue to expand our client base and expertise, we are looking for individuals to join our team to support our growth journey. Please see below an outline of the responsibilities of the role as well as the requirements. ROLE OVERVIEW   We are seeking an exceptional Application & Software Engineering Lead with deep Insurance domain expertise to drive the design, delivery, and evolution of our core technology platforms. This is a high-impact leadership role sitting at the intersection of engineering excellence and insurance business capability, responsible for leading cross-functional engineering teams to deliver scalable, resilient, and compliant software solutions. You will act as a trusted technology partner to the world’s largest insurance firms, translating complex insurance workflows — spanning policy administration, underwriting, claims, and regulatory compliance — into robust, modern application architectures. You will set the technical vision, champion engineering best practices, and cultivate a high-performing team culture.   KEY RESPONSIBILITIES   ENGINEERING LEADERSHIP * Lead, mentor, and grow a team of software engineers, architects, and analysts across multiple squads. * Define and uphold engineering standards, coding practices, and quality frameworks across the function. * Drive a culture of continuous improvement, psychological safety, and technical craftsmanship. * Conduct regular 1:1s, performance reviews, and career development conversations with direct reports. * Collaborate with Engineering Managers, Product Owners, and Delivery Leads to ensure aligned, outcome-driven delivery. APPLICATION STRATEGY & ARCHITECTURE * Own the application roadmap for core insurance platforms, including policy management, claims, underwriting, and distribution systems. * Design and govern scalable, event-driven, cloud-native architectures appropriate for the insurance technology landscape. * Lead technical design reviews, architecture decision records (ADRs), and proof-of-concept evaluations. * Assess and manage technical debt; prioritise remediation in balance with feature delivery. * Evaluate and recommend third-party insurance software (e.g. Guidewire, Duck Creek, Majesco) and integration patterns. INSURANCE DOMAIN DELIVERY * Apply specialist knowledge of insurance business processes to shape technical solutions that meet regulatory and operational requirements. * Oversee delivery of insurance-specific capabilities: policy lifecycle management, claims handling, bordereaux processing, reinsurance ceding, and premium calculation engines. * Ensure compliance with industry standards and regulations including Solvency II, FCA requirements, market standards, and GDPR. * Act as a subject matter expert (SME) bridging business stakeholders and engineering teams on insurance domain requirements. DELIVERY & EXECUTION * Own end-to-end software delivery for one or more product areas; accountable for quality, timeliness, and technical integrity. * Champion Agile and DevSecOps practices; contribute to sprint planning, backlog refinement, and release governance. * Define and track engineering KPIs including lead time, deployment frequency, MTTR, and defect escape rate. * Manage stakeholder expectations and provide transparent reporting on engineering progress and risk. STAKEHOLDER & VENDOR ENGAGEMENT * Partner with Product, Actuarial, Risk, Compliance, and Operations teams to understand and shape business requirements. * Manage relationships with technology vendors and insurance software providers; lead procurement and contract negotiations where required. * Represent the engineering function in senior leadership forums, architecture boards, and client-facing engagements.   SKILLS & EXPERIENCE   ESSENTIAL * Significant experience (7+ years) in software engineering. * Demonstrable insurance domain expertise across one or more of: Specialty, London Market / Lloyds, or Reinsurance. * Strong command of modern application development: microservices, API-first design, event-driven architecture, and cloud platforms (AWS, Azure, or GCP). * Proven ability to lead distributed engineering teams delivering in an Agile/SAFe environment. * Deep understanding of insurance data models, regulatory frameworks (FCA, PRA, Solvency II), and compliance requirements. * Excellent communication skills with the ability to engage technical and non-technical audiences, including C-suite stakeholders. HIGHLY DESIRABLE * Consulting experience. * Background in data engineering or analytics within an insurance context (e.g. actuarial data platforms, claims analytics). * Experience delivering large-scale digital transformation or legacy modernisation programmes in insurance. * Relevant certifications: AWS Solutions Architect, Azure Solutions Architect, TOGAF, or equivalent. * Exposure to AI/ML applications in insurance (e.g. fraud detection, underwriting automation, NLP for claims). TECHNICAL COMPETENCIES * Languages & Frameworks: Java, Python, .NET, or similar enterprise-grade stack; REST and GraphQL APIs. * Cloud & Infrastructure: Kubernetes, Terraform, CI/CD pipelines (GitHub Actions, Azure DevOps, Jenkins). * Data & Integration: Kafka / event streaming, enterprise integration patterns, EDI/ACORD XML or JSON standards. * Security & Compliance: OWASP practices, data privacy engineering, secure SDLC.   WHAT WE OFFER   * Competitive base salary benchmarked to senior tech consulting market rates. * Annual performance bonus tied to individual and company outcomes. * Comprehensive benefits package including private medical insurance, life assurance, and income protection. * Hybrid working model with flexible arrangements to support work-life balance. * Generous pension scheme with enhanced employer contributions. * Continuous learning budget and access to industry conferences, certifications, and training programmes. * 25 days annual leave plus bank holidays, with option to buy additional days. * Employee assistance programme and wellbeing support.

XYZ Reality

Job title: Head of Mechanical Engineering (Wearable Systems & PPE) Location: London, UK (Hybrid - 3 days per week in-office) ABOUT XYZ REALITY ────────────────────────────── XYZ Reality are the creators of the world's first and only engineering-grade Augmented Reality solution, purpose built for the construction industry. Not only have we created this holographic technology, that sits within The Atom — a smart, site-safe headset/hardhat — but we implement it on projects, utilising the power of AR to ensure that all schemes are completed in line with delivery timescales and budgets. XYZ has grown to over 100 staff across the UK, US & Europe and is working with Mission Critical organisations & construction companies to successfully deliver major projects. THE ROLE ────────────────────────────── We are seeking an experienced Head of Mechanical Engineering to lead the mechanical architecture, certification strategy, and industrialisation of our wearable technology platforms. This is a senior technical leadership role responsible for defining and driving the company's mechanical engineering strategy across product development, certification, manufacturing readiness, and deployment. Working closely with the Head of R&D, Head of Hardware, and Head of Production, the successful candidate will serve as the company's technical authority for mechanical engineering, wearable systems, PPE certification, and product industrialisation — while leading and developing a growing mechanical engineering team. KEY RESPONSIBILITIES ────────────────────────────── • Lead the Mechanical Engineering team, providing technical direction across all mechanical development activities and defining the engineering roadmap for current and future product generations. • Own the system-level mechanical architecture for wearable platforms — covering helmets, optics integration, electronics packaging, thermal management, batteries, sensors, ergonomics, and manufacturability. • Lead PPE certification programmes (ANSI Type I, ANSI Type II, EN397) — acting as the primary engineering interface to certification bodies and testing laboratories. • Drive products from concept through prototype, certification, pilot production, and full-scale manufacture, leading DFM, DFA, DFT, and DFR activities. • Develop and manage relationships with helmet manufacturers, PPE suppliers, tooling suppliers, contract manufacturers, and specialist engineering partners. • Mentor, develop, and grow the mechanical engineering team while establishing engineering standards, design practices, and product development processes. REQUIRED QUALIFICATIONS ────────────────────────────── • Degree in Mechanical Engineering, Product Design Engineering, or a related discipline. • 10+ years of product development experience with significant experience in helmet systems, PPE, safety equipment, or other wearable products. • Demonstrated experience leading products from concept through certification and production, with direct experience of ANSI Type I, ANSI Type II, and EN397 programmes. • Expert-level CAD capability (SolidWorks or equivalent) and experience working directly with certification bodies, testing laboratories, and external manufacturing partners. KEY EXPERIENCE & SKILLS ────────────────────────────── • Wearable electronics integration & thermal management • Impact protection systems & structural safety design • Injection moulding, tooling & production scale-up • Strong technical leadership & stakeholder management • International compliance & certification programmes • Hands-on, practical approach to engineering challenges BENEFITS ────────────────────────────── 🏝️ 25 days annual leave + public holidays 🩺 Private healthcare with Vitality 🎄 Christmas shutdown days on top of leave allowance (2–4 per year usually) 🚇 Office located within a 5-minute walk from Angel station 🏠 Hybrid working 🪙 Biannual salary reviews 🥳 Summer & Christmas staff parties 🍣 Free lunch bought in and after-work gathering/drinks every other Thursday in the office 💰 Employee referral scheme 🚀 Make a real-world impact of revolutionising the construction industry

CoMind

At CoMind, we are developing a non-invasive neuromonitoring technology that will result in a new era of clinical brain monitoring. In joining us, you will be helping to create cutting-edge technologies that will improve how we diagnose and treat brain disorders, ultimately improving and saving the lives of patients across the world. THE ROLE: The Hardware team designs and builds the physical hardware at the heart of CoMind's devices, from precision analogue circuits, FPGA systems, and PCB design through to mechanical enclosures and optical assemblies. This team takes systems from prototype through to manufacture, working to medical device standards and collaborating closely with optics, software, and clinical teams to deliver hardware that is safe, reliable, and production-ready. As the Electronics Engineering Manager, you will be responsible for all electronics and FPGA development at CoMind. This hands-on role combines deep technical execution with team leadership and engineering operations. You will personally design complex hardware systems, establish tools and processes that scale, own technical development roadmaps, and lead a talented team through detailed design, verification, and manufacturing transfer of CoMind’s neuromonitoring device. At CoMind, all team members work at least 4 days per week in the office, plus a flexible work-from-home day. This role can be based in either the London (Kings Cross) or Bristol office. RESPONSIBILITIES: * Own technical roadmaps for electronics development, aligning with product and system requirements * Own system integration, hardware bring-up, verification, and performance validation of electronic systems * Manage and mentor a team of 3-8 electronics and FPGA engineers, setting priorities, individual development plans, conducting performance reviews, and maintaining a high standard of engineering practice * Lead the end-to-end design of complex mixed-signal electronic systems, including high-speed digital (e.g. JESD204B) and low-noise analogue circuits * Architect, design, and deliver multi-layer PCBs (up to 16 layers, HDI), ensuring signal integrity, power integrity, and DFM best practices * Oversee FPGA architecture and development, driving RTL design, DSP pipelines, high-speed interfaces, timing closure, and hardware bring-up in Vivado across the full product lifecycle * Ensure designs comply with IEC 60601-1, IEC 60601-1-2, ISO 14971, and ISO 13485, maintaining documentation and traceability in line with CoMind's QMS * Drive the transition from prototype to production, managing relationships with manufacturing partners and component suppliers, and supporting regulatory (QARA) activities * Establish and maintain engineering processes, SOPs, and best practices to ensure scalable and high-quality development * Administer core engineering tools and infrastructure (e.g. Altium Designer, design libraries, Bitbucket repositories) * Manage lab infrastructure, equipment, and external contractors (e.g. PCB layout), ensuring effective execution and resource utilisation * AI is fundamental to our culture — it's not just a tool, but a core part of how we work, collaborate, and innovate. We expect all team members to embrace AI in their daily work and continuously find new ways to use it effectively. SKILLS & EXPERIENCE: * 5+ years of progressive electronics engineering experience, with at least 2 years in a team lead or engineering management role * Demonstrated experience with high-speed digital design: LVDS, JESD204B, SerDes, HDI PCBs, signal integrity and power integrity analysis * Experience designing real-time data acquisition or processing systems, including multi-FPGA and software interfaces * Proven experience designing medical-grade or regulated-industry electronics through full product lifecycle, with working knowledge of IEC 60601-1, ISO 14971, and ISO 13485 * Experience leading or mentoring engineers, with the ability to manage and grow high-performing teams * Experience defining system architectures and/or working with FPGA-based systems and high-throughput data pipelines * Experience establishing engineering processes, standards, and toolchains (e.g. design libraries, version control, workflows) * Strong cross-functional collaboration skills, with experience working alongside software, mechanical, and manufacturing teams NICE TO HAVE: * Background in optical laser interferometry, optical coherence tomography, or optical biophysical measurement * Familiarity with Linux, Python, C/C++ and other hardware enabling skills and tools * Experience with high-throughput real-time DSP pipelines (FFT, FIR/IIR filtering) in FPGA fabric * Six Sigma Green/Black Belt or equivalent continuous improvement qualification BENEFITS: * Company equity plan so all employees share in the success of the company * Salary-sacrifice pension scheme * Private medical, dental and vision insurance (medical history disregarded) * Group life assurance at 4x annual income * Comprehensive mental health support, including unlimited access to 1:1 sessions with trained professionals * Unlimited holiday allowance (+ bank holidays) and one week of remote working per quarter * Lunch voucher (£10) every day for JustEat and free dinner on those days where you need to work later * Twice weekly deliveries of fresh fruit and an extensive selection of snacks and drinks * YuLife subscription, allowing you to turn your daily steps and meditation into discounts at a range of stores DISCLAIMER - We use Granola, an AI notetaker, throughout our interview process to help capture notes. 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