Manufacturing Engineer (Composites)

Job Title: Manufacturing Engineer - Composites

Reporting To:
ME Manager, Metallics & Composites

Role Overview:
The Manufacturing Engineer (ME), reporting to the ME Manager for Metallics & Composites, plays a key role in overseeing the internal manufacturing processes. This role involves providing support across various business functions to help the ME team meet safety, regulatory, cost, and deliverable requirements.

Key Responsibilities:

• EHS (Environmental, Health & Safety): Ensure a safe and healthy work environment, minimizing environmental impact. Comply with all safety policies, procedures, and regulations, and report any incidents.
• Clocking and Job Bookings: Accurately record time and attendance, and ensure timely job cost bookings.
• Housekeeping: Maintain clean and organized workstations, ensuring proper storage of tools and equipment, and uphold the clear desk policy.
• Quality: Comply with all quality standards, processes, and procedures, focusing on precision and minimizing waste.
• Cost Management: Support initiatives aimed at reducing costs through eliminating unnecessary expenditure.
• Knowledge & Skills: Stay up-to-date with necessary operations knowledge and training to meet specifications and standards. Maintain Approved Operator (AO) certification.
• Teamwork: Actively participate in team meetings, share knowledge, mentor trainees, and be open to cross-training.
• Additional Duties: Take on other reasonable responsibilities in line with the role.

Role-Specific Duties:

• Manage personal performance in line with agreed goals, ensuring quality, on-time delivery, and budget compliance.
• Facilitate manufacturing engineering tasks such as process planning, tooling, inspection criteria, and lean methodology application.
• Generate internal engineering instructions to control costs and quality within the team (ERP, ply books, laser programming, material nests, etc.).
• Communicate with both internal and external customers to address their needs.
• Support New Technology Initiatives (NTI) and equipment upgrades, guiding them from purchase to installation and commissioning. Share best practices with other Aernnova locations.
• Contribute to New Product Introduction (NPI) processes, focusing on Design for Manufacture (DFM) and operational implementation.
• Assist in tooling functions, identifying needs and supporting tool design from concept to completion.
• Perform cost/benefit analysis for process or equipment changes.
• Identify and mitigate product quality issues stemming from process variations.
• Lead or support root cause analysis and corrective actions for production issues.
• Measure and enable process capability.
• Apply lean manufacturing principles, participating in or leading action workouts to improve quality, reduce costs, and increase capacity.
• Lead or support training efforts within the manufacturing environment.
• Manage workload prioritization and project planning to meet customer requirements.
• Participate in or lead site-wide initiatives.

Requirements:

• Degree or HNC in Engineering (or equivalent experience).
• Strong leadership skills, including coaching and team engagement.
• In-depth knowledge of composite manufacturing processes.
• Strong interpersonal skills, including stakeholder management and influencing.
• Ability to manage multiple complex priorities to achieve results.
• Exceptional organizational skills and attention to detail.
• Strong problem-solving abilities.
• Effective verbal and written communication skills.
• Proficiency in Microsoft Office (Word, Excel, PowerPoint, etc.).

Desirable Skills:

• Project management experience.
• Positive approach to tackling challenges.
• Six Sigma Green Belt certification.
• Experience with laser projection software/hardware for composite manufacturing.
• Willingness to travel within the UK and internationally to engage with customers and suppliers.
• Flexibility to work on shifts, if required.

Security Clearance:
The successful candidate must obtain and maintain Baseline Personnel Security Standard (BPSS) clearance for this role. If BPSS clearance cannot be obtained, the offer of employment may be withdrawn for national security reasons