Principal Manufacturing Test Engineer

Job Overview

This role is a Principal Test Engineer within MBDA's Manufacturing organisation, responsible for test system introduction, testing, and diagnostics of electrical/electronic weapon systems and sub‑assemblies during development and early production. The position requires working from 4‑5 days per week on‑site (hybrid work may be possible), British citizenship for security clearance (HMG Basic Personnel Security Standard checks) and offers a salary of approximately £50,000 per annum, commensurate with experience.

• Company bonus:
  Up to £2,500 (performance based)
• Pension: up to 14% total contribution (employer and employee)
• Paid overtime opportunities
• Flexi Leave: up to 15 additional days
• Flexible working arrangements available
• Enhanced parental leave: up to 26 weeks for maternity, adoption and shared parental leave (enhancements for paternity, neonatal and fertility)
• Site facilities: subsidised meals, free car parking
• Healthcare Cash Plan for everyday healthcare expenses (optical, dental, health and wellbeing)

• Support the development, testing and ensuring production readiness of new products and their test solutions.
• Provide test engineering support during the Design/Development phases from initial concept through to Production Readiness Review and release to operations.
• Introduce and support test facilities, ensuring configuration control of equipment and facilities is in place before use, and generate supporting test specifications and operator instructions.
• Test electrical/electronic weapon systems, sub‑assemblies and circuit cards, diagnosing development test failures down to component level and propose remedial and corrective actions.
• Work closely with operations, design teams and other stakeholders to overcome technical challenges.
• Provide technical support and advice to the Test Engineering Team Lead and mentor less experienced test engineers.
• Collaborate within a small, inclusive, fast‑paced team consisting of apprentices, graduate engineers and experienced practitioners.

• Level 4 or greater in Engineering (preferably Electrical, Electronic, Aerospace or Mechanical, Physics or Maths) with modules in Electronic Principles or Electrical Principles.
• Several years of experience in a related industry/manufacturing environment.
• Strong understanding of electrical/electronic and RF measurement and test principles and test equipment, and systems‑level functional testing.
• Experience of the product development lifecycle and supporting processes in an electronics manufacturing environment.
• Significant experience using manual and automated test equipment, preferably in a defence or similar manufacturing setting.
• Ability to plan and organise own work to prioritise and deliver projects while supporting others.
• Excellent verbal and written communication skills, including the generation of test specifications, operator instructions and technical reports.