Composites Design Engineer

The Job

Join NP Aerospace as a Composites Design Project Engineer, Special Projects, and help shape the next generation of advanced protective solutions.

This is an exciting opportunity for a hands‑on engineer with composites experience to work on technically challenging programmes across defence, vehicle armour and next generation personal product development.

In this role you will work closely with the Special Projects Director on a mix of internally funded and customer funded programmes that are shaping the next phase of NP Aerospace product development.

You will support certified composite platform armour solutions for customers in the UK, Europe and the US, contribute to cost reduction activity on established programmes, help develop structural composites capability linked to growth in unmanned systems, and play a key role in taking North American vehicle armour work from early testing through to integrated armour and spall liner solutions.

• Performance rewards – discretionary bonus opportunities
• Flex your day – flexible start and finish times (subject to manager approval and operational needs)
• Time to recharge – 25 days’ holiday + 8 bank holidays, with the option to buy more through our Holiday Purchase Scheme
• Support for Defence – two weeks’ paid leave for Reservists and Cadets, plus paid leave for Cadet Force Adult Volunteers (CFAVs)
• Future security – competitive pension scheme (9% combined employer/employee contributions)
• Peace of mind – life cover at 3x base salary
• Health & wellbeing first – BHSF Cash Healthcare Plan to support everyday health costs
• Grow with us – career development and advancement opportunities within a global business
• Supportive environment – a team culture built on innovation, collaboration, and purpose

• Generating designs which may include material selection, defining processing parameters, CAD, drafting.
• Supporting design reviews ensuring verification and validation activities are demonstrated and documented.
• Providing technical support to the Design, Development, Quality and Manufacturing Engineering teams for proposed designs.
• Working closely with engineering and project teams both in NPA Coventry, NPA Canada and with the North American customer to successfully deliver project requirements.
• Undertaking problem solving of design and product issues to resolve functional issues as they arise throughout the development and service life cycle.
• Developing specifications and test programmes, analysis and interpretation of test result data and the creation and delivery of reports to internal colleagues and external customers.
• Supporting the developmental component manufacture and providing schematics, CNC programming, manufacturing documentation / guidelines, hands‑on manufacturing support and training.
• Working alongside the business development and marketing departments to provide input into platform armour sales literature.
• Creating product structures to ensure accurate capture of bill of materials.
• Generating drawings to support accurate recording of solutions tested and verified.
• Contributing to predicting future platform armour requirements to include in the “off the shelf” portfolio.
• Writing traceability requirements and build documentation to include in the documentation pack for the portfolio.
• Following all health and safety, quality and handling requirements for materials and processes.

The above is not an exhaustive list of all duties and responsibilities required.

• Experience working with composite materials and processes.
• Experience in 3D CAD modelling and detail design.
• Honours degree or equivalent in an appropriate Mechanical Engineering or similar subject.
• Previous experience working on design and development projects, inception to launch, within an engineer‑to‑order technical environment.
• Understanding of engineering drawings and design standards, ideally to automotive / defence requirements.
• Creative problem‑solving capabilities and the ability to use lateral thinking to drive towards innovative new solutions.
• Familiarity with configuration control and change management.
• Ability to communicate effectively on a technical level with both peer and…