Lead Manufacturing Engineer – NPI; Composites

Job Description Summary Help bring propeller expertise to the future of flight. Here at Dowty, a GE Aerospace company, we design, manufacture, repair and overhaul propeller systems for Military and Civil applications from our state-of-the-art facility in Gloucestershire, UK. Our propeller expertise is now helping inform the development of Open Fan technology, one of the next-generation propulsion architectures being matured through the CFM RISE program.

As Lead Manufacturing Engineer, you will lead the team that turns advanced composite designs into real hardware, and then into a capable, repeatable production process. You’ll drive the manufacturing engineering agenda from development builds through to low rate initial production, influence design early, and make sure the processes, people and equipment are ready for the next stage of ramp-up.

Job Description Help bring propeller expertise to the future of flight. Here at Dowty, a GE Aerospace company, we design, manufacture, repair and overhaul propeller systems for Military and Civil applications from our state-of-the-art facility in Gloucestershire, UK. Our propeller expertise is now helping inform the development of Open Fan technology, one of the next-generation propulsion architectures being matured through the CFM RISE program.

As Lead Manufacturing Engineer, you will lead the team that turns advanced composite designs into real hardware, and then into a capable, repeatable production process. You’ll drive the manufacturing engineering agenda from development builds through to low rate initial production, influence design early, and make sure the processes, people and equipment are ready for the next stage of ramp-up. What You’ll Lead Your team

• Lead and mentor a team of manufacturing engineers, providing technical direction, guidance and support to make sure the program succeeds.
• Delegate effectively while staying accountable for your team’s deliverables.
• Build strong collaboration and communication within the team and across departments, acting as the point of contact between the NPI team and support functions to coordinate the manufacturing engineering agenda.

The NPI process

• Lead the team in following the NPI process and ensure adherence to it, including project planning, gate readiness and delivery.
• Champion APQP and PPAP within NPI. Drive the creation of PFMEAs and control plans, and cascade critical characteristics into internal and supplier quality operating systems.
• Define the facility requirements for in-line process control, so the process is demonstrably capable on site and across the supply chain.

Development hardware and low rate initial production

• Lead the manufacture of development hardware, and take a hands‑on role in trials that validate processes and technologies.
• Lead the transition into low rate initial production.
• Resolve manufacturing engineering issues using data, rationale and logic, working directly with manufacturing and engineering teams as problems arise.

Composite process development

• Apply your composite manufacturing knowledge to develop test routines that establish process parameters for new technologies and processes, and to determine whether designed solutions are feasible.
• Work with the current product manufacturing engineering team and materials & process engineers to promote failure mode avoidance in future designs and equipment specifications, and to shape our combined industrialisation strategy.

Ramp‑up readiness

• Enable the ramp‑up that supports the next stage of the program, combining structured problem solving, process optimisation and efficient use of resources.
• Ensure that process capability, cycle time and equipment availability targets are achievable, through automation, existing solutions or new…