Manufacturing Engineer – Metallics and Assembly

Help build and sustain the metallic and assembly processes behind our propeller systems 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. In this 18-month fixed-term role you will join our Manufacturing Engineering team, working on the metallic components and assembly processes behind our hydraulic control units and propeller sub-assemblies.

You will turn design intent into robust, repeatable production solutions for new and developing products, planning and running hands-on trials and helping us produce development hardware safely and in full compliance with our requirements. You will also help us keep delivering an airworthy product  work you take on will be shaped by the needs of the business and your experience.

You will be a key point of contact for Manufacturing Engineering, working closely with colleagues across design, planning, operations, quality and the shop floor, alongside a team of experienced engineers who will help you settle in. We are looking for the right attitude and a strong manufacturing engineering foundation, and we will support you in building the specific technical knowledge.

Design collaboration:
Work with design engineering to ensure manufacturability and assembly considerations are built in throughout product development, and give feedback to the design team on manufacturing challenges.

Trials:
Plan and run hands-on trials across a range of materials and processes, making sure they are carried out safely, with appropriate risk assessments and safe systems of work in place, and that the results are captured and understood.

Development hardware:
Take a hands-on role in the manufacture of development parts, making sure they are produced in a compliant way, with the correct documentation, records and configuration control, to validate assembly, metallic component and related processes and technologies.

Process development:
Create and develop production techniques from raw material to finished product and establish robust process parameters, with Safety, Quality, Delivery and Cost (SQDC) at the centre of every decision.

APQP and FMEA:
Contribute to Advanced Product Quality Planning (APQP) and FMEA activities, helping to cascade critical characteristics into control plans and into internal and supplier quality systems.

Work instructions and routings:
Author and iteratively improve clear, concise work instructions and routings that align with technical specifications.

Training:
Stay on top of training so that operators are trained and supported through changes in work instructions and manufacturing techniques.

Help the team prepare for the next stage of production by combining problem solving, process optimisation and resource optimisation, so that processes are proven, capable and ready to scale.

Equipment and part lists:
Define and maintain equipment and part lists, including spare part requirements for shop floor tooling, in line with manufacturing safety documentation.

Fixtures, tooling and technology:
Propose and develop new technology initiatives for fixtures, tooling and equipment that improve our manufacturing processes.

Installation and commissioning:
Provide technical process input to the installation and commissioning of new equipment, supporting continuous improvement and root cause analysis to meet SQDC targets.

Hands-on problem solving:
Work directly with manufacturing, quality and engineering teams to resolve technical issues, presenting data-driven solutions using structured Lean and problem-solving methodologies (Six Sigma, Red X, 8D).

Root cause corrective action:
Lead and support Root Cause Corrective Action (RCCA) activities across the business, and represent the Manufacturing Engineering team in wider forums.

Data and process records:
Create and develop manufacturing data collection and process records, and use statistical techniques to analyse production data and identify significant trends and emerging production issues.

Salvage and rework:
Develop and authorise product salvage and rework instructions to keep production flowing while maintaining compliance.

Continuous improvement:
Contribute to year-on-year improvements in key manufacturing metrics such as turnaround time (TAT), yield, cycle…