Lead Manufacturing Engineering Specialist

Overview

Job Description: Leonardo’s Global Combat Air Programme (GCAP) programme represents a significant next-generation defence avionics development in Europe. This is a career-defining opportunity to assume a pivotal national technical leadership role within a world-class engineering organisation with decades of expertise.

Lead Manufacturing Engineering Specialists are responsible for developing robust solutions with broad experience across lifecycle phases and a through-life approach to manufacturing engineering. They are expected to achieve objectives over longer-term planning horizons and provide complex technical advice to internal and external customers. As a Lead Manufacturing Engineering Specialist you will join the team to develop the operations manufacturing requirements of the future, taking innovative processes and equipment into account to enable world-class production of future Leonardo products.

This role may require travel to Edinburgh, Basildon and Southampton, with occasional opportunities to work from home.

• Provide specialist input and apply expert skills and knowledge to help deliver technically sound solutions that meet stakeholder requirements.
• Lead and deliver Manufacturing Engineering sections of Manufacturing Maturity Reviews; maintain governance through Lifecycle Management; create, contribute to and review Manufacturing Plans; contribute to design and phase reviews including Manufacturing Readiness Level assessments.
• Track external developments and disruptive technologies to identify exploitation and knowledge sharing opportunities within the project team.
• Enable future development of innovative manufacturing and testing processes for the EW domain by studying product requirements, materials, and manufacturing methods; liaise with equipment vendors or external suppliers.
• Ensure robust manufacturing and test decision-making by preparing product and process reports through collecting, analysing and summarising information and trends.
• Assure product and process quality by designing methods, validating/verifying process capabilities, establishing standards, and confirming manufacturing processes.
• Create a culture of improved manufacturing efficiency by developing ideas and solutions related to infrastructure, cyber security, and security requirements for the factory of the future; support capacity analysis, simulation planning, workflow, space, and equipment layout.
• Develop manufacturing and test requirements for future designs in collaboration with engineering to influence concepts for the design and development stage.
• Advise and participate in improving policies and processes within the operations framework; promote best-practice sharing and knowledge exploitation.
• Mentor, coach and develop junior team members to build overall capability.
• Provide domain experience to support customer and user engagement and product road maps.
• Maintain product and company reputation by complying with government regulations.

External Approvals (may include)

• Registration as a Chartered Engineer or other relevant Professional Body.

Knowledge, Skills & Experience

• In-depth understanding of manufacturing and test processes and principles.
• Ability to influence and negotiate using data and analysis to support reasoning.
• Understanding of the operational framework and business processes; awareness of cross-functional/commercial processes and their impact.
• Demonstrated knowledge and experience of multiple phases of the Product Life Cycle and related processes.
• Experience of peer reviewing work within a product team and ensuring actions are implemented.
• Ability to communicate concepts in a non-technical way; confidence to challenge and respond to technical/process issues with systems thinking.
• Ability to interact effectively and manage relationships with customers and suppliers.
• Experience in capability and/or process development and implementing changes to working practices.

• HND or above in an engineering-related discipline.

This is not an exhaustive list. We welcome candidates who may not meet every item but show a good attitude and willingness to learn.