Principal Engineer - Manufacturing - Battery Pack Systems

Manufacturing Principal Engineer – Battery Pack Systems

UK

Vacancy listed 02/06/2026

The Manufacturing Principal Engineer will provide technical leadership for the industrialisation, manufacture, and continuous improvement of advanced battery pack systems ranging from 60V to 800V using cylindrical and pouch cell technologies. Working within a fast-paced start-up environment, the role will be instrumental in establishing a new battery pack manufacturing facility from the ground up, supporting the transition from prototype builds through to repeatable low‑to‑medium volume production for marine, industrial, and automotive applications.

The role combines hands‑on engineering expertise with strategic manufacturing leadership and will drive manufacturing process development, production readiness, tooling and equipment specification, manufacturing problem solving, quality improvement, and operational scalability. The Manufacturing Principal Engineer will act as a senior technical authority within the manufacturing organisation and work closely with design engineering, operations, quality, supply chain, and leadership teams.

• Manufacturing Engineering Leadership
  • Lead the development and implementation of manufacturing processes for battery pack assembly and production. Provide technical leadership for prototype, pilot, and production manufacturing activities. Define scalable manufacturing strategies suitable for low-volume/high-mix battery pack production. Support establishment and optimisation of manufacturing workflows, facility layout, and production processes. Act as the manufacturing technical lead for industrialisation and production readiness activities.
• Facility Setup & Industrialisation
  • Support the setup and commissioning of a new battery pack manufacturing facility from concept through operational readiness. Specify and implement production equipment, tooling, fixtures, workstations, and test systems. Define process flows, material handling strategies, and production control methodologies. Develop and implement manufacturing standards, SOPs, PFMEAs, control plans, and process documentation. Support capacity planning and future manufacturing scalability initiatives.
• Battery Pack Manufacturing & Process Development
  • Lead manufacturing process development for cylindrical and pouch cell battery pack assembly. Support development of manufacturing techniques including:
  • Cell preparation and handling
  • Busbar and interconnect joining
  • Laser/resistance/ultrasonic welding
  • Adhesive and thermal interface application
  • HV assembly and insulation
  • Cooling system integration
  • BMS integration
• Electrical testing and validation
  • Collaborate with design engineering teams to drive DFM/DFA improvements. Ensure robust traceability systems are implemented across production processes.
• Provide senior‑level troubleshooting support for manufacturing and production issues. Lead root cause analysis and corrective action activities for quality and process issues. Drive continuous improvement initiatives focused on quality, throughput, safety, and cost reduction. Support production ramp‑up activities and process optimisation. Analyse manufacturing data and KPIs to identify improvement opportunities.
• Quality, Safety & Compliance
  • Ensure manufacturing processes comply with applicable quality and safety standards. Support implementation of quality management systems and production quality controls. Ensure compliance with HV safety procedures and lithium‑ion battery handling requirements. Support product compliance activities including UN38.3, CE/UKCA, marine approvals, and customer‑specific standards. Participate in design reviews, process audits, and manufacturing risk assessments.
• Cross‑Functional Collaboration
  • Work closely with engineering, quality, programme management, and supply chain teams. Support supplier technical reviews and manufacturing readiness assessments. Provide technical mentorship and guidance to manufacturing engineers, technicians, and operators. Support customer technical discussions related to manufacturing capability and production readiness.

• Degree…