Manufacturing Engineer – Defence Fabrication

Manufacturing Engineer – Defence Fabrication

North West | £50,000 | Permanent

We're recruiting a Manufacturing Engineer for a long-established UK defence engineering specialist at their North West Engineering Centre of Excellence. You'll be supporting fabrication and heavy manufacturing operations, focusing on process improvement, build quality, and production efficiency for large-scale welded and fabricated assemblies used in military applications.

What you'll be doing:

Optimising and standardising manufacturing processes for complex welded and fabricated assemblies

Identifying opportunities to reduce waste, improve cycle times, and enhance tooling/fixture effectiveness

Analysing quality trends and driving corrective and preventive actions

Developing and managing structured improvement plans with measurable outcomes

Leading cross-functional teams to embed lean practices and improve cost/delivery performance

Supporting NPI activity with focus on Design for Manufacturability (DFM) in fabrication and welding

Promoting continuous improvement using structured problem-solving tools (8D, CAPA)

Ensuring compliance with EHS, manufacturing, and quality standards across fabrication processes

Implementing containment and long-term corrective actions for process deviations

What you need:

HND, Higher/Advanced Apprenticeship, or Degree in Manufacturing or Mechanical Engineering

Proven manufacturing engineering background in technical, industrial, or heavy fabrication environment

Experience with large-scale fabrications, welding processes, or heavy manufacturing flows

Practical knowledge of lean tools and continuous improvement methodologies

Strong problem-solving skills with hands-on, shop-floor-led approach

Experience with SAP or other ERP systems (training available)

Clear communicator able to collaborate across operational and engineering teams

What's on offer:

£50,000 per annum

4% employee / 7% employer pension

Half-day Fridays

Life assurance and enhanced sick pay (rising with service)

Wellbeing initiatives and Employee Assistance Programme

Long service awards and additional holidays

On-site parking and EV charging

Cycle to Work Scheme

Modern, collaborative working environment

This is a permanent position with a long-established defence engineering specialist delivering highly engineered mechanical and structural systems for demanding military environments.

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