Job Title: Manufacturing Engineer (NPI/Industrialization)
Location: Stafford, West Midlands, UK
Employment Type: FTC - 1 year
As an NPI / Industrialisation Manufacturing Engineer, you will be responsible for successfully introducing new and modified products and processes into our manufacturing facility, ensuring they are delivered safely, on time, within budget, and to defined quality standards.
You will lead the design, development and validation of robust manufacturing processes, translating product design requirements into efficient, repeatable production methods. This includes defining manufacturing requirements, process flows, line layouts, tooling and equipment specifications, work instructions, and capacity planning requirements.
The role involves close collaboration with Design Engineering, Quality, Supply Chain, and Operations to ensure Design for Manufacturability (DFx) principles are embedded early and risks are mitigated through structured tools such as PFMEA, control plans, and pilot builds.
You will manage trial builds, process validation, production readiness reviews, and ramp-up activities to ensure a smooth transition from development to full-rate production, delivering stable, capable processes at launch.
Overall, you will ensure new products and processes are industrialised effectively, with controlled risk, strong process capability, and long-term manufacturing sustainability.
Essential Skills and Experience
- Degree or apprentice trained in Mechanical Engineering, Manufacturing Engineering, or a related field
- Proven experience in manufacturing engineering and the successful introduction of new products and processes
- Good understanding of manufacturing machining, assembly & testing processes, materials, and tooling
- Deep knowledge of lean manufacturing principles and continuous improvement methodologies
- NPI, APQP and DFx Knowledge and application
- High levels of personal organisation
- Effective communication and teamwork abilities
- Excellent planning, problem-solving, and analytical skills
- Role Responsibilities
- New Product Introduction (NPI) & manufacturing process industrialisation
- Deliver NPI outputs in line with the Operations project plan, ensuring manufacturing readiness meets programme milestones from Bid and Development through Qualification, Process Validation and Initial Production ramp-up
- Partner with Engineering teams to evaluate stakeholder requirements, product specifications and manufacturability, reviewing and influencing designs, to support the creation of robust, scalable, efficient, and cost-effective production systems
- Assess designs from initial concept stage using digital simulation tools & core engineering processes (PFMEA, Design Review, etc ) to drive design for manufacturability, etc, (DFx)
- Lead process verification & validation, facility installation & commissioning, pilot builds and production ramp-up to achieve process capability & project objectives
- Process Design, Development and Industrialization
- Design and optimize manufacturing, process measurement & control systems to ensure products are made efficiently, cost effectively, safely, and meet all quality standards & specifications Lead new technology introductions and major changes to manufacturing methods, supporting transformation activities
- Define process parameters, tooling, fixtures, and equipment requirements Develop process controls, standard operating procedures (SOPs), work instructions, and process documentation
- Develop process plans, including workflow, equipment needs
- Drive continuous process improvement based on verification, validation & pilot run results and production feedback
- Quality and Compliance
- Ensure processes meet quality standards AS9100, EASA, and company standards
- Participate in root-cause analysis for quality issues & manufacturing defects and implement corrective actions
- Cross-Functional Coordination
- Act as the bridge between Engineering design, procurement, and production teams during NPI, ensuring a smooth handover to Operations
- Participate in strategic supplier selection and Make vs Buy assessments
- Documentation and Reporting
- Maintain up-to-date documentation, including process flows, PFMEA, Control Plans and work instructions
- Report on NPI project milestones, risks, and manufacturing readiness Tracking and reporting key performance indicators (KPIs) such as Cpk, yield, scrap rates, cost targets, throughput and Takt vs cycle times
- Continuous Improvement
- Apply lean manufacturing, Six Sigma, or Kaizen methodologies to existing and new processes
- Drive innovation in manufacturing techniques and tooling to support next-generation products and processes
- Recommend automation, tooling upgrades, or layout changes to enhance efficiency
Desirable Skills and Experience
- Process capability & SPC
- Understanding of Systems Engineering V-Model, requirements management & associated NPI best practice