Design Engineer - SolidWorks

Certus Recruitment Group; Haverhill; On-site; GBP 38,000 - 42,000; Full time

Job summary

Certus Recruitment Group is working with an established UK manufacturer of commercial furniture and acoustic products to recruit a hands-on Design Engineer for its growing Design & Engineering team in Haverhill.

This role involves taking products from concept through to manufacture, combining 3D CAD design with practical engineering and CNC manufacturing, and developing 5-axis CNC capabilities to improve efficiency.

Qualifications

• Strong knowledge of SolidWorks Professional and ability to produce production-ready CAD designs.
• Experience creating manufacturing drawings and technical documentation.
• Good understanding of CNC machining and manufacturing processes.
• Strong problem-solving skills and attention to detail.
• Ability to manage multiple projects and collaborate with production teams.

Responsibilities

• Design and develop furniture, office pods, screens and components for in-house manufacture.
• Produce 3D CAD models, assemblies and detailed drawings using SolidWorks.
• Prepare CNC programs and nesting data for CNC routing machines.
• Support development of 5-axis CNC manufacturing technology.
• Apply Design for Manufacture principles to improve machining and efficiency.
• Work with manufacturing teams to resolve technical issues and improve processes.
• Develop existing products and manufacturing methods.
• Maintain accurate drawings, BOMs and production documentation.
• Manage multiple projects from concept to production.
• Identify opportunities to reduce waste and support lean manufacturing.

Skills

SolidWorks Professional

Manufacturing drawings

CNC machining

Lean manufacturing

Project management

Communication skills

Tools

SWOOD CAM & Nesting

Job description

£38,000–£42,000 per annum, depending on experience

Certus Recruitment is working with an established UK manufacturer of commercial furniture and acoustic products to recruit a hands-on Design Engineer for its growing Design & Engineering team.

This is an opportunity to take products from concept through to manufacture, combining 3D CAD design with practical engineering and CNC manufacturing.

You'll work closely with production, help develop new products and play a key role in improving manufacturing processes, including the development of new 5-axis CNC capabilities.

The Role

• Design and develop furniture, office pods, screens and associated components for in-house manufacture.
• Produce accurate 3D CAD models, assemblies and detailed manufacturing drawings using SolidWorks.
• Prepare CNC programs, nesting data and production information for CNC routing machinery.
• Support the implementation and development of 5-axis CNC manufacturing technology.
• Apply Design for Manufacture (DFM) principles to improve machining, assembly, material usage and production efficiency.
• Work with manufacturing teams to resolve technical issues and improve production processes.
• Develop existing products, components and manufacturing methods.
• Maintain accurate technical drawings, bills of materials and production documentation.
• Manage multiple projects from initial concept through to production.
• Identify opportunities to reduce waste, simplify processes and support lean manufacturing.

What We're Looking For

• Strong working knowledge of SolidWorks Professional, with the ability to produce detailed, production-ready CAD designs.
• Experience creating manufacturing drawings and technical documentation.
• A good understanding of CNC machining and manufacturing processes.
• Strong problem-solving skills, attention to detail and a practical approach to engineering.
• The ability to manage multiple projects, work independently and collaborate effectively with production teams.
• Good organisational, communication and IT skills, including Microsoft Office.
• A full UK driving licence.
• SWOOD CAM & Nesting or comparable CAM and nesting software.
• Programming or preparing manufacturing data for 3-axis and/or 5-axis CNC routers.
• Experience in furniture, joinery, woodworking, panel processing or a related manufacturing environment.
• Additional SolidWorks tools such as PDM, DriveWorks or Composer.
• Adobe Creative Suite and an understanding of lean manufacturing or continuous improvement.

The Opportunity

• Holiday: 21 days plus UK Bank Holidays, increasing by one day per year of service up to 25 days.
• Working hours: Monday to Thursday, 8:30am–5:30pm; Friday, 8:30am–5:00pm, with a one-hour lunch break.
• Location: Haverhill, Suffolk — fully site-based.

You'll have the opportunity to influence product development, work with modern manufacturing technology and help improve the efficiency and capability of an established UK manufacturer.

If you're a Design Engineer who enjoys combining CAD expertise with practical manufacturing, CNC technology and continuous improvement, we'd like to hear from you.

All applications will be treated in the strictest confidence.