Junior Manufacturing Engineer

Gerrell & Hard Ltd.; Milton Keynes; On-site; GBP 25,000 - 35,000; Full time

Job summary

Gerrell & Hard Ltd. is seeking a Junior Manufacturing Engineer to join the Aerospace & Defence team in Milton Keynes. You will support the manufacturing engineering group in delivering safe, efficient, and repeatable production processes on the shop floor.

You will gain hands‑on experience across NPI, process documentation, and problem solving in high‑reliability electronic manufacturing environments, with opportunities to learn from senior engineers in a fast‑paced setting.

Qualifications

• Degree, HNC/HND, apprenticeship, or equivalent in an engineering discipline
• “Exposure to production/engineering environments (placement, internship or apprenticeship)”
• “Good problem solving and a willingness to learn”
• “Basic proficiency in Microsoft Office (Excel, Word, Outlook)”
• “Strong attention to detail and accuracy”

Responsibilities

• Assist on shop floor manufacturing engineering activities and resolve production issues
• Support senior engineers to maintain and improve processes
• Contribute to manufacturing documentation (SOPs, work instructions, process docs, BOMs)
• Help with New Product Introduction (NPI) activities and product builds
• Collaborate with cross‑functional teams to resolve issues and provide RCCA support
• Support continuous improvement to improve yield, efficiency and quality
• Provide guidance to operators on processes and documentation
• Collect and analyse production data to support decisions
• Ensure compliance with quality standards and company procedures

Skills

Basic engineering principles

Problem solving

Attention to detail

MS Office

Team collaboration

Communication

Process documentation

Education

Engineering degree/HNC/HND/apprenticeship

Tools

ERP/MRP systems

Job description

Our Aerospace & Defence client is seeking a new Junior Manufacturing Engineer to join the team working on advanced Electronic system Applications.

As a Junior Manufacturing Engineer, you will support the manufacturing engineering team in delivering safe, efficient, and repeatable production processes. You will work closely with experienced engineers and shop floor teams to assist with day-to-day production support, documentation, and process improvements.

You will gain hands‑on experience in manufacturing engineering, including supporting New Product Introduction (NPI), resolving production issues, and developing an understanding of high‑reliability electronic manufacturing processes. This is a development role aimed at building your technical capability, problem‑solving skills, and understanding of manufacturing systems within a fast‑paced production environment.

Key Responsibilities

• Support manufacturing engineering activities on the shop floor, assisting with resolving production issues
• Work with senior engineers to maintain and improve manufacturing processes
• Assist in developing and maintaining manufacturing documentation, including:
  • Standard Operating Procedures (SOPs)
  • Work instructions
  • Process documentation
  • Bills of Materials (BOMs)
• Support New Product Introduction (NPI) activities, including:
  • Assisting with product builds and trials
  • Supporting the transition of new products into production
  • Helping translate design requirements into manufacturable processes
• Work with cross‑functional teams (Production, Quality, Engineering) to support issue resolution
• Assist with root cause investigations and corrective actions (RCCA) for production problems
• Support continuous improvement initiatives to improve yield, efficiency, and quality
• Provide support to operators with guidance on processes and documentation
• Help collect and analyse production data to support engineering decisions
• Ensure compliance with quality standards and company procedures

Person Specification

Education / Qualifications

• Degree, HNC/HND, apprenticeship, or equivalent in an engineering discipline (Electronics, Manufacturing, Mechanical or similar)

Knowledge & Experience

Essential

• Basic understanding of manufacturing or engineering principles
• Some exposure to a production or engineering environment (placement, internship, apprenticeship, or similar)
• Good problem‑solving ability with a willingness to learn
• Basic proficiency in Microsoft Office (Excel, Word, Outlook)
• Strong attention to detail

Desirable

• Exposure to manufacturing documentation (SOPs, work instructions)
• Awareness of NPI or product development processes
• Understanding of Lean or continuous improvement principles
• Experience in electronics or high‑reliability manufacturing environments
• Familiarity with ERP/MRP systems

Competencies

• Eagerness to learn and develop engineering skills
• Hands‑on approach with a practical mindset
• Good communication skills across teams
• Ability to follow processes and instructions accurately
• Organised and able to manage own workload with guidance
• Team‑oriented and collaborative
• Positive attitude in a fast‑paced production environment

Other Requirements

• Ability to obtain Security Clearance
• Willingness to learn and develop through on‑the‑job training
• Some flexibility for travel if required