Kit Design Engineer - Automotive

Autochair; Alfreton CP; On-site; GBP 40,000 - 60,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Pension scheme

31 days holiday including statutory

Life insurance

Profit related pay

Employee assistance programme

On-site parking

Holiday purchase scheme

Car lease scheme

Job summary

Autochair Ltd is seeking a Kit Design Engineer to join our Derbyshire team. You will design vehicle-specific adaptation kits, focusing on user-friendliness, ease of installation and manufacturing repeatability, using your engineering knowledge and hands-on skills.

This role blends CAD work with real-world vehicle surveys, fabrication and installation. You will work to deadlines, solve problems, and continuously improve the kit design process to deliver high-quality designs for mobility solutions.

Qualifications

• Hands-on engineering experience in vehicle or mobility projects.
• Ability to read and create technical drawings.
• Proficient with CAD systems and fabrication processes.
• Strong problem-solving skills and ability to meet deadlines.

Responsibilities

• Support the development of vehicle-specific adaptation kits.
• Design kits balancing ease of installation with manufacturing repeatability.
• Carry out vehicle surveys, measurements, and data capture.
• Maintain accurate vehicle, kit and component information.
• Install and configure mobility products into customer vehicles.
• Assist with FAT documentation and technical records.
• Identify required components and assist with parts ordering.
• Develop practical engineering and kit design skills.
• Create jigs for new kit designs when needed.
• Improve the kit design process for efficiency and quality.

Skills

Engineering experience

Technical drawing

CAD systems

Problem solving

Independent worker

Communication skills

Tools

CAD software

Job description

Kit Design Engineer – Automotive

Location: Alfreton, DerbyshireSalary: Competitive, DOEContract: Permanent, Full-timeHours: Monday to Friday, 39 hours per weekBenefits: Pension Scheme, 31 days’ holiday including statutory days, additional holidays for length of service, Life Insurance, Profit Related Pay, Employee Assistance Programme, on-site parking, holiday purchase scheme and car lease scheme.

About Us

Autochair Ltd specialise in the design and manufacture of vehicle adaptations that help people with mobility issues get into and out of their cars.

For the customers we support, our products provide the opportunity to maintain — and in many cases regain — their independence.

With more than 40 years' experience, we have developed and manufactured a wide range of vehicle adaptations, from boot hoists to hand controls.

The Opportunity

If you're looking for a change, love practical engineering design and don't want to be sat behind a desk all day, this could be the role for you.

We're looking for a confident and self-motivated Kit Design Engineer to join our team and develop new kits for our vehicle adaptation products.

You'll design vehicle-specific adaptations with a focus on customer usability, ease of installation and manufacturing repeatability, while using your engineering knowledge and practical problem-solving skills to develop effective solutions.

This is a varied, hands-on role where you'll combine CAD and technical design with vehicle surveys, fabrication, installation and practical engineering. You'll need to be comfortable working to deadlines, tackling problems logically and finding innovative solutions.

The Role

As a Kit Design Engineer, you'll:

• Support the development of vehicle-specific adaptation kits across our full range of products.
• Design kits to the highest standards, balancing ease and speed of installation with manufacturing repeatability.
• Carry out vehicle surveys, measurements, photography and dimensional data capture.
• Populate and maintain accurate vehicle, kit and component information.
• Install and configure mobility products and associated equipment into customer vehicles.
• Support the creation and maintenance of FAT documentation and other technical records.
• Assist with identifying required components and supporting parts ordering.
• Develop your practical engineering and kit design skills.
• Create jigs for new kit designs where required.
• Help develop and improve the kit design process, ensuring the team delivers high-quality designs efficiently and consistently.

About You

We're looking for someone with a strong mechanical and practical engineering background who enjoys getting hands-on and solving problems.

You’ll ideally have:

• Engineering experience.
• The ability to read and create technical drawings.
• Experience using CAD systems.
• A strong mechanical bias and confidence using power tools.
• Fabrication skills, including cutting steel, grinding and welding.
• Solid knowledge of vehicle construction and functionality.
• Good Microsoft Office skills.
• A logical and innovative approach to problem solving.
• The ability to work independently, manage deadlines and take ownership of your work.
• Good communication skills and the confidence to deal directly with customers when required.

A full driving licence is essential for this role.

Why Join Us

You’ll be joining a long-established business where engineering has a direct and meaningful impact on people’s lives.

This is an excellent opportunity for someone who wants to combine design, CAD and engineering with hands‑on practical work, while developing specialist knowledge within the mobility and automotive sector.

If you're technically minded, enjoy working with vehicles and want a role where every project presents a different engineering challenge, we'd love to hear from you.

No agencies please