Lead Engineer - Future Manufacturing Capability

Altro Limited; Letchworth; Hybrid; GBP 70,000 - 90,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Private medical cover via BUPA

25 days holiday + buy more

Defined contribution pension

Life assurance from day one

Sick pay & occupational health

Volunteer day

Eye tests

Free parking

Job summary

Altro Lead Engineer - Future Manufacturing Capability will shape technologies, processes and methods to keep Altro competitive and sustainable. Hybrid role with 3 days in Letchworth Garden City and regular global travel.

You will investigate emerging opportunities, lead pilots, and translate findings into robust investment recommendations for senior stakeholders.

Qualifications

• Degree (or equivalent) in Engineering, Manufacturing, Process, Mechanical, Chemical, Materials Science, Polymer Science, or related field.
• Experience in manufacturing or process engineering, tech development, and product industrialisation.
• Strong ability to build evidence-based investment recommendations and roadmaps.

Responsibilities

• Develop and maintain manufacturing capability roadmaps aligned to future business needs.
• Evaluate emerging tech and equipment against performance, sustainability and commercial aims.
• Lead feasibility studies, proofs-of-concept, lab and pilot trials.
• Collaborate with suppliers, equipment makers, universities and partners.
• Assess technical risks, opportunities and investment readiness.
• Translate complex info into clear recommendations for senior stakeholders.
• Define future process/equipment needs supporting product innovation and ops excellence.
• Support business cases and early-stage capital investment proposals.
• Help shape Altro's manufacturing direction across operations.

Skills

Manufacturing engineering

Process engineering

Industrial tech dev

Product industrialisation

Process development

Applied innovation

Equipment evaluation

Tech roadmaps

Supplier assessment

Cross-functional projects

Investment recommendations

Education

Engineering

Manufacturing Engineering

Process Engineering

Mechanical Engineering

Chemical Engineering

Materials Science

Polymer Science

Or related technical discipline

Job description

Altro are looking for a Lead Engineer - Future Manufacturing Capability to help shape the manufacturing technologies, processes, and capabilities that will support our business over the next decade.

This is not a traditional manufacturing engineering role.

You’ll be responsible for identifying, evaluating and validating the future technologies, equipment and manufacturing methods that will enable Altro to remain competitive, innovative and sustainable for years to come. Working across engineering, product development, manufacturing and external technology partners, you’ll investigate emerging opportunities and turn promising ideas into robust, evidence based recommendations for investment and implementation.

If you enjoy solving complex technical challenges, exploring new technologies, and influencing strategic business decisions, this is an opportunity to make a lasting impact.

This exciting new role is a permanent, hybrid working position (3 days a week in our Letchworth Garden City, Hertfordshire head office) with regular travel globally (estimated to be once every 6 weeks or so).

Please note, you must have right to work in the UK to be considered for this opportunity.

So, what will you be doing?

• Developing and maintaining manufacturing capability roadmaps aligned to future business needs.
• Evaluating emerging technologies, manufacturing methods and equipment against performance, sustainability and commercial objectives.
• Leading feasibility studies, proof-of-concept evaluations, laboratory and pilot trials.
• Working with suppliers, equipment manufacturers, universities and external technology partners.
• Assessing technical risks, opportunities and investment readiness.
• Translating complex technical information into clear recommendations for senior stakeholders.
• Defining future process and equipment requirements that support product innovation and operational excellence.
• Supporting the development of business cases and early-stage capital investment proposals.
• Helping shape the future direction of manufacturing across Altro's operations

What experience and skills are we looking for?

We’re seeking an experienced engineer who combines strong technical expertise with strategic thinking.

You’ll likely have a degree (or equivalent experience) in:

• Engineering
• Manufacturing Engineering
• Process Engineering
• Mechanical Engineering
• Chemical Engineering
• Materials Science
• Polymer Science
• Or a related technical discipline

You’ll also bring experience in several of the following areas:

• Manufacturing or process engineering
• Industrial technology development
• Product industrialisation
• Process development and scale-up
• Applied innovation
• Equipment evaluation and specification
• Technical feasibility studies
• Developing technical roadmaps
• Supplier assessment and technology selection
• Leading cross-functional technical projects
• Building evidence-based investment recommendations.

As well as an exciting opportunity and competitive salary, what do we have to offer?

• Private medical cover via our supplier BUPA
• Starting holiday entitlement of 25 days, with the option to buy more
• Defined contribution pension scheme
• Life assurance from day one
• Occupational Sick Pay and onsite Occupational Health Service
• Confidential 24-hour life management and personal support service for you and your family
• Enhanced family-friendly benefits, including Maternity, Paternity, and Shared Parental Leave
• Free eye tests for all employees
• A paid day off each year for volunteering
• Free car parking at all our sites
• Long service awards
• Learning and Development support, regardless of your career stage
• Various social events, including the company Christmas party
• Retirement advice and support

So who are Altro?

A leading European manufacturer and supplier of premium flooring and wall cladding systems for Healthcare, construction and transport. We have been going strong since 1919. Family owned and run, we share family values; we care about you, each other and what we do.

Everyone is welcome at Altro for who they are, no matter what their background is or how they identify. We appreciate that everyone is different and with that diverse uniqueness we can all thrive. “We don’t want you to just work here. We want you to belong here.”

If you have the relevant experience and you’re ready for a new challenge.