Lead Manufacturing Engineer

Futures; England; On-site; GBP 50,000 - 70,000; Full time

Job summary

Futures, a leading manufacturing organisation in the UK, seeks an experienced Lead Manufacturing Engineer to join a highly automated, fast-paced facility in Cornwall. You will drive continuous improvement, optimise processes and improve equipment performance across production lines.

Ideal candidates will combine strong technical manufacturing expertise with a proactive, hands-on approach to problem solving, process optimisation and engineering excellence.

Qualifications

• Experience in a high-volume, automated manufacturing environment.
• Proven ability to deliver CI projects with measurable results.
• Strong lean manufacturing toolkit: DMAIC, Kaizen, 5S, SMED, RCA, Six Sigma.
• Experience leading cross-functional engineering teams.

Responsibilities

• Lead manufacturing engineering activities, supporting day-to-day production performance and operational improvements.
• Drive continuous improvement initiatives using Lean Manufacturing, Six Sigma, Kaizen, 5S and other structured problem-solving methodologies.
• Identify opportunities to improve OEE, reduce downtime, minimise waste and increase manufacturing efficiency.
• Support the introduction, commissioning and optimisation of new manufacturing equipment and processes.
• Work closely with Production, Maintenance, Quality and Engineering teams to resolve technical challenges.
• Lead root cause analysis investigations and implement sustainable corrective actions.
• Support automation, reliability and process improvement projects across the manufacturing facility.
• Provide technical guidance and leadership to engineering colleagues and cross-functional teams.

Skills

Lean Manufacturing

DMAIC

Kaizen

5S

Six Sigma

OEE improvement

Root cause analysis

Cross-functional collaboration

Leadership

Education

Engineering degree/HNC/HND

Job description

The Opportunity:

Futures are working with a well-established, market-leading manufacturing organisation in Cornwall who are looking to recruit an experienced Lead Manufacturing Engineer to join their growing engineering team.

This is an exciting opportunity to join a highly automated, fast-paced manufacturing environment, playing a key role in driving continuous improvement, optimising manufacturing processes and improving overall equipment performance.

The successful candidate will combine strong technical manufacturing expertise with a proactive, hands‑on approach to problem-solving, process optimisation and engineering excellence.

Key Responsibilities:

• Lead manufacturing engineering activities, supporting day‑to‑day production performance and operational improvements.
• Drive continuous improvement initiatives using Lean Manufacturing, Six Sigma, Kaizen, 5S and other structured problem‑solving methodologies.
• Identify opportunities to improve OEE, reduce downtime, minimise waste and increase manufacturing efficiency.
• Support the introduction, commissioning and optimisation of new manufacturing equipment and processes.
• Work closely with Production, Maintenance, Quality and Engineering teams to resolve technical challenges.
• Lead root cause analysis investigations and implement sustainable corrective actions.
• Support automation, reliability and process improvement projects across the manufacturing facility.
• Provide technical guidance and leadership to engineering colleagues and cross‑functional teams.

Skills & Experience Required:

• Proven experience in a Manufacturing Engineer, Senior Manufacturing Engineer, Lead Manufacturing Engineer or similar position.
• Strong background working within a high‑volume, highly automated manufacturing environment.
• Demonstrable experience delivering continuous improvement projects with measurable results.
• Practical knowledge of Lean Manufacturing tools, including DMAIC, Kaizen, 5S, SMED, RCA and Six Sigma.
• Strong understanding of manufacturing processes, automation, equipment reliability and OEE improvement.
• Experience leading engineering projects and working collaboratively with cross‑functional teams.
• Excellent analytical, problem‑solving and communication skills.
• Engineering qualification (HNC/HND/Degree or equivalent practical experience).