Lead Manufacturing Engineer

Pratt & Whitney; Havant; On-site; GBP 80,000 - 100,000; Full time

Job summary

A leading aerospace company in Havant is seeking a Lead Manufacturing Engineer to oversee production and drive innovation. You will lead and mentor a team, collaborate with cross-functional groups, and implement lean practices to optimize manufacturing processes. This role offers competitive salary, annual bonuses, and extensive benefits, including generous holiday leave and professional development opportunities.

Benefits

25 days Annual Leave & 9 Public Holidays

Attractive Compensation Package

Professional Development

BUPA medical insurance

Generous Employer Contribution Pension Scheme

Qualifications

• Bachelor’s degree or equivalent in Manufacturing Engineering, Engineering, or related field.
• Experience in production/manufacturing engineering within aerospace or regulated industries.
• Strong knowledge of assembly processes and experience in creating assembly instructions.

Responsibilities

• Lead and develop your team to achieve production goals.
• Collaborate with cross-functional teams to ensure manufacturability.
• Implement lean manufacturing practices and drive improvements.

Skills

Leadership

Manufacturing engineering

Lean manufacturing principles

Assembly process knowledge

Problem-solving

Education

Bachelor’s degree in Manufacturing Engineering or related field

Tools

CAD

PLM systems

ERP systems

Job description

Lead Manufacturing Engineer – NPI & Production

Ready to shape the future of aerospace manufacturing? Join Collins Aerospace at our WASP Havant facility, where we’re seeking a Lead Manufacturing Engineer to drive innovation in production and New Product Introduction (NPI).

What You Will Do

• Lead, mentor, and develop your team to achieve production and development goals.
• Collaborate with cross‑functional teams (design, operations, quality) to ensure manufacturability of aerospace interior products.
• Develop and maintain clear, accurate assembly instructions, processes, and work instructions.
• Support production facilities and provide technical expertise to resolve engineering challenges.
• Participate in design reviews, offering feedback to optimise manufacturability, cost‑effectiveness, and efficiency.
• Manage outsourced manufacturing processes, ensuring suppliers meet cost, quality, and delivery requirements.
• Implement lean manufacturing practices and continuous improvement initiatives to optimise efficiency and reduce waste.
• Drive compliance with standards, processes, and requirements across NPI and production activities.
• Support APQP implementation, including process control and risk assessments for new designs.
• Collect and analyse KPIs to identify improvements and ensure high efficiency.
• Lead problem‑solving initiatives (8D, RCA) for customer and production issues.
• Investigate new processes, equipment, and tooling to enhance production capabilities.
• Oversee plant maintenance planning and ensure tooling and equipment resources match production demand.

What You Will Need

• Bachelor’s degree (or equivalent) in Manufacturing Engineering, Engineering, or related field.
• Demonstrated experience in production/manufacturing engineering, ideally within aerospace or other regulated industries.
• Experience leading or mentoring engineers, or strong senior‑level engineering background with cross‑functional collaboration.
• Strong knowledge of assembly processes, including electronic and high‑aesthetic products.
• Experience creating and developing assembly instructions, processes, and work instructions (SolidWorks Composer desirable).
• Solid understanding of lean manufacturing principles with a proven track record of process improvement.
• Familiarity with APQP and its application in product development (advantageous).
• Knowledge of aerospace quality standards (AS9100, ISO 9001 desirable).
• Excellent problem‑solving skills and the ability to troubleshoot complex production issues.
• Strong communication and interpersonal skills to work effectively with internal teams, suppliers, and stakeholders.
• Proficiency in engineering tools and software such as CAD, PLM, and ERP systems (advantageous).

What We Offer

People are core to what we do. As such, we are committed to providing an industry leading benefits package. We offer a highly competitive salary, annual bonus, and many other benefits to include:

• 25 days Annual Leave & 9 Public Holidays (+/- 5d buyback)
• Attractive Compensation Package
• Early finish Fridays
• Professional Development
• Support with professional fees
• EAP (Employee Assistance Programme)
• BUPA medical insurance and immediate family discount
• Staff Discounts
• Wellness Programs
• Death in Service Benefit
• Generous Employer Contribution Pension Scheme

RTX adheres to the principles of equal employment. All qualified applications will be given careful consideration without regard to ethnicity, color, religion, gender, sexual orientation or identity, national origin, age, disability, protected veteran status or any other characteristic protected by law.