Lead Product Engineer

OnTarget Communications; Toome; On-site; GBP 90,000 - 140,000; Full time

Job summary

OnTarget Communications is seeking a Lead Product Engineer to take full ownership of innovative machine control products from initial customer discussions through development, production, field performance, and future evolution.

You will partner with customers as a technical trusted advisor, guiding design reviews and ensuring robust, manufacturable solutions that perform long after delivery. This role offers onsite work with travel between Toomebridge and Chesterfield.

Qualifications

• Strong experience in machine control systems design and product development.
• Proven ability to manage products throughout the complete lifecycle.
• Experience working directly with customers in a technical capacity.
• Excellent problem-solving, communication, and decision-making skills.
• Ability to influence multiple stakeholders and drive projects forward.
• A hands-on engineer who owns and delivers results.

Responsibilities

• Lead products through their lifecycle from concept to end-of-life with ownership and direction.
• Act as the primary technical contact for customers and translate requirements into solutions.
• Coordinate with electronics, software, and engineering teams to deliver machine control solutions.
• Monitor performance, investigate issues, capture feedback, and drive improvements.

Skills

machine control systems design

product development

customer engagement

engineering leadership

problem solving

communication

stakeholder influence

hands-on engineer

Job description

Model: Fully Onsite

Scope: Fully Employed, Full Time

Location: Toomebridge, Northern Ireland or Chesterfield, England - Office-Based with Customer Travel

Description

This is far more than a design role. We're looking for a Lead Product Engineer who wants to take complete ownership of innovative products from initial customer discussions through development, production, field performance, and future evolution.

You'll become the trusted technical partner for customers and the driving force behind successful product delivery, ensuring innovative machine control solutions are designed right, built right, and continue to perform long after they leave the factory floor. If you enjoy combining technical expertise, customer engagement, product strategy, and engineering leadership, this is a rare opportunity to make a lasting impact.

Key Responsibilities

Product Ownership

• Lead products through their entire lifecycle, from concept and feasibility through to production, field support, and end-of-life planning.
• Maintain ownership, accountability, and technical direction throughout the product journey.
• Drive product improvements, reliability enhancements, and future development initiatives.

Customer Engagement

• Act as the primary technical contact for customers.
• Build trusted relationships and guide customers through the development process.
• Translate customer requirements into practical engineering solutions.

Engineering Leadership

• Work closely with electronics, software, and engineering teams to develop innovative machine control solutions.
• Support design reviews and ensure products are manufacturable, reliable, and fit for purpose.
• Challenge assumptions and drive best-practice engineering decisions.

Performance & Continuous Improvement

• Monitor product performance in the field and lead investigations into technical issues.
• Capture customer feedback and convert lessons learned into product enhancements.
• Ensure traceability of requirements, decisions, and product changes throughout development.

Qualifications

• Strong experience in machine control systems design and product development.
• Proven ability to manage products throughout the complete lifecycle.
• Experience working directly with customers in a technical or engineering capacity.
• Excellent problem-solving, communication, and decision-making skills.
• Ability to influence multiple stakeholders and drive projects forward.
• A hands-on engineer who enjoys taking ownership and making things happen.

Desirable Experience

• AC and DC control systems.
• Embedded software or software development processes.
• Manufacturing or industrial engineering environments.
• ISO 9001 quality systems and processes.

If you're an engineer who thrives on ownership, enjoys working directly with customers, and wants to influence every stage of a product's journey, this is an outstanding opportunity to take your career to the next level.