Manufacturing Engineer

Professional Technical Ltd; Wolverhampton; On-site; GBP 46,000 - 74,000; Full time

Job summary

Professional Technical Ltd is seeking a Manufacturing Engineer on a 6-month contract in the West Midlands, with work across NPI, APQP and industrialisation. You will bridge design and production, owning the NPI pipeline and driving lean improvements on high-performance electro-mechanical projects.

You will ensure robust process documentation, PFMEA/PPAP compliance, and close collaboration with engineering, quality and assembly teams to deliver on time and at target cost.

Qualifications

• Experience in safety-critical, highly regulated manufacturing environments.
• Solid understanding of DFMA and quality frameworks (APQP/PPAP/STP).
• Ability to interpret 2D drawings and query 3D CAD models.

Responsibilities

• Own the NPI pipeline and participate in design reviews with design engineers.
• Optimise production flow, estimate build times, and balance assembly lines using lean methods.
• Produce and maintain APQP/PPAP documentation, PFMEA, control plans, WIs, and MSA studies.
• Verify EBOM against build requirements and translate into PBOMs.
• Lead tooling and supplier sourcing, including make-vs-buy analyses and supplier specs.
• Support program milestones by driving PFMEA reviews and industrialisation timing.

Skills

NPI process

Lean manufacturing

DFMA

Project management

Cross-functional leadership

Tools

APQP

PPAP

PFMEA

MSA

Job description

Manufacturing Engineer (Contract 6 Months ) Location: West Midlands (Commutable from Birmingham, Wolverhampton, and Walsall) Department: Industrialisation / New Product Introduction (NPI)

The Opportunity We are looking for a proficient and driven Manufacturing Engineer to join our expanding Industrialisation Department on a contract basis. This role is perfect for a process-minded contractor who thrives on bridging the gap between product design and real-world production. You will take hands-on ownership of developing, improving, and optimising complex mechanical manufacturing processes across a variety of high-performance engineering projects. As a Manufacturing Engineer, you will be the vital link between our engineering, quality assurance, and assembly teams. Working at the forefront of high-precision electro-mechanical systems, you will ensure our advanced products are introduced into production on time, to cost, and to the highest quality standards, driving lean efficiencies while supporting the implementation of rigorous Advanced Product Quality Planning (APQP) processes.

What You Will Do Day-to-Day

• Own the NPI pipeline: Participate in design reviews throughout each phase of the New Product Introduction (NPI) process, collaborating with design engineers to ensure parts can be manufactured reliably.
• Optimise production flow: Estimate build times, determine required assembly stations, and carry out line balancing operations using lean principles to eliminate waste.
• Drive technical documentation: Produce and maintain critical APQP and PPAP documentation, including process flows, PFMEAs, control plans, work instructions, and MSA capability studies.
• Manage the Build Blueprint: Check the accuracy of Engineering Bills of Materials (EBOM) against build requirements and convert them into functional Production Bills of Materials (PBOM).
• Direct tooling & supplier sourcing: Conduct make-vs-buy analyses, identify tooling and equipment requirements for new assembly lines, and write technical specification documents for supplier quotations.
• Support program milestones: Lead PFMEA reviews to drive process improvements and support the wider program team in delivering key industrialisation and stage-gate milestones.

About You

• Industry experience: Significant engineering experience within a safety-critical, highly regulated manufacturing environment (such as aerospace, automotive, or medical devices).
• Technical standards know-how: A solid understanding of design for manufacture/assembly (DFMA) principles and quality frameworks, specifically APQP, PPAP, PFMEA, SPC, and MSA.
• CAD capability: Practical ability to interpret 2D technical drawings and interrogate 3D CAD modeling software.
• Organisational foundation: Excellent project management, communication, and leadership skills to effectively manage deadlines and collaborate across cross-functional teams.
• Desirable extras: Previous experience training trainees, leading root cause analysis sessions, and managing industrialisation timing plans.

What Success Looks Like

When you settle into the role, success as a Manufacturing Engineer will mean seamlessly launching new production processes with zero disruption to industrialisation timelines. You will become a trusted technical advisor across design and quality teams, ensuring manufacturing safety regulations are flawlessly maintained and that our electro-mechanical systems are produced with optimal efficiency, reduced costs, and maximum reliability.