Manufacturing Engineer - Powertrain

McLaren Automotive Ltd; Woking; On-site; GBP 45,000 - 65,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

25 days’ holiday + bank holidays

Enhanced company pension scheme

Discretionary annual bonus

Private medical insurance

Life assurance

Wellbeing initiatives

Job summary

McLaren Automotive is seeking a Manufacturing Engineer to define, develop, and deliver scalable assembly manufacturing processes from launch to full-rate production.

You will work on process development, tooling and automation specifications, and Lean improvements, collaborating with Engineering, Quality, Supply Chain, and Digital teams to meet safety, quality, delivery, and cost targets.

Qualifications

• Experience in a manufacturing engineering environment.
• Experience supporting new product introductions, production launches, or process improvements.
• Experience specifying manufacturing equipment, tooling, or automation solutions.
• Strong understanding of production processes and continuous improvement methodologies.
• Knowledge of manufacturing process design, production flow optimisation, and Lean principles.
• Experience with problem solving tools such as 8D, DMAIC, or similar methodologies.
• Strong analytical and decision-making skills.
• Effective stakeholder management and communication skills.
• Ability to work in cross-functional project teams.

Responsibilities

• Define and develop manufacturing processes, production flows, and assembly methodologies.
• Create and optimise line layouts, takt-time models, staffing plans, and scalability strategies.
• Drive Design for Manufacture (DfM) improvements with Engineering teams.
• Support implementation of Lean Manufacturing principles and continuous improvement activities.
• Integrate manufacturing processes with digital production systems and traceability requirements.
• Define specifications for tooling, fixtures, production equipment, and automation systems.
• Support supplier selection, equipment procurement, and commissioning activities.
• Ensure equipment designs meet safety, quality, reliability, and maintainability standards.
• Participate in equipment acceptance testing and production readiness reviews.
• Support manufacturing activities during installation, commissioning, pilot builds, and production ramp-up.
• Drive resolution of manufacturing and equipment-related issues.
• Monitor process performance against safety, quality, delivery, and cost targets.
• Lead and support process improvement initiatives.
• Implement structured problem-solving methodologies.
• Promote safe systems of work and ergonomic improvements.
• Develop manufacturing standards, documentation, and best practices.
• Work closely with Engineering, Quality, Supply Chain, Production, Facilities, Maintenance, and Digital teams.
• Support business cases, capital investment projects, and programme reviews.

Skills

Lean manufacturing

Problem solving

Analytical thinking

Cross-functional collaboration

Stakeholder management

Project management

Communication skills

Education

Bachelor's degree in Mechanical Engineering

Professional qualifications or certifications (advantageous)

Job description

The Manufacturing Engineer is responsible for defining, developing, and delivering key elements of an assembly manufacturing system within a production environment. The role ensures product designs are translated into robust, scalable, safe, and cost-efficient manufacturing processes capable of meeting quality, delivery, and cost targets from launch through to full-rate production.

This position supports the development of manufacturing concepts through to equipment specification, installation, commissioning, and production ramp-up, while contributing to manufacturing standards, automation strategies, and continuous improvement initiatives.

What You’ll Do

Manufacturing Process Development

• Define and develop manufacturing processes, production flows, and assembly methodologies.
• Create and optimise line layouts, takt-time models, staffing plans, and scalability strategies.
• Drive Design for Manufacture (DfM) improvements with Engineering teams.
• Support implementation of Lean Manufacturing principles and continuous improvement activities.
• Integrate manufacturing processes with digital production systems and traceability requirements.

Tooling, Equipment and Automation

• Define specifications for tooling, fixtures, production equipment, and automation systems.
• Support supplier selection, equipment procurement, and commissioning activities.
• Ensure equipment designs meet safety, quality, reliability, and maintainability standards.
• Participate in equipment acceptance testing and production readiness reviews.

Quality and Process Control

• Develop PFMEA documentation, control plans, and error-proofing solutions.
• Ensure robust process controls, traceability, inspection systems, and quality standards are implemented.
• Support root cause investigation and corrective action activities.
• Manage engineering changes relating to products and processes.

Launch and Production Support

• Support manufacturing activities during installation, commissioning, pilot builds, and production ramp-up.
• Drive resolution of manufacturing and equipment-related issues.
• Monitor process performance against safety, quality, delivery, and cost targets.
• Lead and support process improvement initiatives.
• Implement structured problem-solving methodologies.
• Promote safe systems of work and ergonomic improvements.
• Develop manufacturing standards, documentation, and best practices.

Cross-Functional Collaboration

• Work closely with Engineering, Quality, Supply Chain, Production, Facilities, Maintenance, and Digital teams.
• Support business cases, capital investment projects, and programme reviews.

What You’ll Bring

Experience

Experience within a manufacturing engineering environment.

Proven experience supporting new product introductions, production launches, or process improvements.

Experience specifying manufacturing equipment, tooling, or automation solutions.

Strong understanding of production processes and continuous improvement methodologies.

Knowledge of manufacturing process design, production flow optimisation, and Lean principles.

Experience with problem solving tools such as 8D, DMAIC, or similar methodologies.

Strong analytical and decision-making skills.

Effective stakeholder management and communication skills.

Ability to work in cross-functional project teams.

Qualifications

Degree in Mechanical Engineering, Manufacturing Engineering, Industrial Engineering, or a related discipline (or equivalent experience).

Professional qualifications or further technical certifications are advantageous.

What We’ll Do for You

We offer a wide – ranging benefits package, which includes:

• 25 days’ holiday, plus bank holiday. Annual buy & sell up to five days
• Enhanced company pension scheme
• Discretionary annual bonus award
• Private medical insurance and health cash plan
• Life assurance benefit
• Ability to apply for a sabbatical of up to one year after only two years’ service
• Benefits you can adapt to your lifestyle, such as discounted shopping
• Generous parental leave policies
• A range of wellbeing initiatives, such as employee assistance programme and free financial & mortgage advice

Who Are We?

No restraints. No limitations. We don’t simply push boundaries. We completely rethink them. McLaren Automotive exists to create breath-taking performance road cars.

It takes a community to do what we do. A diverse group of people with many areas of expertise, united by their passion to deliver visionary products and set new benchmarks.

McLaren Automotive commits to equal opportunity for all. Diversity, Equality and Inclusion is at the heart of our impact, it drives our innovation and enables us to truly create something special. Join us on our journey.