Manufacturing Operations Engineer- UK

Kidde Fenwal Inc.; Bailrigg; On-site; GBP 42,000 - 58,000; Full time

Job summary

Kidde Fenwal Inc. is seeking an experienced Manufacturing Engineer to drive production efficiency, process improvement and manufacturing excellence across our operations. This 100% onsite role collaborates with Production, Quality and Engineering to optimize processes and reduce waste.

The role will begin at Bentham and relocate to Bamber Bridge as operations transition, requiring hands‑on leadership on the shop floor and strong CI mindset.

Qualifications

• Bachelor’s degree (BEng/BSc or Integrated Master) in Manufacturing, Mechanical, Industrial Engineering or related discipline.
• 5+ years of manufacturing or process engineering experience, preferably in an electro‑mechanical environment.
• Strong knowledge of Lean Manufacturing, CI and root‑cause analysis.
• Experience with manufacturing equipment, tooling, fixtures and/or automation.
• Strong analytical, problem‑solving and project management skills.
• Ability to work independently while influencing cross‑functional teams.
• Strong communication skills and a hands‑on approach to manufacturing engineering.

Responsibilities

• Own and continuously improve assigned manufacturing processes and production lines.
• Identify and implement improvements to increase productivity, quality and process capability.
• Lead Lean, 5S, Kaizen and other continuous improvement initiatives.
• Lead root-cause analysis and corrective actions for production, equipment and process issues.
• Manage capital equipment and process improvement projects from planning and budgeting through installation and validation.
• Support New Product Introduction (NPI) and Design for Manufacture (DFM) activities.
• Develop and maintain manufacturing routings, work instructions, SOPs and other technical documentation.
• Support PFMEA, process controls and quality improvement activities.
• Provide hands‑on technical support and guidance to Production and Engineering teams.
• Work cross‑functionally to implement practical, sustainable manufacturing solutions.

Skills

Lean manufacturing

Problem solving

Analytical skills

Cross-functional

Project management

Education

BEng/BSc or MEng in related field

Tools

ERP/MES

SPC/Minitab

AutoCAD

Job description

We are seeking an experienced Manufacturing Engineer to drive production efficiency, process improvement and manufacturing excellence across our operations.

This is a 100% onsite, hands-on role working closely with Production, Quality and Engineering teams to improve processes, increase throughput, reduce waste and resolve complex manufacturing issues.

Location: The position will initially be based in the Bentham area and will ultimately relocate to the Bamber Bridge area as operations transition. The successful candidate must be comfortable working from the Bentham site during the initial period and subsequently at Bamber Bridge.

Key Responsibilities

• Own and continuously improve assigned manufacturing processes and production lines.
• Identify and implement improvements to increase productivity, quality and process capability.
• Lead Lean, 5S, Kaizen and other continuous improvement initiatives.
• Lead root-cause analysis and corrective actions for production, equipment and process issues.
• Manage capital equipment and process improvement projects from planning and budgeting through installation and validation.
• Support New Product Introduction (NPI) and Design for Manufacture (DFM) activities.
• Develop and maintain manufacturing routings, work instructions, SOPs and other technical documentation.
• Support PFMEA, process controls and quality improvement activities.
• Provide hands‑on technical support and guidance to Production and Engineering teams.
• Work cross‑functionally to implement practical, sustainable manufacturing solutions.

Required Qualifications

• Bachelor’s degree (BEng/BSc) or Integrated Master’s (MEng) in Manufacturing, Mechanical, Industrial Engineering or a related discipline.
• 5+ years of manufacturing or process engineering experience, preferably in an electro‑mechanical manufacturing environment.
• Strong knowledge of Lean Manufacturing, continuous improvement and root‑cause analysis.
• Experience with manufacturing equipment, tooling, fixtures and/or automation.
• Strong analytical, problem‑solving and project management skills.
• Ability to work independently while effectively influencing cross‑functional teams.
• Strong communication skills and a hands‑on approach to manufacturing engineering.

Preferred Qualifications

• Lean Six Sigma Green Belt or Black Belt.
• Experience with PLC troubleshooting, automation or robotics.
• Experience with NPI, DFM, PFMEA and Control Plans.
• Knowledge of ERP/MES systems, SPC/Minitab and manufacturing data analysis.
• Experience with AutoCAD or similar engineering software.

This is a fully onsite position in a clean, fast‑paced light assembly manufacturing environment involving electro‑mechanical components and pressurised gas systems. The role requires regular time on the manufacturing floor and the ability to stand and walk the floor for extended periods.