Manufacturing Test Engineer

Novanta Inc.; Stockport; On-site; GBP 30,000 - 50,000; Full time

Job summary

Novanta’s Stockport site is seeking a Manufacturing Test Engineer to design and implement automated test systems for high‑volume, precision photonics products. You will develop test software, analyze results, and optimize yield while collaborating closely with production, R&D and quality teams.

The role emphasizes hands‑on testing, data‑driven decision making, and ensuring compliance with safety and quality standards in a fast‑paced environment.

Qualifications

• Degree in an engineering discipline as listed.
• Experience designing and supporting automated test equipment in production.
• Strong hardware troubleshooting and debugging skills.

Responsibilities

• Design, build, document and maintain automated test equipment for production.
• Develop test software for data acquisition, simulation, control and quality control.
• Analyse test data to drive product and test improvements.
• Debug production testers and fixtures for galvanometers and high‑precision scan heads.
• Collaborate with operators, supervisors, R&D, quality and manufacturing engineering.

Skills

LabVIEW

Automated test systems

Hardware troubleshooting

SQL database

Data acquisition

Signal processing

Circuit design & analysis

Test instrumentation

National Instruments hardware

PXI/DAQ/RIO

Python

C++

C#

MATLAB

VB/.NET

PLCs & embedded systems

CAD & documentation

Education

BSc in Electrical, Mechanical, Computer, Mechatronics, Robotics, Applied Physics, or related engineering discipline

Tools

LabVIEW

NI hardware (PXI/DAQ/RIO)

CAD software

Job description

Build a career powered by innovations that matter! At Novanta, our innovations power technology products that are transforming healthcare and advanced manufacturing—improving productivity, enhancing people’s lives and redefining what’s possible. We create for our global customers engineered components and sub‑systems that deliver extreme precision and performance for a range of mission‑critical applications—from minimally invasive surgery to robotics to 3D metal printing. Novanta is one global team with over 26 offices located in The Americas, Europe and Asia‑Pacific. Looking for a great place to work? You have found it with a culture that embraces teamwork, collaboration and empowerment. Come explore Novanta.

Manufacturing Test Engineer Location: Stockport, UK Laser Technologies Role Summary: You will design and build automated test systems that directly improve product quality and manufacturing yield for high‑volume, precision photonics products. This is a hands‑on engineering role with real impact on production efficiency and customer outcomes.

Why this role matters

Novanta's Laser Technologies products sit at the heart of mission‑critical applications, from medical devices to advanced manufacturing. As a Test Engineer, your work ensures galvanometers, scan heads, servo boards and subsystems perform to specification, every time, at scale. Your tests and software directly influence:

• Product reliability and consistency
• Manufacturing throughput and yield
• Data‑driven design and process improvement

What you will do

Design, build, document and maintain automated test equipment for production. Develop test software for data acquisition, simulation, control, and quality control. Analyse test data to drive product and test improvement. Debug production testers and manufacturing fixtures for galvanometers and high‑precision scan heads. Work closely with operators, supervisors, R&D, quality and manufacturing engineering. Identify and implement yield, usability and productivity improvements. Ensure compliance with quality, environmental and occupational safety requirements.

What you will bring Core Experience

• Professional LabVIEW development in a production environment.
• Hands‑on design and support of automated test systems.
• Strong hardware troubleshooting and debugging capability.
• SQL database programming and maintenance.
• Data acquisition and signal processing, time and frequency domains.
• Technical Breadth Analog and digital circuit design and analysis.
• Test instruments, signal conditioning, power electronics.
• National Instruments hardware, PXI, DAQ, RIO.
• One or more of Python, C++, C#, MATLAB, VB, .NET.
• PLCs, embedded systems and microcontrollers.
• CAD and technical documentation.

Education

• BSc in Electrical, Mechanical, Computer, Mechatronics, Robotics, Applied Physics, or related engineering discipline.

Ways of Working

Data‑driven and practical. Comfortable operating independently in a fast‑paced environment. Clear communicator with engineers and production teams. Proactive about continuous improvement.

Desirable Experience

• Experience across quality control, R&D or manufacturing engineering.
• Project leadership or informal team leadership exposure.
• Experience supporting high‑volume production testers.

Laser Technologies and Novanta

The teams within Novanta's Laser Technology business segment invent and produce beam steering and optical scanning solutions used globally in medical and advanced industrial systems. As part of Novanta, a NASDAQ‑listed technology group, you will work within a stable, international engineering organisation with long‑term investment in precision technology.

Novanta is proud to be an equal employment opportunity and affirmative action workplace.

We consider all qualified applicants without regard to race, color, religion, sex (including pregnancy), sexual orientation, gender identity or expression, national origin, military and veteran status, disability, genetics, or any other category protected by federal law or Novanta policy.

Please call [phone] if you need a disability accommodation for any part of the employment process.

Novanta’s common shares are quoted on Nasdaq under the ticker symbol "NOVT".