Manufacturing Test Engineer - Circuit Card Assembly

MBDA UK; Bolton; Hybrid; GBP 42,000 - 48,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Company bonus

Pension contribution

Overtime opportunities

Flexi Leave

Flexible working

Job summary

MBDA UK in Bolton is seeking a proactive engineer to develop Flying Probe test packages for circuit cards, using SPEA equipment to drive faster fault investigation. You will implement new tests and optimize existing ones, improving test time, coverage and reliability across the manufacturing process.

The role requires attention to detail, an engineering background, and willingness to work on-site with some flexibility for hybrid arrangements.

Qualifications

• Formal technical apprenticeship to NVQ Level 3 or equivalent; level 4 HE cert (HNC) acceptable.
• BEng/BSc in Engineering or related technical degree is also suitable.
• Strong understanding of electrical/electronic measurement and test principles.
• Experience with test equipment and fault diagnosis.
• Familiarity with Flying Probe systems is desirable but not required.

Responsibilities

• Create new Flying Probe test packages using the SPEA 4050S2 system from circuit card data-pack to deployment.
• Update and improve existing test packages to reflect product changes and improve yield.
• Diagnose faults to component level on PCB assemblies and communicate findings with stakeholders.

Skills

Electronics test & diagnosis

Engineering documentation

Test equipment usage

Flying Probe systems familiarity

Education

NVQ Level 3 / Craft Apprenticeship

BEng/BSc in Engineering

Tools

SPEA 4050S2

Oscilloscopes

Multimeters

Signal generators

Job description

Join a new small team at MBDA Bolton and become an expert in the field of Flying Probe Manufacturing Data Analysis, developing your skills and shaping the future of circuit card manufacturing in MBDA UK. Salary: Circa £45,000 depending on experience Dynamic (hybrid) working: 4-5 days per week on‑site due to on‑site equipment location. Security Clearance: British Citizen. Restrictions and/or limitations relating to nationality and/or rights to work may apply. As a minimum and after offer stage, all successful candidates will need to undergo HMG Basic Personnel Security Standard checks (BPSS), which are managed by the MBDA Personnel Security Team.

What we can offer you:

• Company bonus: Up to £2,500 (based on company performance and will vary year to year)
• Pension: maximum total (employer and employee) contribution of up to 14%
• Overtime: opportunity for paid overtime
• Flexi Leave: Up to 15 additional days
• Flexible working: We welcome applicants who are looking for flexible working arrangements
• Enhanced parental leave: offers up to 26 weeks for maternity, adoption and shared parental leave -enhancements are available for paternity leave, neonatal leave and fertility testing and treatments
• Facilities: Fantastic site facilities including subsidised meals, free car parking and much more…

The opportunity:

This is a newly developed team, working to transform the way that defects are located and corrected within Circuit Card Assembly manufacturing, utilising state‑of‑the‑art Flying Probe test equipment to find faults fast and improve the fault investigation process for the test engineering teams. We are looking for a motivated and organised individual, who can work effectively both independently or as part of a wider team. A background in Electronic Engineering, alongside attention to detail and a methodical approach to test development are essential skills for the role. Any existing knowledge of Flying Probe systems (specifically SPEA systems) is welcomed but not essential. You will work alongside experienced manufacturing test engineers and deliver new Flying Probe test packages for the circuit cards created at MBDA’s complex technologies site in Bolton. Other aspects of the job involve delivering timely test package corrections and working on improvements to test time, test coverage and reliability of the Flying Probe systems. Additionally, there is also scope within the role to develop your skills as a test engineer, working with the existing test engineering teams to diagnose faults down to component level and suggest remedial actions to ensure the high quality of our products is maintained. MBDA Bolton is a friendly and inclusive manufacturing environment, with full training provided and wealth of knowledge and benefits within the business that will enable you to thrive at MBDA.

Key Responsibilities:

• Creation of new Flying Probe test packages: Using the SPEA 4050S2 test system, you will follow a well‑documented development process, starting from an initial circuit card data‑pack, through the import to Flying Probe, debugging of tests and statistical data analysis of results. This concludes with a reliable and robust test package that can be deployed to the manufacturing operations team to use.
• Correction and improvement of existing Flying Probe test packages: As our products evolve and updates are released, we are required to update and improve the existing test packages to accommodate any changes. Another responsibility will be improving the yield on our deployed test packages, by running statistical analysis on test results and making changes accordingly.
• Communication with stakeholders and cross‑team working: As part of investigations and cross‑team working, you will perform fault diagnosis down to component level on analogue and digital PCB assemblies using a wide range of both automated and manual test equipment including oscilloscopes, multi‑meters, signal generators, etc.

What we're looking for from you:

• A Formal technical Engineering/Craft Apprenticeship to NVQ Level 3/TR23/TR21 and a Formal further education certificate to Level 4 (HNC or equivalent in a relevant subject).
• OR A BEng/BSc in relevant Engineering/Technical Degree.

Key Skills

• Expertise in Electronics Test & Diagnosis: A strong theoretical and practical understanding of electrical/electronic measurement and test principles, test equipment and fault diagnosis techniques for electronic sub‑assemblies and PCBs.
• Engineering Documentation Experience: An ability to interpret detailed schematics, drawings and test related documentation.
• Experience writing operator instructions and engineering manuals is desirable but not required.
• Test Equipment Experience: Hands‑on experience using both manual and automated test equipment — preferrably within a defence or similar high‑reliability manufacturing environment.
• Flying Probe Systems Experience and Expertise (Desired but not required): Familiarity with Flying Probe development and debugging, including guarding methods, probe allocation and development principals.

Our company:

Peace is not a given, Freedom is not a given, Sovereignty is not a given MBDA is a leading defence organisation. We are proud of the role we play in supporting the Armed Forces who protect our nations. We partner with governments to work together towards a common goal, defending our freedom. We are proud of our employee‑led networks, examples include: Gender Equality, Pride, Menopause Matters, Parents and Carers, Armed Forces, Ethnic Diversity, Neurodiversity, Disability and more… We recognise that everyone is unique, and we encourage you to speak to us should you require any advice, support or adjustments throughout our recruitment process. Follow us on LinkedIn (MBDA), X (@MBDA_UK), Instagram (MBDA_UK) and Glassdoor or visit our MBDA Careers website for more information. What we do matters. Because defence matters. As a leading company in the defence industry we support our nations by delivering essential military capabilities, both for today and the future. We are proud to be an award‑winning employer and are proud of the growing diversity of our workforce. Our people are the ones who drive our constant innovation and deliver against challenging targets.

Whatever your background, we welcome your application to MBDA UK and look forward to speaking with you soon.