Mechanical Test Engineering Lead (Production & NPI)

SPX; Bristol; Hybrid; GBP 70,000 - 110,000; Full time

Job summary

SPX in Bristol is seeking a Mechanical Test Engineering Manager to lead a small specialist team handling mechanical production and test engineering for the OEM portfolio. You will act as a bridge between Operations, Manufacturing Partners, Design Engineering, Product Management and Project Management, ensuring production issues are resolved quickly and test methodology remains robust.

As the role evolves, you will transform legacy test-bed methodology, own test approaches, reduce cycle times and

Qualifications

• Strong mechanical engineering background with production/test focus.
• Experience leading small to medium technical teams and cross-functional groups.
• Proven ability to diagnose mechanical, production and test‑related issues and lead hands‑on problem solving.
• Experience developing, improving or sustaining product test methods and equipment.
• Experience partnering with manufacturing partners or external production suppliers to improve performance.
• Experience supporting NPI, design transfer or production readiness activities.

Responsibilities

• Lead technical and operational support for mechanical production and test engineering across the OEM portfolio.
• Lead a small specialist team responsible for mechanical production engineering and test engineering support.
• Lead production, testing and repair, shipping and distribution teams to support efficient delivery and customer outcomes.
• Act as the troubleshooting and problem‑resolution lead for production issues, field failures and customer escalations.
• Manage priorities across multiple stakeholders and deliver practical engineering improvements without requiring close supervision.
• Overhaul legacy test‑bed methodology and equipment, delivering more flexible, relevant and affordable test solutions.
• Own and continuously improve product test methodology for robustness, efficiency, repeatability and scalability.
• Develop, improve and sustain production test equipment, test rigs, calibration approaches and diagnostic processes.
• Liaise with manufacturing partners to investigate, troubleshoot and resolve production issues with strong root‑cause analysis.
• Participate in NPI activities to ensure manufacturability, testability, serviceability and production readiness from the outset.
• Work with repair, customer support, engineering and manufacturing teams to identify root causes and implement effective field solutions.
• Serve as the technical connection between Operations, partners, design engineering, product management and project management.

Skills

Mechanical engineering

Team leadership

Root cause analysis

Test method development

Cross-functional collaboration

NPI / production readiness

Problem solving

Production issues troubleshooting

Education

Bachelor's degree in mechanical engineering

HND/HNC/apprenticeship in related field

Tools

Test rigs

Calibration approaches

Job description

SPX in Bristol is seeking a Mechanical Test Engineering Manager to lead a small specialist team handling mechanical production and test engineering for the OEM portfolio. You will act as a bridge between Operations, Manufacturing Partners, Design Engineering, Product Management and Project Management, ensuring production issues are resolved quickly and test methodology remains robust.

As the role evolves, you will transform legacy test-bed methodology, own test approaches, reduce cycle times and