NPI Production Engineer — Opto-Chem Sensor Systems

Mode; Oxford; On-site; GBP 35,000 - 45,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Employee share option

25 days leave + holidays

Pension contributions matched

Group life & legacy cover

Training allowance

Volunteer day

Travel-to-work loan

Cycle-to-work scheme

Flexible working

Job summary

Mode Labs in Oxfordshire is hiring an NPI/Production Engineer to move designs from prototype to repeatable production. You will own manufacturing processes, tooling, documentation and test activities while coordinating pilot builds and production transfer.

The role spans product build and test, process development, tooling and production data. It requires hands-on build work, data-driven problem solving and cross-functional collaboration, with potential 0.8 FTE arrangements and on-site presence

Qualifications

• Typically two or more years' relevant experience in manufacturing, production engineering or the build and test of a complex technical product.
• Hands-on experience assembling, testing and troubleshooting complex technical products.
• Experience creating or improving manufacturing processes, work instructions, fixtures or test methods.
• Experience defining and improving assembly, calibration, inspection or test processes.
• Experience designing, specifying or manufacturing tooling, jigs, fixtures or test equipment.
• Ability to interpret engineering drawings, CAD data; familiarity with mechanical CAD tools such as SolidWorks or eDrawings.
• Ability to produce clear work instructions, test procedures, build records and manufacturing reports.
• Ability to take responsibility for a defined work package, organise priorities and communicate progress clearly.
• Ability to balance evolving design with the need to finalise production drawings for manufacture.

Responsibilities

• Coordinate pilot and pre-production build activities, capturing issues, actions and learning between build iterations.
• Provide practical design-for-manufacture, design-for-assembly and design-for-test input across optical, mechanical, electronic, fluidic and sensing-chemistry interfaces.
• Review designs, bills of materials, specifications and production documentation with engineering colleagues, identifying manufacturing issues and documentation gaps.
• Develop, document and release assembly, inspection and end-of-line test processes.
• Design or specify tooling, jigs, fixtures and test equipment required for repeatable production.
• Establish appropriate process controls, acceptance criteria, traceability and production records.
• Investigate build and test failures using structured root‑cause analysis, implementing effective corrective actions with engineering and quality colleagues.
• Work with suppliers and manufacturing partners on process development, component quality, supplier readiness and manufacturing transfer.

Skills

Manufacturing experience

Production engineering

Troubleshooting

SolidWorks

Root-cause analysis

Documentation

Education

Engineering degree / HND / apprenticeship

Tools

Jigs and fixtures

Test equipment

Job description

Mode Labs in Oxfordshire is hiring an NPI/Production Engineer to move designs from prototype to repeatable production. You will own manufacturing processes, tooling, documentation and test activities while coordinating pilot builds and production transfer.

The role spans product build and test, process development, tooling and production data. It requires hands-on build work, data-driven problem solving and cross-functional collaboration, with potential 0.8 FTE arrangements and on-site presence