Principal Design Engineer
GKN PLC
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Benefits offered by this job
Job summary
GKN Aerospace in Luton is seeking a Principal Design Engineer to lead transparency system design across multiple programmes including canopies and flight deck windows. You will drive technical strategy, own design integrity, and oversee lifecycle activities from concept to in-service support.
You will mentor teams, shape technology roadmaps, and engage with customers, regulators and suppliers while maintaining high standards of technical data and communication.
Qualifications
- Degree in Aerospace, Mechanical or similar.
- Experience in Aerospace design / product development.
- Deep understanding of full product lifecycle, design practices, manufacturing processes, and airworthiness requirements.
- Proven ability to lead complex engineering work packages and solve technical problems.
- Familiarity with digital engineering and CATIA V5.
- Excellent communication skills for senior stakeholders.
Responsibilities
- Act as the technical authority for transparency design across programmes.
- Lead definition of design standards and engineering best practices.
- Provide guidance on requirements, materials, structural/optical performance.
- Represent Design in MRBs and approve dispositions of non conforming parts.
- Define and validate test methods and compliance approaches.
- Interface with customers, suppliers, regulatory bodies and internal stakeholders.
- Lead major technical reviews and customer design reviews.
- Identify and mitigate technical risks across programmes.
- Support capability development within the Transparency Systems team.
Skills
Education
Tools
Job description
Fantastic challenges. Amazing opportunities.
GKN Aerospace is reimagining air travel: going further, faster and greener! Fuelled by great people whose expertise and creativity sets the standards in our industry, were inspired by the opportunities to innovate and break boundaries. Were proud to play a part in protecting the worlds democracies. And were committed to putting sustainability at the centre of everything we do, opening up and protecting our planet. With over 16,000 employees globally, across 33 manufacturing sites in 12 countries we serve over 90% of the worlds aircraft and engine manufacturers. There are no limits to where you can take your career.
Job description:
Its great to know youre making a difference to the future of aviation! Whatever part you play youll be helping us deliver operational excellence to our customers. Based at our Luton manufacturing plant youll do just that. Established in 1993, GKN Aerospace in Luton is a world leader in commercial and military ice protection systems and transparencies. Offering a full range of capabilities; design, analysis, testing, certification and manufacture of electro-thermal ice protection, military fast jet canopies and flight deck windows to over 20 programmes including: Boeing 787, Dreamliner, Airbus A320, AgustaWestland, AW101, Eurofighter Typhoon and Lockheed, Martin F-22 Raptor. Our customers include Boeing, Airbus, Lockheed Martin, Bell Helicopters, Textron, BAE Systems, Pratt & Whitney, Leonardo. Our Luton site is home to 370+ employees and onsite facilities including onsite parking, food hub and vending machines.
We are looking for a Principal Design Engineer to join our Transparencies team to support a portfolio of new and existing programmes including Fast jet canopies, Helicopter Windscreens and Flight Deck Windows.
The Principal Design Engineer is a technical authority within the Transparency Systems team, responsible for leading complex product development, driving technical strategy, and ensuring engineering excellence across multiple programmes. It spans the full lifecycle: advanced concept development, requirements definition, geometric design, materials and process selection, supporting tooling design, manufacturing development, qualification, and in service support.
The Principal Design Engineer also plays a major role in shaping technology roadmaps, mentoring engineering teams, and representing the business in high-level customer, regulatory, and airworthiness discussions.
This role requires flexibility for occasional travel, both within the UK and internationally. Core operational hours at our Luton site are: 07:30 - 16:30 Monday to Thursday & 07:30 - 12:30 Friday.
- Act as the technical authority for transparency design across multiple programmes, ensuring design integrity, safety, and compliance with customer, regulatory, and airworthiness requirements.
- Lead the definition of design standards and engineering best practices for transparency systems and approve design solutions, specifications, concessions, rework schemes, and compliance documentation.
- Provide expert guidance on requirements management, materials selection, structural performance, optical performance, manufacturing processes and qualification methods.
- Represent Design function in MRBs and serve as the primary escalation point for all MRB-related queries, exercising technical authority to determine and approve the disposition of non conforming parts.
- Define and validate test methods and/or alternate means of compliance (analysis/similarity) as required to demonstrate design solution complies with requirements.
- Act as a senior technical interface with customers, suppliers, regulatory bodies, and internal stakeholders. Communicate complex technical information clearly to both technical and non technical audiences.
- Lead major technical reviews, gate reviews, and customer design reviews, ensuring high quality technical data and presentations.
- Identify, assess, and manage technical risks across programmes, proposing mitigation strategies and influencing programme direction.
- Support capability development within the Transparency Systems team including training, knowledge capture, and succession planning.
- You will contribute to the development of GKN as a 'Great Place to Work', aligned with the core principles - safe, innovative, open & honest, care & respect, and ownership.
Profile description:
To help us make a difference, youll bring your passion and talent for what you do along with the following skills, experience, qualifications and attributes:
- Degree in Aerospace, Mechanical or similar
- Experience in Aerospace design / or Aerospace product development.
- Deep understanding of the full product lifecycle, design practices, manufacturing processes, and airworthiness requirements.
- Proven ability to lead complex engineering work packages and solve complex technical problems using evidence based, methodical approaches.
- Familiarity with digital engineering and model based design preferably using CATIA V5.
- Excellent communication skills, able to create clear, concise, and accurate technical content and present to senior stakeholders.
- Expert user of CATIA V5 for complex modelling and drawing creation
- Chartered Engineer status (CEng)
- Experience working with defence customers and regulatory authorities.
- Experience in transparencies, composites, or specialist structures/ systems.
Note: Some GKN programmes are subject to regulatory restrictions which may impact certain nationalities. As part of the application process you will be asked to declare when applying for this role.
The position requires UK National Security Vetting (UKNSV) Security clearance (SC) due to the nature and responsibilities of the work carried out. In order for us to obtain an SC you usually need to have been resident in the UK for a minimum of 5 years to current date (but we do assess each case individually).
Once youre on board youll get the following perks and benefits:
- Competitive salary dependent on experience
- The opportunity to earn up to 15% bonus
- Industry Leading Pension Scheme = well match your contributions up to 8% on a 1 : 1.5 basis
- Life Assurance 8 x salary
- 185 hours holiday + bank holidays
- Income protection
- Shopping discounts
- Cycle To Work Scheme
- Employee Assistance Programme
- Virtual GP Clinic for you and immediate family
- Free onsite parking
- Local gym discount
- Free airport parking
- Enhanced family friendly leave
- A collaborative, dynamic working environment
Everyone is welcome to apply to GKN. We believe that we can only achieve our ambitions through a coming together of diverse minds who enjoy collaborating in an inspirational environment. Through our commitment to diversity, inclusion and belonging and by living our five powerful principles weve created a culture where everyone feels welcome to contribute. Its a culture that won us The Best Workplace Culture Award. By embracing and celebrating what makes us unique we encourage everyone to bring their full self to work.
We are also committed to providing an accessible recruitment process, so if you require reasonable adjustments at any stage during our recruitment process please get in touch and let us know.
We are the place where human dreams, plus human endeavour, shape the future of aerospace innovation and technology. ?
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