Principal Engineer – Process & Systems

McLaren Automotive Ltd; Woking; On-site; GBP 90,000 - 130,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

25 days' holiday

Bank holidays

Enhanced pension

Discretionary annual bonus

Private medical insurance

Life assurance

Sabbatical option after 2 years

Wellbeing initiatives

Job summary

McLaren Automotive in the United Kingdom seeks a Principal Engineer - Process & Systems to deliver and integrate manufacturing electrical processes, diagnostic systems, software deployment, and vehicle commissioning across programmes.

You will own technical delivery from requirements through validation, production introduction, issue resolution, and readiness evidence, collaborating with Engineering, Manufacturing, IT, Aftersales, programmes and suppliers to support VP, PP, SOP and series

Qualifications

• Significant experience in automotive electrical systems, diagnostics, manufacturing controls, or vehicle software deployment.
• Proven delivery of complex technical work packages from requirements to production.
• Experience supporting vehicle programmes through VP, PP, SOP, and series production with cross-functional teams.

Responsibilities

• Define and deliver robust manufacturing electrical processes and system interfaces.
• Deploy diagnostic toolchains and End-of-Line validation, software download, and commissioning.
• Ensure solutions meet quality, cybersecurity, and production-readiness requirements.
• Maintain PFMEAs, Control Plans, validation evidence, risks, and release records.
• Investigate complex faults and verify corrective actions using structured problem-solving.
• Coordinate cross-functional and supplier deliverables to protect programme timing and cost.

Skills

Vehicle electrical architectures

CAN/CAN FD

Automotive Ethernet

UDS/DoIP

EOL systems

SWDL

Coding and configuration

Cybersecurity

SDV

OTA

Manufacturing diagnostics

Job description

What to Expect

Reporting directly to the Controls Manager, the Principal Engineer - Process & Systems delivers and integrates manufacturing electrical processes, diagnostic systems, software deployment, and vehicle commissioning solutions across vehicle programmes.

The role owns technical delivery within its assigned scope, from requirements and process definition through validation, production introduction, issue resolution, and readiness evidence.

Working with Engineering, Manufacturing, IT, Aftersales, programme teams, and suppliers, the role supports delivery through VP, PP, SOP, and series production.

What You'll Do

Define and deliver robust manufacturing electrical processes, system requirements, interfaces, validation plans, and implementation evidence.

Deploy and support diagnostic toolchains, End-of-Line validation, software download, coding, commissioning, traceability, and fault-diagnosis capability.

Ensure assigned solutions meet quality, cybersecurity, configuration-control, throughput, reliability, and production-readiness requirements.

Maintain requirements, process documentation, PFMEAs, Control Plans, validation evidence, risks, issues, and release records.

Investigate complex electrical, software, diagnostic, and integration faults using structured problem-solving methods and verify corrective actions.

Coordinate cross-functional and supplier deliverables, escalating risks and recovery actions to protect programme timing, quality, and cost.

Technical Expertise

• Vehicle electrical architectures,
• CAN/CAN FD,
• Automotive Ethernet,
• UDS/DoIP,
• EOL systems,
• SWDL,
• Coding and configuration,
• Cybersecurity,
• SDV,
• OTA,
• Manufacturing diagnostics.

What You'll Bring

Experience

Significant experience in automotive electrical systems, diagnostics, manufacturing controls, process engineering, systems integration, or vehicle software deployment.

Proven delivery of complex technical work packages from requirements and validation through production implementation.

Experience supporting vehicle programmes through VP, PP, SOP, and series production within cross-functional and supplier environments.

High-performance, premium, or low-volume automotive manufacturing experience is desirable.

Personal Attributes

Delivery-focused, analytical, resilient, and detail-oriented.

Proactive and pragmatic, with strong problem-solving and stakeholder communication skills.

Calm under pressure and committed to quality, process discipline, and operational excellence.

Success Measures

Success will be measured by:

• On-time delivery and validated readiness of assigned VP, PP, SOP, and series-production work packages.
• Reliable integration of diagnostic, software-download, commissioning, and manufacturing process capability.
• Achievement of agreed quality, throughput, availability, compliance, and fault-reduction targets.
• Timely closure of requirements, validation evidence, risks, issues, and supplier actions within approved timing and cost.

What We’ll Do for You

We offer a wide - ranging benefits package, which includes:

• Structured career development framework
• 25 days' holiday, plus bank holiday. Annual buy & sell up to five days
• Enhanced company pension scheme
• Discretionary annual bonus award
• Private medical insurance and health cash plan
• Life assurance benefit
• Ability to apply for a sabbatical of up to one year after only two years' service
• Benefits you can adapt to your lifestyle, such as discounted shopping
• Generous parental leave policies
• A range of wellbeing initiatives, such as employee assistance programme and free financial & mortgage advice

Who Are We?

No restraints. No limitations. We don't simply push boundaries. We completely rethink them. McLaren Automotive exists to create breath-taking performance road cars.

It takes a community to do what we do. A diverse group of people with many areas of expertise, united by their passion to deliver visionary products and set new benchmarks.

McLaren Automotive commits to equal opportunity for all. Diversity, Equality and Inclusion is at the heart of our impact, it drives our innovation and enables us to truly create something special. Join us on our journey.