Product Development Manager - Sensors

McLaren Applied; Woking; On-site; GBP 70,000 - 90,000; Full time

Job summary

A premier automotive technology firm in Woking is seeking a Product Development Manager to lead advanced hardware systems for motorsport applications. Candidates should have a deep technical expertise, proven experience in product development, and the ability to manage projects under tight timelines. The role involves cross-functional collaboration and delivering precision-engineered solutions that meet high-performance demands. The company offers competitive benefits including flexible working options.

Benefits

Annual leave (25 days + bank holidays)

Flexible working policies

Life assurance to the value of 4 times base salary

Company funded individual private healthcare

Electric car scheme

Qualifications

• 5+ years of experience in hardware product development, with at least 2 years in motorsport.
• Proven leadership in managing multidisciplinary engineering teams under tight development cycles.
• Strong understanding of motorsport vehicle systems.

Responsibilities

• Manage the full product development cycle for motorsport components.
• Work closely with product management to translate product requirements into technical specifications.
• Drive the application of lightweight materials and high-reliability electronics in product designs.

Skills

High-performance engineering

Cross-functional collaboration

Project management

Rapid prototyping

Technical documentation

Education

Bachelor’s or Master’s degree in Mechanical, Electrical, or Mechatronics Engineering

Tools

CAD software (SolidEdge/NX, Altium/Cadence)

Simulation tools (FEA, CFD)

Job description

Background

The world around us is experiencing significant change, the greatest in generations.

At Motion Applied, we’re accelerating the response to that change. Our vision is that our people and technologies will pioneer a better future. Our mission is to achieve breakthroughs in performance.

We’re at the cutting edge of innovation in industries including automotive transportation and motorsport. We create solutions that drive efficiency and cost-effectiveness.

We want to help to reduce the carbon footprint and become more sustainable. Our focus is on electrification and telemetry, control and analytics.

To deliver efficient lightweight electric powertrain and vehicle development; motorsport solutions that make series more sustainable and efficient; reliable connectivity solutions for transportation and insightful analytics and monitoring of transport fleets.

By applying our expertise, we deliver real benefits and pioneer a better future.

Job Summary

As Product Development Manager you will use a deep technical expertise and a passion for high-performance engineering to lead the development of advanced hardware systems for motorsport applications.

You will be responsible for developing and maintaining a portfolio of products and will collaborate closely with product management to deliver a compelling product roadmap.

This role is critical in delivering precision-engineered solutions that meet the performance, reliability, and safety demands of top-tier motorsport competition.

The role bridges the gap between engineering, product management, operations and supply chain to ensure products are delivered on time, on budget, and to specification.

Key Responsibilities

• Manage the full product development cycle for motorsport components—from concept and design to prototype, validation, and production.
• Work closely with product management, business line, engineering and customers to translate product requirements into technical specifications.
• Lead cross-functional collaboration with mechanical, hardware, systems, embedded software and test engineers to deliver integrated hardware solutions.
• Manage design validation, prototyping, testing and iteration cycles including customer validation and trackside support.
• Drive the application of lightweight materials, thermal management, high-reliability electronics and robust embedded software in product designs.
• Promote design for ease of manufacture, production lead time optimisation and creation of bespoke product variants
• Manage project budgets, timelines, and resources, ensuring delivery under fast-paced and high-pressure timelines typical of motorsport.
• Coordinate with suppliers and manufacturing partners to ensure rapid and precise production of parts and systems.
• Ensure all hardware meets relevant motorsport regulatory standards (e.g. FIA, IMSA).
• Instil appropriate project governance to coordinate ongoing project activities, critical project milestones, reporting of project status and escalations for assistance.
• Continuously seek innovation opportunities in sensor technology, data acquisition, control systems, and materials.

Qualifications

• Bachelor’s or Master’s degree in Mechanical, Electrical, or Mechatronics Engineering.
• 5+ years of experience in hardware product development, with at least 2 years in motorsport or high-performance automotive environments.
• Proven track record of bringing hardware products from concept to market
• Proven leadership in managing multidisciplinary engineering teams under tight development cycles.
• Demonstrated experience with rapid prototyping, simulation tools (FEA, CFD), and CAD software (SolidEdge/NX, Altium/Cadence, etc.).
• Familiarity with production environment including manufacturing documentation, build and test processes.
• Strong understanding of motorsport vehicle systems (suspension, control electronics, powertrain, telemetry, etc.).
• Excellent organizational, communication, and technical documentation skills.

Preferred Skills

• Experience planning and delivering projects using a structured product development framework
• Trackside engineering experience or involvement in competitive motorsport series.
• Familiarity with homologation and motorsport regulatory processes.
• Project management certification (e.g., PMP) or training in Agile/Lean development practices.
• Background in motorsport, automotive or consumer electronics

What we can offer you

In return for everything you bring to the table, we can ensure an exciting, challenging role in a dynamic business surrounded by some of the best people in their respective fields.

At Applied we firmly believe it’sthe relationships and friendships we create while working that make us special. We’realso aware that the world is changing and we are part of that change. We all want and need different things from our work and home lives, so, if you have commitments outside of work,we’reopen to talking through flexible working options that work for you and us.

• Annual leave (25 days + bank holidays, pro-rated for part time colleagues).
• Enhanced Company Maternity, Paternity and Adoption leave and pay.
• Flexible working policies, including Hybrid Working.
• Life assurance to the value of 4 times base salary
• Opportunity to join the Applied Pension Plan
• Company funded individual private healthcare with the opportunity to extend to partner or spouse and/or dependents at a discounted rate.
• Ride-to-work with Evans Cycles – take advantage of the Government’s Cycle-to-Work scheme which offers savings of up to 42% on the cost of a new bike, cycling accessories and components.
• Electric car scheme – opportunity to drive a brand-new car in a more affordable way through this salary sacrifice scheme. Employees are eligible to join the scheme after successful competition of their probationary period.

Who we are

Motion Applied (formerly McLaren Applied) are a medium-sized tech firm spun out of McLaren Group. We’re looking for people who will thrive in a non-hierarchical, growth-orientated company, self-starters who are flexible and somewhat entrepreneurial in their approach.

Applied are committed to Diversity, Equality and Inclusion (DEI) and promote DEI in all we do. McLaren Applied are also members of the UK Government Disability Confident Scheme