Production Assistant

Oerlikon; Milton Keynes; On-site; GBP 17,000 - 25,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Competitive pay

Shift allowance after 12 weeks

Enhanced Pension

Annual leave

Life assurance

Cycle to work

Online GP

Employee assistance

Fresh fruit on site

Job summary

Oerlikon is seeking a Production Operator to join our busy surface coatings facility in Milton Keynes. This on-site role operates on rotating shifts, with a potential permanent position after 12 weeks. You will empty wash lines, verify parts against route cards, and ensure proper storage for batching.

The ideal candidate has production experience, can read engineering drawings, and follows health and safety and quality procedures. Training is provided in a supportive team environment.

Qualifications

• Experience in busy production environments.
• Ability to follow quality standards.
• Ability to read engineering drawings (desirable).

Responsibilities

• Emptying wash lines, matching parts to route cards and batching.
• Notify supervisors of any tool damage.
• Store parts and documentation securely.
• Decipher route cards, forms, specs and drawings to create batches per plan and standards.
• Place tools/parts on coating fixtures per process docs and safety.
• Load batches safely and operate coating equipment and chambers.
• Receive, unpack and inspect customer parts.
• Prepare components for surface coating process.
• Follow health, safety and quality procedures.
• Keep work areas clean, organized and safe.
• Carry out basic equipment checks and report faults.
• Collaborate to meet delivery deadlines and support 5S.

Skills

Production exp

Quality checks

Reading drawings

Health safety

Job description

Career Opportunities: Production Assistant (104821)

Requisition ID104821-Posted11/02/2026-Production/Facility Management

We are looking for a reliable and detail-focused Production Operator to join our busy surface coatings facility in Milton Keynes. This is an excellent opportunity to join a global manufacturing business, with the potential for a permanent position after 12 weeks. This role operates on a rotating shift pattern, and candidates must be willing to work both shifts

We offer

• Competitive rates of pay
• Shift allowance after 12 weeks
• Enhanced Pension contributions
• Generous annual leave entitlement
• Life assurance
• Cycle to work scheme
• Access to 24 hour online GP
• Employee Assistance Programme
• Fresh fruit on site
• Opportunity to secure a permanent position after a successful 12-week temporary period.

Your Responsibilities

• Emptying the wash lines, ensuring that all customer parts are appropriately matched with their respective route cards, and that the parts are correctly stored ready for batching.
• Ensuring that any damage spotted, to tools is immediately communicated to supervisors/managers.
• Storing of parts and documentation in a safe and secure manner.
• Correctly deciphering route cards, Part forms, specifications and engineering drawings ensuring: coating type, tool type, material, line quantities, correct delivery dates, are used to correctly create production batches to the production plan and to Oerlikon Balzers Standards for coating operations. Notification & documentation of any discrepancies or damage to supervision and customer services.
• Placing tools and parts onto coating fixtures, adhering to process documentation, Oerlikon & Customer requirements; ensuring safe handling methods with no scope for tool damage.
• Loading batches safely, and operation of all coating equipment and vacuum chambers as deemed appropriate by supervision and to the defined Oerlikon standards
• Receive, unpack and inspect customer parts.
• Prepare components for the surface coating process.
• Follow all health, safety and quality procedures.
• Keep work areas clean, organised and safe.
• Carry out basic equipment checks and report any faults.
• Work with colleagues to ensure customer delivery deadlines are met.
• Support continuous improvement and housekeeping activities (5S).
• Communicate any production, quality or safety concerns to your supervisor.

Your Profile

• Experience of working in a busy production environment
• Experience of following quality standards/carrying out quality checks would be advantageous.
• Ability to read engineering drawings is desirable but not necessary
• Ability to follow Health and safety standards
• Willing and able to work shifts

About Oerlikon

Oerlikon is a global leader in surface technologies and advanced materials. With a unique portfolio spanning surface engineering, high-performance materials, coating equipment and components, we make products better by enhancing performance, efficiency and sustainability. Oerlikon serves a wide range of industries, including aerospace, automotive, energy, medical, luxury, semiconductors and tooling. Head-quartered in Pfäffikon, Switzerland, Oerlikon operates in 38 countries with around10,000 employees, achieving sales of CHF 1.6 billion in 2025.

We offer a wide variety of job profiles in a dynamic, supportive environment where people are empowered to grow and reach their full potential - guided by our core values of integrity, team spirit, excellence and innovation.