Production Operator

Gooch & Housego; Torquay; On-site; GBP 23,000 - 29,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Competitive pay

Shift premium

25 days holiday

Salary Sacrifice Pension

Enhanced Employee Assistance Programme

Cycle to work scheme

Job summary

Gooch & Housego in Torquay is expanding its production team to manufacture precision photonics components for telecom, defence and life sciences. Join a factory environment that supports learning, quality, and career growth, with an option for a 4‑day week.

The role covers assembly, testing and packaging of fibre optic products, following established procedures, and contributing to a culture of safety and excellence. Training and skill development are encouraged.

Qualifications

• No previous photonics experience required; transferable skills accepted.
• Ability to follow processes and work instructions.
• Strong communication and teamwork skills. (Note: separate from tech skills).

Responsibilities

• Assemble custom fibre optic products from drawings, sketches, procedures, or verbal instructions.
• Fibre stripping, cleaving, polishing, and final laser testing of fibre sub-assemblies.
• Process a wide range of fibre optic components to high quality standards.
• Pack parts for shipments following detailed written procedures.

Skills

Manual dexterity

Attention to detail

Process compliance

Communication & teamwork

Willingness to learn

Job description

Join Our Growing High-Tech Team in Torquay

As demand for our products continues to grow, we're expanding our production team at G&H in Torquay and are looking for people who want to build a career in an innovative, technology-driven environment.

You don't need previous photonics experience to be successful with us. We're interested in people who can bring transferable skills and a positive attitude, including:

• Good manual dexterity and practical hands-on ability
• Attention to detail and a commitment to quality
• The ability to follow processes and work instructions consistently
• Strong communication and teamwork skills
• A willingness to learn and develop new skills

At G&H, you'll be helping to manufacture and support technologies that make a real difference around the world. Our teams work on advanced photonics and optical technologies that support applications in space, defence, medical diagnostics, semiconductor manufacturing and next-generation communications.

Recent developments include optical systems for aerospace and defence applications, innovations in medical diagnostics, and high-power optical amplification technology for future satellite communications.

We're proud of our values: working together, embracing innovation, delivering excellence, and putting customers at the centre of what we do. These values help us create an environment where people can learn, develop and contribute to exciting technologies with global impact.

This is a fantastic opportunity to become part of a growing high-tech community in South Devon, working alongside skilled colleagues to create products that help shape the future.

ABOUT THE ROLE

Working within a factory environment. You will be manufacturing precision photonics components for the telecommunication, defence and life science sectors.

WORKING PATTERN - OPTION OF A 4 DAY WEEK!

Early shift: Monday - Thursday 06:00 - 14:00, Friday 06:00 - 13:00

Late shift: 39 hours per week across 4 days: Monday - Wednesday 14:00 - 00:00, Thursday 14:00 - 23:00.

MANDATORY RESPONSIBILITIES

• Adherence to all Company policies, management systems and standard operational procedures, including legal responsibilities in relation to Health, Safety, Environmental and Quality
• Working positively to develop and foster good working relationships with colleagues and contracted personnel in order to maintain a culture of mutual respect and dignity
• Promote and display the G&H values: Customer focus, Passion, Unity, Precision

RESPONSIBILITIES

• Responsible for the assembly of custom fibre optic products.
• Assembly of product from drawing, sketches, procedures, or verbal instruction.
• Fibre stripping, cleaving, polishing, and final laser testing of fibre sub-assemblies.
• Process a wide range of fibre optic components to high quality standards.
• Packing parts for shipments to detailed written procedures.

OUR BENEFITS INCLUDE

• Competitive rate of pay, plus shift premium (applies to late shift only)
• 25 days holiday (increasing with service)
• Salary Sacrifice Pension Scheme
• Enhanced Employee Assistance Programme
• Cycle to work scheme

Notes: This job description is not intended to be exhaustive in every respect, but rather to clearly define the fundamental purpose, responsibilities and dimensions for the role. Therefore, this job description does not describe any individual role holder. In addition to the contents of this job description, employees are expected to undertake all other reasonable and related tasks allocated by their line manager.

The Company is committed to providing equal employment opportunities for all employees and applicants for employment. The Company does not discriminate in employment opportunity or practices on the grounds of gender, race, religion or belief, age, disability, sexual orientation, gender identity, protected veteran status, or any other characteristic protected by national laws under which the Company operates.

Potential candidates should be aware that many of the employment roles at Gooch & Housego are subject to government security and export control restrictions. These restrictions mean that factors such as your nationality, any nationalities that you may have previously held and your place of birth, could restrict the roles you are eligible to perform within the organisation.

All UK applicants must, as a minimum, be able to successfully complete security vetting to the UK government’s Baseline Personnel Security Standard, which includes a criminal record check being performed. Many roles may also require higher levels of security vetting to be completed, where applicants must typically have been continuously resident within the UK for the past five to ten years.