Project Engineer

Simpson Recruitment Services; Newport; On-site; GBP 45,000 - 65,000; Full time

Job summary

Simpson Recruitment Services is recruiting for a Project Engineer at a growing international electronics and electronics manufacturing services business based near Newport. You will act as the engineering voice for the customer, leading aerospace customer projects from requirements through to first-offs and managing changes to ensure on-time delivery.

You will coordinate NPI, drive manufacturing readiness, and mentor junior engineers while collaborating with Programme Managers and

Qualifications

• NPI experience and aerospace domain knowledge required.
• AS9100/AS9102 understanding essential.
• Strong configuration management skills.
• Experience in electronics contract manufacturing.
• Lean manufacturing knowledge (5S).
• Excellent communication and organisational skills.
• Ability to work independently with technical judgement.
• Leadership for mentoring engineers on projects (no direct reports).

Responsibilities

• Be the engineering voice for the customer and liaison with Programme Managers.
• Lead engineering on aerospace customer projects from requirements to first-offs and approvals.
• Capture and detail requirements early for customer NPI or builds.
• Manage engineering changes across teams and through change control.
• Attend customer meetings and coordinate with the wider engineering team to deliver value.
• Identify standards and verify compliance with customer specifications.
• Verify design pre-manufacture and product readiness for manufacturing.
• Support bid team with risk assessment, cost capture (NRE, tooling) and overheads.
• Promote lean processes and commercial awareness to improve margins.
• Complete PFMEAs and report progress to cross-functional teams.
• Mentor junior engineers and feed product recommendations to R&D.

Skills

NPI experience

Aerospace AS9100

Configuration management

Lean manufacturing (5S)

Communication skills

Organisational & coordination

Problem solving

Independent work

Leadership / mentoring

MS Office

Tools

Microsoft Office

Job description

Our client is a growing international engineering company based in Newport NP10, delivering high-reliability electronics and manufacturing services to the aerospace, defence, industrial and medical technology sectors. Recent expansion has increased their aerospace and defence production and opened up new opportunities for growth.

The Role

As a Project Engineer, you'll be the engineering voice for the customer and the link between Programme Managers and the wider engineering team. If you want a role where your attention to detail, organisation and technical judgement decide whether a new product launches on time, this is it.

They are looking for a Project Engineer who can take the engineering lead on aerospace customer projects, from the first requirements through to signed-off first-offs, and keep every engineering change under control along the way.

This is a critical, hands‑on role where you'll be the direct contact for the Programme Managers, acting as a funnel to the wider engineering team. Accuracy, ownership and follow‑through are essential.

You'll coordinate the engineering side of customer NPI, manage changes to existing products, and make sure everything is ready for manufacturing by the committed date.

Key Responsibilities

• Act as the direct contact for Programme Managers on engineering matters.
• Take the engineering lead on customer projects, ensuring project plans, operating rhythm and procedures are in place and first-offs are well managed and signed off.
• Take the technical lead at the front end, capturing and detailing all requirements well in advance of any customer NPI or build.
• Manage and track engineering changes across teams, including customer revisions to existing products, through to execution of change control.
• Attend customer meetings and draw on the wider engineering team to deliver an excellent customer experience.
• Identify company standards and customer specifications and verify they are met in the product.
• Work with the wider team to verify the design before manufacturing starts and the product once it is complete.
• Support the bid team by identifying risks and capturing detailed costs, such as NRE and tooling, and quoting overheads and expenses.
• Promote lean processes and commercial awareness to drive higher margins.
• Complete PFMEAs.
• Report on progress and escalations to engineering and the wider cross‑functional team.
• Mentor and guide junior engineers, and feed product recommendations back to R&D.

What You'll Need

Essential

• NPI experience.
• Understanding of aerospace requirements, including AS9100 and AS9102.
• A strong understanding of configuration management.
• An understanding of manufacturing processes within an electronics contract manufacturer.
• Strong problem‑solving skills and a solution‑focused approach.
• Understanding of lean manufacturing, including 5S.
• Excellent communication skills with both colleagues and customers.
• Strong organisational and coordination skills, with the ability to reconcile the efforts of several technical departments.
• Good understanding of customer expectations and of the cost of poor quality.
• Proficiency in Microsoft packages.
• Ability to work independently and use technical judgement in deciding work methods.
• Leadership skills for mentoring and leading engineers on projects (no direct reports).

Desirable

• Ability to design and develop processes and layouts for production.
• Experience of training team leaders and operators.
• Experience of working alongside a bids team on cost submissions.

Why Join Us?

• A culture of performance, collaboration and continuous improvement.
• Long‑term career development within a growing site.
• Hands‑on aerospace NPI projects that build your technical and commercial capability.
• A supportive environment that recognises individual contribution.

Please note that our client is unable to offer Skilled Worker sponsorship. Candidates must have the right to work in the UK before applying.