Prototype Build Engineer

McLaren Automotive Ltd; Woking; On-site; GBP 70,000 - 100,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

25 days holiday

Enhanced pension scheme

Discretionary annual bonus

Private medical insurance

Life assurance

Sabbatical opportunity

Wellbeing programme

Job summary

McLaren Automotive in Woking seeks a Prototype Build Engineer to lead end-to-end prototype and rolling chassis builds, ensuring safety, efficiency and adherence to design intent. You will head the prototype workshop, coordinating engineering, design and logistics teams to deliver development vehicles that support programme, validation and attribute activities.

The role requires a hands-on leader with a strong workshop presence, experienced in low-volume, high-performance vehicle development and

Responsibilities

• Lead the physical build, assembly, commissioning and sign-off of prototype vehicles.
• Own vehicle delivery from build initiation through to workshop completion, audit and customer handover.
• Develop and maintain detailed build plans that support programme timing and development requirements.
• Coordinate all workshop activities to ensure vehicle build schedules are achieved safely, efficiently and to the required quality standards.
• Provide technical leadership and day-to-day direction to prototype build technicians throughout all build phases.
• Support technicians with complex assembly activities, engineering concerns and build feasibility issues.
• Ensure adherence to build standards, manufacturing processes, engineering specifications and safe systems of work.
• Promote a culture of excellence, accountability and continuous improvement within the workshop environment.
• Lead containment and recovery activities when build timing, quality or specification targets are at risk.
• Act as the primary engineering representative within the prototype build workshop.
• Work closely with design, development and attribute engineering teams to resolve build issues and improve vehicle maturity.
• Lead investigation, containment and resolution of vehicle build concerns, ensuring issues are documented and tracked to closure.
• Manage engineering changes and specification deviations, ensuring all modifications are approved, documented and communicated.
• Support Design Reviews, Build Reviews, DFMEA and cross-functional engineering activities to improve manufacturability and vehicle quality.
• Develop and continuously improve prototype build processes, assembly methods and workshop procedures.
• Create and maintain build documentation, process instructions, build records and traceability systems.
• Drive lessons learned and continuous improvement activities from each build phase to improve future vehicle programmes.
• Support virtual build assessments and manufacturing feasibility reviews prior to physical build commencement.
• Identify opportunities to improve safety, quality, efficiency, ergonomics and build repeatability within the prototype environment.
• Support the development of timing plans, build sequences and labour estimates for future programmes.
• Work closely with logistics and procurement teams to ensure material availability supports build schedules.
• Monitor critical parts availability and manage escalation of shortages affecting vehicle build completion.
• Support the implementation of robust parts traceability and inventory control processes throughout prototype builds.
• Coordinate prototype parts usage, allocation and vehicle configuration management.
• Ensure all vehicles are commissioned, functionally validated and prepared for engineering use.
• Lead vehicle audit activities to confirm build quality and specification compliance.
• Manage vehicle build documentation and configuration records, including virtual vehicle records and engineering databases.
• Support vehicle dynamic sign-off activities and customer handover in accordance with the Prototype Build Process.
• Support programme timing, budget and resource planning activities.
• Provide regular build status updates and risk assessments to programme leadership teams.
• Monitor build expenditure and support cost control activities throughout the vehicle build programme.
• Contribute to programme planning from concept through to vehicle delivery.
• Champion safe working practices within the prototype workshop.
• Ensure compliance with all company Health & Safety policies, procedures and safe systems of work.
• Support the development of a positive workshop culture focused on safety, quality and continuous improvement.
• Maintain and promote company values, professional behaviours and housekeeping standards.

Job description

What to Expect

The Prototype Build Engineer is responsible for the end-to-end delivery of prototype and rolling chassis assets through the physical build phase, ensuring vehicles are assembled safely, efficiently, and to the required specification, quality and timing targets.

Acting as the engineering lead within the prototype workshop, the role combines technical leadership, build execution and project coordination to deliver development vehicles that support programme, validation and attribute activities.

The Prototype Build Engineer will lead the planning and execution of prototype build activities, working closely with engineering, design, logistics and technician teams to ensure vehicles are built to design intent whilst managing the challenges associated with developing low-volume, high-performance vehicles.

The role requires a strong workshop presence, providing direct support to build technicians, driving build issue resolution, coordinating engineering changes and ensuring robust build standards are maintained throughout all prototype build phases

What You’ll Do

The Prototype Build Engineer is responsible for translating vehicle requirements and engineering releases into executable build plans and workshop activities.

The role leads the day-to-day delivery of prototype vehicle builds, coordinating resources, parts availability, tooling, documentation and engineering support to ensure successful vehicle completion.

Working across all vehicle systems, the Prototype Build Engineer serves as the primary engineering interface within the workshop, ensuring build issues are identified, escalated and resolved whilst maintaining programme timing and quality objectives.

The role has direct responsibility for leading build technicians, coordinating workshop activities and ensuring all vehicles are commissioned, audited and handed over in accordance with programme requirements.

What You’ll Bring

Prototype Build Delivery

• Lead the physical build, assembly, commissioning and sign-off of prototype vehicles.
• Own vehicle delivery from build initiation through to workshop completion, audit and customer handover.
• Develop and maintain detailed build plans that support programme timing and development requirements.
• Coordinate all workshop activities to ensure vehicle build schedules are achieved safely, efficiently and to the required quality standards.
• Manage build resource requirements including technicians, specialist support functions and workshop facilities.
• Drive regular build reviews and prioritisation activities to ensure programme milestones are achieved.

Workshop Leadership

• Provide technical leadership and day-to-day direction to prototype build technicians throughout all build phases.
• Support technicians with complex assembly activities, engineering concerns and build feasibility issues.
• Ensure adherence to build standards, manufacturing processes, engineering specifications and safe systems of work.
• Promote a culture of excellence, accountability and continuous improvement within the workshop environment.
• Lead containment and recovery activities when build timing, quality or specification targets are at risk.

Engineering Integration & Issue Resolution

• Act as the primary engineering representative within the prototype build workshop.
• Work closely with design, development and attribute engineering teams to resolve build issues and improve vehicle maturity.
• Lead investigation, containment and resolution of vehicle build concerns, ensuring issues are documented and tracked to closure.
• Manage engineering changes and specification deviations, ensuring all modifications are approved, documented and communicated.
• Support Design Reviews, Build Reviews, DFMEA and cross-functional engineering activities to improve manufacturability and vehicle quality.

Manufacturing Engineering & Process Development

• Develop and continuously improve prototype build processes, assembly methods and workshop procedures.
• Create and maintain build documentation, process instructions, build records and traceability systems.
• Drive lessons learned and continuous improvement activities from each build phase to improve future vehicle programmes.
• Support virtual build assessments and manufacturing feasibility reviews prior to physical build commencement.
• Identify opportunities to improve safety, quality, efficiency, ergonomics and build repeatability within the prototype environment.
• Support the development of timing plans, build sequences and labour estimates for future programmes.

Parts, Logistics & Material Management

• Work closely with logistics and procurement teams to ensure material availability supports build schedules.
• Monitor critical parts availability and manage escalation of shortages affecting vehicle build completion.
• Support the implementation of robust parts traceability and inventory control processes throughout prototype builds.
• Coordinate prototype parts usage, allocation and vehicle configuration management.

Vehicle Commissioning & Handover

• Ensure all vehicles are commissioned, functionally validated and prepared for engineering use.
• Lead vehicle audit activities to confirm build quality and specification compliance.
• Manage vehicle build documentation and configuration records, including virtual vehicle records and engineering databases.
• Support vehicle dynamic sign-off activities and customer handover in accordance with the Prototype Build Process.

Programme Delivery

• Support programme timing, budget and resource planning activities.
• Provide regular build status updates and risk assessments to programme leadership teams.
• Monitor build expenditure and support cost control activities throughout the vehicle build programme.
• Contribute to programme planning from concept through to vehicle delivery.

Health, Safety & Culture

• Champion safe working practices within the prototype workshop.
• Ensure compliance with all company Health & Safety policies, procedures and safe systems of work.
• Support the development of a positive workshop culture focused on safety, quality and continuous improvement.
• Maintain and promote company values, professional behaviours and housekeeping standards.

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.