Senior Design Authority

Millbank Holdings Limited; Larkhill; On-site; GBP 80,000 - 110,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Site-based role

Hybrid option after team maturity

Job summary

Millbank Holdings Ltd near Kidderminster seeks an Embedded Design Authority Team Leader to drive safety-critical defence programmes from concept to qualification and production. You’ll lead multidisciplinary teams, govern design reviews, and act as the technical authority across complex projects, coordinating with customers and suppliers.

The role emphasizes DFMEA leadership, regulatory governance, and ensuring compliance with BS8888 while delivering high-profile solutions for national defence

Qualifications

• SC Security Clearance (ability to obtain)
• Relevant qualification or apprenticeship-based route with substantial experience
• Proven Design Authority experience in safety-critical environments
• Experience leading multidisciplinary engineering development programmes
• Expert knowledge of DFMEA methodologies
• Experience with regulatory standards and governance requirements
• Strong knowledge of materials, manufacturing techniques, stress analysis, and applied mathematics
• Experience with safety-critical products and industry standards
• Excellent technical report writing and presentation skills
• Trials planning, execution and assessment experience
• Strong stakeholder management and communication skills
• Willingness to work on-site near Kidderminster five days a week initially

Responsibilities

• Lead engineering teams across full product lifecycle from concept to production and in-service support
• Manage design evolution activities to meet customer requirements
• Review and approve detailed production drawings per BS8888 and manufacturability
• Lead DFMEA activities throughout development programmes
• Approve production processes, tooling and manufacturing methodologies
• Demonstrate product compliance against customer requirements and specs
• Specify and review structural, thermal and ballistic analyses
• Lead trials readiness reviews and validation activities
• Monitor and report on product trials and testing
• Produce specifications, qualification reports, compliance matrices and safety cases
• Chair and lead formal design reviews (PDR, DDR, CDR)
• Act as technical interface with customers, manufacturers and suppliers
• Lead investigations and problem-solving activities
• Support continuous improvement and product development
• Ensure adherence to quality processes and internal procedures
• Deliver technical presentations and reports to stakeholders
• Promote health, safety, environmental and zero-harm objectives

Skills

DFMEA

Regulatory standards

Engineering governance

Design reviews

Safety-critical

Stakeholder mgmt

On-site readiness

Education

Relevant technical qualification

Apprenticeship route

Job description

Do you have proven experience as a Design Authority or Technical Lead within a safety-critical engineering environment, leading product development programmes from concept through to qualification and production?

Do you have extensive experience with DFMEA, regulatory standards, and engineering governance, with the ability to lead technical design reviews and ensure compliance across complex engineering projects?

Are you looking for an opportunity to influence the development of advanced defence technologies while leading multidisciplinary engineering teams on nationally significant programmes?

The Opportunity

An exciting opportunity has arisen for an experienced Embedded Design Authority Team Leader to join a growing defence engineering programme. Working within a highly technical, safety-critical environment, you will lead multidisciplinary teams through the full product lifecycle, from concept and development through qualification, production, and in-service support. This role offers the chance to act as the technical authority on complex engineering projects, engage directly with customers and key stakeholders, and contribute to advanced technologies that support the security of the UK and its allies. In return, you’ll benefit from a collaborative culture, accredited training and development opportunities, and the chance to work on challenging, high-profile programmes.

Your duties and responsibilities will be

• Lead engineering teams across the full product development lifecycle from concept through to production and in-service support.
• Manage design evolution activities to ensure customer requirements are fully achieved.
• Review and approve detailed production drawings, ensuring compliance with BS8888 and manufacturability requirements.
• Lead and manage DFMEA activities throughout development programmes.
• Approve production processes, tooling, and manufacturing methodologies.
• Demonstrate product compliance against customer requirements and technical specifications.
• Specify and review structural, thermal, and ballistic analyses.
• Lead trials readiness reviews and engineering validation activities.
• Monitor and report on product trials and testing activities.
• Produce technical specifications, qualification reports, compliance matrices, and safety case documentation.
• Chair and lead formal design reviews including PDR, DDR, and CDR activities.
• Act as the primary technical interface with customers, manufacturers, and suppliers.
• Lead technical investigations and problem-solving activities.
• Support continuous improvement initiatives and product development activities.
• Ensure adherence to quality processes and internal development procedures.
• Deliver technical presentations and reports to stakeholders and customers.
• Promote health, safety, environmental, and zero-harm objectives throughout all activities.

You will have the following qualifications & experience

• Ability to obtain SC Security Clearance.
• Relevant qualification.
• Alternatively, be a fully time-served engineer with recognised apprenticeship qualifications and substantial relevant experience.
• Proven experience operating as a Design Authority within a safety-critical engineering environment.
• Significant experience leading engineering development programmes and multidisciplinary technical teams.
• Expert knowledge and practical application of DFMEA methodologies.
• Experience working with regulatory standards and governance requirements.
• Strong understanding of engineering principles including materials, manufacturing techniques, stressing, and applied mathematics.
• Experience working with safety-critical products and relevant industry standards.
• Excellent technical report writing and presentation skills.
• Trials planning, execution, and assessment experience.
• Strong stakeholder management and communication skills.
• Ability to work on-site near Kidderminster five days per week initially.

It’s great if you also have the following

• Chartered Engineer (CEng) status or membership of a relevant professional institution.
• Knowledge of CAD design, stress analysis, thermal analysis, ballistic analysis, materials engineering, or production engineering.
• Experience within defence, aerospace, automotive, or advanced manufacturing sectors.
• Knowledge of Design for Manufacture (DFM) and Design to Cost principles.
• Experience operating within an EN9100 or quality management system environment.
• Bid, commercial, or programme management experience.
• Experience working with rocket motor or propulsion technologies.
• Strong customer-facing experience within complex technical programmes.

The setting for the role

This position is based near Kidderminster, working within a collaborative engineering environment on advanced defence programmes. The role is predominantly site-based, with an opportunity for hybrid working once established in the team. You'll work alongside subject matter experts across multiple engineering disciplines and have access to ongoing professional development, accredited training, and a competitive benefits package.

Millbank Holdings Ltd is an equal opportunities employer committed to creating an inclusive and diverse workforce. We welcome applications from all suitably qualified individuals, regardless of background, and encourage candidates from underrepresented groups to apply.

We are proud to be a member of the Disability Confident Scheme, and we are committed to ensuring an accessible and supportive recruitment process for everyone. If you require any adjustments at any stage, please let us know and we’ll do our best to accommodate.