Senior Manufacturing Engineer

Sapien; Huddersfield; On-site; GBP 55,000 - 75,000; Full time

Job summary

Sapien in Huddersfield is seeking a Senior Manufacturing Engineer to join our engineering team, focusing on complex aerospace and defence components and manufacturing projects.

You will drive process improvement across machining and gear operations, support the introduction of new products, and work closely with design, production, quality and suppliers to ensure parts meet the required standards and are cost-effective to manufacture.

Qualifications

• Experience in manufacturing or advanced manufacturing engineering within a complex engineering environment.
• Background in heavy engineering, rotating machinery, gears, gearboxes or power transmission systems.
• Knowledge of machining processes and manufacture of complex mechanical components.
• Experience with gear cutting and grinding (hobbing, shaping, profile grinding).
• Understanding of GD&T, materials, tolerances and metrology.

Responsibilities

• Provide technical support to manufacturing and assembly teams, resolving production issues and maintaining quality and delivery targets.
• Collaborate with design engineers to ensure components are practical and cost-effective to manufacture.
• Provide expertise in gear manufacturing processes, including hobbing, shaping, profile grinding and finish grinding.
• Review drawings, GD&T, materials and tolerances to identify manufacturing issues before production.
• Develop manufacturing processes, production routes, tooling requirements and work instructions.
• Lead PFMEA and identify ways to reduce manufacturing risks, defects and rework.
• Assess whether components should be manufactured in-house or outsourced based on cost and capability.
• Review machining capabilities across turning, milling, boring, deep-hole drilling and grinding.

Skills

Manufacturing engineering background

Gear manufacturing

Machining processes

PFMEA / root cause analysis

Design for Manufacture

Education

Engineering degree or equivalent experience

Job description

Sapien are recruiting for a Senior Manufacturing Engineer to join our client’s engineering team in Huddersfield, working on complex components and manufacturing projects within the Aerospace & Defence sector.

The role will involve improving manufacturing processes, supporting new product introductions and working closely with design, production, quality and suppliers to make sure components can be manufactured to the required standards.

A strong background in machining and gear manufacturing is important, particularly experience with gears, gearboxes and rotating machinery.

Key Responsibilities

• Provide technical support to manufacturing and assembly teams, helping resolve production issues and maintain quality and delivery targets.
• Work closely with design engineers to ensure components are practical and cost-effective to manufacture.
• Provide expertise in gear manufacturing processes, including hobbing, shaping, profile grinding and finish grinding.
• Review engineering drawings, GD&T, materials and tolerances, identifying potential manufacturing issues before production.
• Develop manufacturing processes, production routes, tooling requirements and work instructions.
• Lead process FMEAs and identify ways to reduce manufacturing risks, defects and rework.
• Assess whether components should be manufactured in-house or outsourced, considering cost, capacity and supplier capability.
• Review machining capabilities, including turning, milling, boring, deep-hole drilling, gear cutting, grinding and heat treatment.
• Support supplier assessments, audits and the introduction of new components into production.
• Develop and improve tooling, fixturing and inspection methods.
• Work with quality and production teams to investigate non-conformances and put corrective actions in place.
• Support dimensional measurement and digital inspection processes, including measurement data automation.
• Ensure manufacturing processes meet quality, safety and regulatory requirements.

Essential Requirements

• Experience in manufacturing or advanced manufacturing engineering within a complex engineering environment.
• A background in heavy engineering, rotating machinery, gears, gearboxes or power transmission systems.
• Good knowledge of machining processes and the manufacture of complex mechanical components.
• Experience with gear cutting and grinding, ideally including hobbing, shaping and profile grinding.
• Ability to read and interpret engineering drawings, GD&T and material specifications.
• Knowledge of dimensional measurement, inspection methods and metrology.
• Experience with PFMEA, root cause analysis and manufacturing process improvement.
• An understanding of Design for Manufacture and supplier capability assessments.
• Good communication skills and the ability to work with design, production, quality and supply chain teams.

Qualifications

• A degree in Engineering, Manufacturing Engineering or a related discipline, or equivalent experience.
• Experience in aerospace, defence or another highly regulated industry would be beneficial.
• Knowledge of quality standards such as AS9100 and ISO 9001.

Security Requirements

• Due to project security requirements, applicants must be sole UK nationals