Senior Manufacturing Engineer

Babcock International; Reading; Hybrid; GBP 125,000 - 150,000; Full time

Job summary

A leading engineering firm is seeking a Senior Manufacturing Engineer to shape manufacturing strategies in a major defense program. You will collaborate with design teams and define manufacturing processes, with a focus on innovation and efficiency. The role offers a hybrid working arrangement and requires hands-on experience in product quality planning and a relevant degree. Generous benefits package included.

Benefits

Generous holiday allowance

Matched contribution pension scheme

Access to a Digital GP

Employee share scheme

Professional fees payment

Holiday Trading benefit

‘Be Kind Day’ for volunteering

Excellent development opportunities

Qualifications

• Expertise in Advanced Product Quality Planning methodologies.
• Hands-on experience in design for manufacturability from early production stages.
• Successful introduction of new products into manufacturing environments.
• Background in regulated or high-volume manufacturing sectors.

Responsibilities

• Collaborate with design teams to embed manufacturability into product designs.
• Define and document manufacturing processes including equipment selection.
• Identify and resolve potential production challenges through analysis.

Skills

Advanced Product Quality Planning (APQP)

Design for manufacturability

Introducing new products

Collaboration across engineering disciplines

Education

Degree in Engineering or related field

Job description

Job Title: Senior Manufacturing Engineer

Location: Bristol, Newbury, or Warrington + Hybrid Working Arrangement

Compensation: Attractive Salary + Benefits

Role Type: Full time / Permanent

Shape the Future of Engineering Excellence

At Cavendish Nuclear we’re working to create a safe and secure world, together, and if you join us, you can play your part as a Senior Manufacturing Engineer at our Bristol, or Newbury (Berkshire), or Warrington (Cheshire) site.

The role

As a Senior Manufacturing Engineer, you'll have a role that is out of the ordinary. This role places you at the heart of a major defence programme, where your expertise will shape manufacturing strategies from the earliest design stages—driving innovation, efficiency, and impact across the business.

Day‑to‑day you’ll be:

• Collaborating with design teamsfrom the earliest stages to embed manufacturability into product designs, ensuring alignment with safety, quality, cost, delivery, and lead‑time requirements.
• Defining and documenting manufacturing processes, including equipment selection, workflow design, and quality control procedures.
• Identifying and resolving potential production challenges, such as bottlenecks, material constraints, or process inefficiencies, through proactive analysis and problem‑solving.
• Partnering with cross‑functional teams, including design and quality, to deliver a seamless and efficient manufacturing process.

This is a full‑time position based at our Bristol, Newbury, or Warrington site, with the option of hybrid working – typically involving 2–3 days in the office each week. Occasional travel to other Cavendish Nuclear hubs and client sites is expected, approximately 1–2 times per quarter.

Essential experience of the Senior Manufacturing Engineer:

• Demonstrated expertise in Advanced Product Quality Planning (APQP) methodologies
• Hands‑on experience in design for manufacturability, ideally from the early stages of the production lifecycle
• Proven success in introducing new products into manufacturing environments
• Background in highly regulated or high‑volume manufacturing sectors
• Strong ability to collaborate across engineering disciplines to drive efficient production outcomes

Qualifications for the Senior Manufacturing Engineer:

• Degree (or equivalent) in Engineering or a related technical discipline

Security Clearance

The successful candidate must be able to achieve and maintain Security Check (SC) security clearance for this role. Further details are available at United Kingdom Security Vetting: clearance levels - GOV.UK (www.gov.uk)

What we offer

• Generous holiday allowance
• Matched contribution pension scheme, with life assurance
• Access to a Digital GP, annual health check, and nutritional consultations through Aviva DigiCare+
• Employee share scheme
• Employee shopping savings portal
• Payment of Professional Fees
• Reservists in the armed forces receive 10-days special paid leave
• Holiday Trading is a benefit that allows UK Cavendish employees to buy additional leave or to sell up to one working week of annual leave from their annual entitlement. This Window opens February through to March annually.
• ‘Be Kind Day’ enables employees to take one working day’s paid leave a year (or equivalent hours) to undertake volunteering work with their chosen organisation or registered charity
• Excellent development opportunities and benefits package including an employee assistance programme supporting physical, mental and financial wellbeing.

Cavendish Nuclear

As a leader within the UK nuclear industry, Cavendish Nuclear, part of Babcock International Group, provides a comprehensive range of critical nuclear solutions in clean energy, defence and civil new build and decommissioning projects. Together, we’re innovating to make nuclear safer, faster and cost‑effective across the nuclear energy life cycle. Your career with us could take you anywhere within Babcock International Group – from Canada, the USA to Japan. Work with us to create a safe and secure world, together.

We are a disability confident committed employer.

If you have a disability or need any reasonable adjustments during the application and selection stages, please email [e-mail] with the subject header ‘Reasonable adjustments requirement’. We’re committed to building an inclusive culture where everyone’s free to thrive. We are happy to talk about flexible working – please ask about alternative patterns of work at interview.

Closing date: 09/12/2025