Senior Manufacturing Engineer - (R0253323)

Location: Templecombe, United Kingdom

Thales people provide armed forces customers with operational advantage at every decisive moment throughout the mission. Defence and armed forces customers rely on us to deliver the full range of defence mission systems solutions at land, sea, and air. Our platforms extend across the battlespace including Above and Sonar, Electronic Combat, and Intelligence, Surveillance and Reconnaissance systems.

Together we offer fantastic opportunities for committed employees to learn and develop their career with us. At Thales UK, we research, develop, and supply technology and services that impact the lives of millions of people each day to make life better, and keep us safer. We innovate across five major industries: Aerospace, Defence, Ground Transportation, Security, and Space.

Your health and well-being matter to us, which is why we offer flexibility to do what’s important to you; whether that’s part-time hours, job sharing, home working, or flexible start and finish times. We support a working pattern that suits your lifestyle and helps you reach your ambitions.

Senior Manufacturing Engineer – (R0253323)

Location: Templecombe

Hours: 4-day week Monday-Thursday / 37 hours per week

Thales is a global technology company with 88,000 employees across 50 countries. We deliver cutting-edge solutions to armed forces worldwide and are Europe’s number one supplier of defence electronics.

Thales Underwater Systems provides advanced Sonar capabilities for UK and International Navies, supporting significant defence projects including submarines, helicopters, and vessels.

The Role

We are seeking an experienced Senior Manufacturing Engineer to join our team in Templecombe, working within our Towed Array work cell. You will contribute to defining, implementing, and maintaining the industrial strategy for existing and new products, providing technical support to our industrial footprint.

You will also play a key role in promoting design for manufacture, supporting procurement as a Subject Matter Expert, and ensuring robust supply chain delivery. This role offers an excellent opportunity to develop your skills and build a successful career in a leading company.

Key Responsibilities and Tasks

• Contribute to manufacturing engineering activities and the successful introduction of products into production.
• Review product data and ensure manufacturability, analyzing and initiating changes throughout the product lifecycle.
• Prepare and run Production Readiness Reviews (PRRs).
• Identify opportunities for manufacturing equipment investments with financial assessments.
• Assess manufacturing readiness levels and minimise risks.
• Define, set up, and optimise manufacturing processes and tooling.
• Ensure compliance with health, safety, and environmental regulations.
• Develop manufacturing documentation, tools, and workflows, ensuring data accuracy in ERP systems.
• Drive technological innovation to reduce costs and improve workflows.
• Participate in material review and configuration control boards, managing failures and changes.
• Develop and implement tests and control plans for manufacturing equipment.
• Contribute to cost targets during early product development stages.
• Capture lessons learned from production to inform new product introductions.
• Support the definition and application of manufacturing baselines and provide training within the function.

Your Skills and Experience

• Proven experience as a Manufacturing Engineer, preferably in Electro-Mechanical assembly/fabrication.
• Experience with manufacturing systems and continuous improvement techniques like lean manufacturing.
• Understanding of connected industrial concepts and new technology implementation.
• Strong communication skills and experience training team members.

Thales Benefits

• 4-day working week
• 28 days annual leave plus bank holidays
• Pension contributions up to 7%
• Healthcare Cash Plan
• Life insurance
• Stock options (SharingThales) biennially
• Enhanced maternity and parental leave
• Training budget and conference attendance allowances
• Well-being memberships and Cycle to Work scheme
• Retail discounts
• 24/7 Employee Assistance Program and mental well-being app

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Candidates will need to provide evidence of identity, eligibility to work in the UK, and employment/education history for up to three years. Some roles may require security clearance. For details, refer to the Defence Business Services National Security Vetting Agency.

We promote inclusive recruitment and will support neuro-diverse applicants or those with disabilities. To request adjustments or for questions, contact Resourcing Ops or the Early Careers Team.

Great journeys start here, apply now!