Skilled Fitter

Matchtech; Southampton; On-site; GBP 40,000 - 60,000; Full time

Job summary

A recruitment agency seeks a Skilled Fitter for an aerospace military department in Southampton. This full-time, onsite role involves hands-on structural assembly for military aircraft, requiring recent experience in aircraft production and strong fitting skills. Competitive rate of £35.66/hour is offered for this 6-month rolling contract.

Qualifications

• Recent experience in aircraft production (not just maintenance).
• Strong structural fitting skills including jig work, drilling, and riveting.
• Ability to work on your feet and take ownership of tasks.

Responsibilities

• Stripping, repairing, and assembling complex aircraft structures.
• Drilling, riveting, and fitting skins on metallic assemblies.
• Maintaining high standards in quality, safety, cost, and housekeeping.

Skills

Aircraft production experience

Structural fitting skills

Ability to interpret technical drawings

Manual work capability

Education

NVQ Level 3 in Engineering/Manufacturing or time-served apprenticeship

Job description

Overview

We\'re seeking 2 Skilled Fitters to join our Aerospace client\'s Military department. 6 month rolling contract, inside of IR35.

Role details

Job Title: Skilled Fitter

Location: Hamble, Southampton

Flexible Opportunities: Fully onsite

Rate: £35.66/hour (Umbrella - Inside IR35)

Working hours: Early shift: 7am-5pm (flexible to 6am-4pm), approx. 50 hrs/week with potential overtime on Fridays and weekends, subject to supervisor approval and rest requirements.

Due to the nature of the role, you must be eligible to live and work in the UK freely, obtain baseline clearance and adhere to ITAR restrictions.

What we offer

We\'re working with a major name in Aerospace seeking Skilled Structural Fitters to support military aircraft production. If you have a solid background in structural assembly and heavy build work, this is a great opportunity to join a high-performing team.

What will I be doing?

As a skilled Fitter, you\'ll be hands-on with structural sub-assemblies, jigs, and components—bringing precision and pace to every job.

Key Responsibilities

• Stripping, repairing, and assembling complex aircraft structures and components
• Drilling, riveting (solid/percussion), and fitting skins on metallic assemblies
• Working from engineering drawings, tech documents, and route cards
• Using hand and power tools to complete builds to tight tolerances
• Maintaining your AO stamp and signing off your own work
• Supporting production targets and mentoring junior operators as needed
• Maintaining high standards in quality, safety, cost, and housekeeping

What do I need to succeed?

You're reliable, quality-focused, and used to delivering in fast-paced, production-driven environments. You'll need to be comfortable working on your feet and taking ownership of your work from start to finish.

Essential

• Recent experience in aircraft production (not just maintenance)
• Strong structural fitting skills including jig work, drilling, and riveting
• Ability to interpret technical drawings and route cards
• NVQ Level 3 in Engineering/Manufacturing or time-served apprenticeship
• Physically capable of manual work on the shop floor

Additional skills (preferred but not essential)

• Experience with composite and metallic structures
• Familiar with lean practices such as 5S and continuous improvement
• Own a complete personal toolkit (a strong sign of experience - although site tools are provided)

Next steps

If this sounds like the role for you, we\'d love to hear from you. Click apply to share your details and join a team that\'s building something exceptional.

About Matchtech

Matchtech is a STEM Recruitment Specialist, with over 40 years’ experience