Manufacturing Engineer - Product & Planning

GKN Aerospace; Papendrecht; On-site; EUR 38,000 - 64,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

40 paid holidays

Pension scheme

Travel allowance

Career development opportunities

Job summary

GKN Aerospace is seeking a Manufacturing Engineer for the Assembly team at the Papendrecht site. You will contribute to efficient production of landing gear components and manage product-related documentation, with a focus on improving processes and addressing non-conformances.

You will work within a multi-technology campus, supporting operational Deliverables while aligning with safety standards and customer requirements.

Qualifications

• 5+ years' experience in Manufacturing Engineering.
• Aerospace manufacturing experience preferred.
• Engineering degree (Aerospace/Mechanical/Automotive).
• Fluency in English.
• Lean manufacturing knowledge.
• Experience with ISO9000 / AS9100 / D1-9000 quality systems.

Responsibilities

• Develop technical solutions with a safety-first mindset and ensure compliance with HSE policies.
• Provide technical support for manufacturing development and integration.
• Resolve vendor schedule and quality issues.
• Apply root cause analysis and corrective actions to reduce non-conformances.
• Lead tooling and production planning from concept to production with high process capability.
• Oversee product development, first article, configuration changes, and build process definition.
• Deliver measurable results aligned with operations and program goals.
• Maintain relationships with internal/external customers and colleagues.
• Drive continuous Lean improvements in production processes.

Skills

Product/Process introduction

LEAN processes

Quality documentation & reporting

English language

Education

Engineering degree (Aerospace/Mechanical/Automotive)

Tools

ISO9000

AS9100

D1-9000

Machining: milling/mill-turn

Surface treatment: heat/plating/shot-peen/NDI

Job description

Fantastic challenges. Amazing opportunities.

GKN Aerospace is reimagining air travel: going further, faster and greener! Fuelled by great people whose expertise and creativity sets the standards in our industry, we’re inspired by the opportunities to innovate and break boundaries. We’re proud to play a part in protecting the world’s democracies. And we’re committed to putting sustainability at the centre of everything we do, opening up and protecting our planet. With over 16,000 employees across 32 manufacturing sites in 12 countries we serve over 90% of the world’s aircraft and engine manufacturers and achieved sales of £3.6bn in 2025. There are no limits to where you can take your career.

Job Summary

We are looking to expand the Manufacturing Engineering team at Fokker Landing Gear, located in Papendrecht, and for this reason, we are looking for a Manufacturing Engineer for the Assembly team. As a Manufacturing Engineer at our multi-technology manufacturing campus in Papendrecht, you will play a critical role in ensuring the efficient and seamless production of landing gear components. Your contributions will directly support the delivery of unique projects that prioritize the safety of everyone who relies on our products in flight. In this role, you will be a key member of the assembly team, supporting operational deliveries by preparing and managing product-related documentation. This includes analyzing production characteristics to improve processes, managing Level 1 (L1) non-conformities, and defining temporary production instructions.

Fokker Landing Gear

Fokker Landing Gear, part of GKN Fokker, is a recognized specialist in landing gear and related systems. We focus on the design and development, production and assembly of complete landing gears, as well as the repair and reassembly of systems already in use. In doing so, we work on the most famous aircraft and helicopters; think of the Apache combat helicopter, the F-35 Lightning II (JSF), the Bombardier Dash 8 Q400 and the multipurpose NH90 maritime combat helicopter.

What you’ll do

• Develop technical solutions to complex problems by exemplifying a safety-first mind-set and ensuring compliance with the GKN Aerospace Health, Safety and Environmental policies and standards.
• Hold responsibility for the technical support of manufacturing development and integration for production.
• Resolve issues pertaining to vendor schedule and/or quality.
• Utilize root cause analysis, preventative and corrective action to reduce/eliminate non-conformances.
• Manage the implementation of tooling and or production planning, from original concept through to production; Design these processes with a high degree of process capability utilizing the GKN standard Zero Defect Manufacturing (ZDM) tool suite to demonstrate as such.
• Oversee the product development, first article development, configuration changes, build process definition and implementation;
• Deliver measurable, metrics driven results in line with Operational & Program goals.
• Maintain positive, team relationships with internal and external customers, as well as co-workers.
• Continuously improve production processes by implementing Lean initiatives.

What you’ll bring

• Experience in managing (new) Product / Process introduction (industrialization) & existing production process improvements.
• 5+ years' experience in Manufacturing Engineering, preferably with some experience in an aerospace manufacturing environment,
• Degree in a related Engineering discipline, such as Aerospace, Mechanical, Automotive.
• Ability to influence people, build trust and establish effective working relationship within a global organization.
• Working knowledge of LEAN processes and practices.
• Working knowledge of quality system models such as ISO9000, AS9100, or D1-9000.
• Quality driven and strong documentation / reporting skills.
• Working knowledge of machining processes (milling, mill-turn, boring, honing) and of surface treatment processes (heat treatment, plating, shot-peen, NDI) would be an advantage.
• Fluency in English, both in writing & speaking.

What we’ll offer

Benefits

A challenging position in an innovative and international environment with a rich history in aircraft manufacturing. Our organization breathes passion for engineering and all our teams are justifiably proud of what they develop and build. As a Manufacturing Engineer, you will receive a fantastic range of benefits, including:

• A gross salary up to € 5.715,- gross per month, based on the CAO Metalektro (salary scale K) and depending on your experience and qualifications.
• 40 paid holidays for full-time employment.
• Working conditions according to the CAO Metalektro, including an excellent pension scheme and travel allowance.
• A working environment, in which we work together to achieve the best result for our customers.
• Every opportunity to build on your career and personal development.

Extra Info

Part of the selection procedure is carrying out the necessary checks and screenings in order to meet the requirements set by GKN Fokker's customers, partners and suppliers within the program. The checks and screenings will be assessed on the basis of frameworks set by our Export Compliance & Security department. Every employee within GKN Fokker must ultimately be authorized to give substance to his or her position. Assessment of checks and screenings can lead to the fact that no content can be given to the position and therefore no employment or deployment can follow. The onboarding at Fokker usually takes 3 weeks.

We’ll offer you fantastic challenges and amazing opportunities. This is your chance to be part of an organisation that has proven itself to be at the cutting edge of our industry; and is committed to pushing the boundaries even further. And with some of the best training on offer in the industry, who knows how far you can go?

A Great Place to work needs a Great Way of Working

Everyone is welcome to apply to GKN. We believe that we can only achieve our ambitions through a coming together of diverse minds who enjoy collaborating in an inspirational environment. Through our commitment to diversity, inclusion and belonging and by living our five powerful principles we’ve created a culture where everyone feels welcome to contribute. It’s a culture that won us ‘The Best Workplace Culture Award’. By embracing and celebrating what makes us unique we encourage everyone to bring their full self to work.

We’re also committed to providing an accessible recruitment process, so if you require reasonable adjustments at any stage during our recruitment process please get in touch and let us know.

We are the place where human dreams, plus human endeavour, shape the future of aerospace innovation and technology.