We are currently looking for a Manufacturing Automation Engineer
A little about us:
With over a century of engineering expertise and innovation, KNDS UK is a renowned world leader in rapidly deployable military bridging systems and a key partner in the UK MoD’s Boxer armoured vehicle programme. We are proud of our heritage and our reputation of providing the highest quality engineering solutions for over 100 years. As a trusted partner to military customers around the world, our employees are the very heart of our company. We have a skilled and experienced workforce dedicated to achieving excellence in all areas of the business from Engineering to Project Management, Business Support to Operations. As our business evolves, we are looking to strengthen our workforce with talented and motivated individuals across a range of disciplines to work from our Northwest Engineering Centre of Excellence and currently have this opportunity available:
About the role:
The primary purpose of this role is to provide hands on Automation expertise supporting the implementation of automated welding and assembly.
Key duties include, but are not limited to:
· Capital equipment and specification
o Identify opportunities for automation within the hull welding (steel/armour) and bridge fabrication (aluminium) lines.
o Draft technical specifications for the procurement of large-scale robotic welding cells, CNC fabrication centres, and automated material handling systems.
o Conduct Cost-Benefit Analysis (CBA) and ROI calculations for new capital expenditure (CAPEX) projects.
· Hands-on Commissioning & Integration
o Lead the physical installation and "Site Acceptance Testing" (SAT) of new robotic systems.
o Collaborate with maintenance teams to establish robust preventative maintenance schedules for all automated assets.
· Programming & Technical Optimisation
o Develop and refine robot programs for complex geometries, specifically multi-pass heavy plate welding and thick and thin-gauge aluminium joining.
o Utilise Off-Line Programming (OLP) software to minimise production downtime during new product introduction (NPI).
o Troubleshoot PLC logic and HMI interfaces to ensure seamless communication between hardware components.
· Cross-Functional Leadership and Continuous Improvement (CI)
o Analyse production data to identify bottlenecks and cycle time improvements.
o Apply Lean Manufacturing principles to reduce scrap rates in high-value aluminium materials.
o Mentor shop-floor operators on basic robot intervention and safety protocols
o Coordinate cross-functional teams (including Quality, Production, and Maintenance) to drive collaborative problem-solving and root-cause analysis.
· Develop processes to improve dimensional stability from effective jigging / fixture / alignment.
· Process Governance & Documentation
o Develop Standard Operating Procedures (SOPs) and technical documentation for all automated processes to ensure repeatability and quality assurance.
o Implement robust Risk Management strategies for automated lines, conducting FMEAs (Failure Mode and Effects Analysis) to pre-empt technical or safety failures.
o Ensure all automated cells strictly adhere to Environmental, Health, and Safety (EHS) requirements, including CE/UKCA marking and PUWER regulations.
· Continuously drive efficiency improvements that reduce the build hours/product.
· Support and lead structured problem solving and process improvement activities.
· Provide design for manufacturing input at early stages in the new product development process.
· Support project management in cross functional activity required for project execution.
· Ensure that Environmental, Health and Safety, manufacturing and quality standards and procedures are adhered to.
What we’re looking for:
Our ideal candidate will be able to demonstrate the following:
· HND in Manufacturing, Engineering or Mechatronics discipline
· Proficiency in at least one major robot language and experience with PLCs
· Degree in Manufacturing, Engineering or Mechatronics discipline
· PRINCE2, Agile, PMP or similar project management accreditation.
· Lean certification such a Six Sigma Green or Black Belt would be advantageous.
· Proven experience in a similar role
· Computer skills (MS Office Excel, Word, PowerPoint).
· Lean Manufacturing experience.
· Working within a manufacturing and engineering environment.
· Ability to identify and mitigate technical, schedule and cost risks.
· Understanding of large-scale manufacturing, including advanced techniques, quality control (e.g., Six Sigma, Lean Manufacturing).
· Practical experience of NPI.
· Process planning and optimisation.
· Ability to analyse process data to drive improvements (cycle and tact RFT etc.)
· Practical knowledge of relevant H&SE regulations
Why you should join us:
When you become part of the KNDS UK team, you will enjoy employee benefits such as:
· Competitive salary
· Attractive pension (4% employee contribution, 7% employer contribution)
· Half-day Friday
· Life assurance scheme
· Company sick pay scheme which increases with service
· Employee Assistance Programme
· Additional Holidays & other Long Service rewards
· Wellbeing initiatives, such as Free Fruit on Tuesday’s
· Cycle to work Scheme
· Free on-site car parking
· On-site electric vehicle charging points
We’re also very proud to be part of the Armed Forces Covenant since 2018, achieving their Silver Award in 2020 and Gold Award in 2024. We actively support and encourage service leavers, reservists and cadets to join our team, recognising military skills and qualifications in our recruitment and selection process.
If you are passionate about Automation and eager to contribute to a thriving workplace environment, we encourage you to apply for this exciting opportunity.
We look forward to receiving your application!
Recruiters please note that we have a list of approved recruitment agency partners in place and we will contact agencies directly should we require support. Any unsolicited CV’s received via an agency will be accepted with thanks but without fee.