Job Overview
Howdens is seeking a Technical Assistant to join our Technical Team. If you have a degree or work experience in Product Design, Industrial Design, Furniture Design, or a related discipline and you’re eager to work with real products, support innovation, and help bring new ideas to life, this could be an excellent opportunity to develop your career.
Location: Howdens, Goole
Contract: Permanent/Full-time
Reporting to: Senior Technical Developer
Responsibilities
* Support delivery of NPI, product changes, packaging development, and improvements across multiple sites (Howden, Runcorn, HWS, PTO).
* Coordinate activities with the Fit, Form & Function testing facility at Factory 4 and assist in generating test reports.
* Manage ordering, tracking, and storage of product samples from stock and suppliers.
* Arrange and report on production trials with manufacturing teams.
* Assist with specification updates and ensure product changes are documented accurately.
* Support manufacturing teams with quality or process‑related issues.
* Provide technical support to depots via the helpline.
* Respond to technical product requests from the Contracts Team.
* Review and interpret technical drawings and documentation.
* Raise purchase orders and process invoices.
* Act as a key coordinator between teams, suppliers, and sites to ensure smooth communication and timely project delivery.
* Opportunity to progress into a Technical Developer role.
Qualifications
* A degree in Product Design, Industrial Design, Furniture Design, or a related design/development discipline (or equivalent industry experience).
* Ideally, experience within a manufacturing or technical support environment.
* Strong proficiency with Microsoft 365, with SAP experience considered a bonus.
* Familiarity with SolidWorks or similar CAD software.
* The ability to create and maintain accurate technical documentation.
* Excellent attention to detail and the capability to manage multiple priorities at once.
* Strong communication and organisational skills, paired with a proactive, problem‑solving approach.
* The confidence and interpersonal skills needed to build effective working relationships across teams.
Benefits
* Competitive Salary + Bonus
* Pension Plan with a maximum company contribution of 12%
* 25 days holiday + bank holidays with an opportunity to purchase additional days.
* Staff discount
* Ongoing support and development
* Free lunch at our onsite canteen
* Free onsite car parking
* A friendly and supportive environment offering exceptional reward and recognition.
About Howdens
Howdens Joinery is the UK’s number one trade kitchen supplier providing thousands of products across kitchens, joinery, and hardware. We have over 800 depots throughout the UK and Europe – making us the first choice for more than 460,000 loyal trade professionals. Last year our sales reached circa 2.3bn, and we have an ambitious growth agenda. Our strong entrepreneurial ethos, competitive salary, development opportunities and exciting rewards are among the reasons our people enjoy working for Howdens – and why we have been named one of the 10 Best Big Companies to Work For.
How to Apply
If Howdens sounds like the kind of place where you can build and develop your career as a Technical Assistant, then we’re keen to hear from you. If you need any adjustments to our recruitment process, please email recruitmentteam@howdens.com with the job title and location, and we will be happy to help you.
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