Job Description
Product Engineering Lead
Cranfield, Bedfordshire (Hybrid/Flexible)
Competitive Salary + Benefits
Product Engineering Lead – Industrialisation, Manufacturing & Product Delivery
We're working with an innovative technology business developing next-generation power conversion solutions that are helping to drive efficiency and sustainability across multiple industries.
As the company continues its transition from R&D and prototyping into full-scale commercialisation, they are looking for a Product Engineering Lead to take ownership of product industrialisation, manufacturing readiness and technical product delivery.
This is a highly visible role offering the opportunity to shape how products move from concept through to production, working closely with engineering, operations, supply chain, quality and external manufacturing partners.
The Opportunity
You'll become the technical owner responsible for ensuring products are manufacturable, scalable, reliable and commercially viable.
Acting as the bridge between engineering and manufacturing, you'll lead the transition of products from development into production while driving improvements in quality, cost, process efficiency and product performance.
This role would suit someone with a strong background in product engineering, manufacturing engineering or industrialisation who enjoys working across multidisciplinary teams and taking ownership of product delivery.
Key ResponsibilitiesProduct Ownership
* Own technical product performance and engineering delivery.
* Maintain overall product architecture across mechanical, electronics and software disciplines.
* Lead cross-functional engineering integration activities.
* Act as the key technical decision-maker throughout the product lifecycle.
Product Industrialisation & Production Readiness
* Lead new product build activities and production readiness reviews.
* Manage the transfer of products from R&D into manufacturing.
* Define manufacturing readiness criteria and stage-gate requirements.
* Support production ramp-up with contract manufacturing partners.
* Oversee pilot builds, validation builds and production launch activities.
Design for Manufacture (DFM) & Design for Assembly (DFA)
* Lead DFM and DFA reviews across new and existing products.
* Improve manufacturability, assembly efficiency and production scalability.
* Reduce production risks, complexity and cost drivers.
Manufacturing Engineering
* Define manufacturing processes suitable for outsourced production models.
* Develop assembly methods, work instructions and manufacturing documentation.
* Create process specifications and testing strategies.
* Support contract manufacturers through product launch and ongoing production.
Engineering Change & Configuration Management
* Manage Engineering Change Requests (ECRs) and Engineering Change Orders (ECOs).
* Maintain product revision control and configuration management processes.
* Ensure engineering documentation and release records are accurate and controlled.
BOM & Product Data Management
* Own product BOM structures and engineering data integrity.
* Ensure alignment between engineering, supply chain and manufacturing.
* Support ERP integration and product master data management activities.
Quality & Compliance
* Support First Article Inspection (FAI) activities.
* Develop inspection plans for incoming, in-process and finished products.
* Participate in PFMEA, control plans and continuous improvement initiatives.
* Lead root cause investigations and corrective actions.
* Ensure compliance with customer, industry and regulatory requirements.
Cross-Functional Leadership
* Lead technical readiness and stage-gate reviews.
* Coordinate activities across Engineering, Operations, Quality and Supply Chain.
* Track risks, dependencies and mitigation plans.
* Provide clear technical and commercial updates to senior leadership.
What We're Looking ForEssential Experience
* Product Engineering
* Manufacturing Engineering
* Product Industrialisation
* New Product Introduction (NPI)
* Electronics or Power Electronics products
* Contract Manufacturing environments
* Supplier Development and Management
* Engineering Change Control (ECR/ECO)
* BOM Management
* Quality Systems
* DFMEA and PFMEA
* First Article Inspection (FAI)
Desirable Experience
* Power Electronics
* Energy Systems
* Lighting Products
* Aerospace
* Automotive
* Medical Devices
* Electronics Manufacturing
Leadership & Personal Attributes
* Able to influence and lead without direct authority.
* Strong stakeholder management and communication skills.
* Commercially aware and delivery-focused.
* Highly organised with a structured approach to problem-solving.
* Comfortable operating within a fast-paced scale-up environment.
* Capable of building processes and structure where they don't yet exist.
* Passionate about continuous improvement and product excellence.
Why Apply?
This is a unique opportunity to join a growing technology business at a pivotal stage of its journey. You'll play a critical role in shaping how innovative products are successfully industrialised and delivered to market, while influencing engineering processes, manufacturing strategy and future product development.