Team Leader – Test & Development
Location: Warwick (on-site, 5 days)
Salary: Up to £60,000
Working hours: 37 hours per week (flexi leave scheme)
Team size: 6 direct reports. Reports to Chief Engineer.
Overview
We are supporting a long-established UK vehicle manufacturer in the appointment of a Test & Development Team Leader. This is a senior technical leadership role that sits at the heart of product verification and regulatory compliance, leading a stable, highly experienced Test & Development function. You will be accountable for planning, resourcing, executing and reporting all design validation activities across new technologies, product updates and certification programmes. This is a genuine people-manager role, with “as-and-when” hands-on technical involvement.
Key Responsibilities
Lead and develop a team of six Test & Development Engineers
Own delivery of full vehicle and system-level Design Validation Programmes (DVPs)
Schedule and manage all internal and external validation and certification activities
Ensure all new products, technologies and vehicle updates are robustly validated prior to release
Manage development vehicle fleet, test equipment, calibration and asset readiness
Conduct 1-to-1s, performance development and training planning
Control project delivery against cost, timing and technical targets
Maintain traceable test documentation and technical reporting
Drive continuous improvement of test processes and validation methodology
Required Technical Background
Essential
Degree in Engineering (or equivalent)
Proven experience leading test & validation teams in an agile engineering environment
Delivery of structured Design Validation Programmes (DVPs)
Coordination of test programmes from concept through to completion
Strong knowledge of instrumentation and measurement systems including:
Strain gauges, load cells, LVDTs, accelerometers (AC/DC), thermocouples, pressure and flow sensors, microphones
Experience with HBM QuantumX / Vector DAQ systems and associated software
Data analysis and post-processing using tools such as DIAdem, MATLAB, CATmanAP, nCode
CAN data logging and interpretation (J1939)
Production of concise, technically robust validation reports
Strong understanding of EN / FMVSS / ECWVTA standards and engineering compliance frameworks
Highly organised, delivery-focused, and confident presenting to senior stakeholders
Desirable
Whole-vehicle DVP ownership on major vehicle programmes
Electric vehicle test and validation exposure
Truck, automotive or off-highway vehicle experience
Knowledge of automotive gateways and development deliverables
Six Sigma / 8D / 5Y problem-solving methodologies
Additional Requirements
Full UK driving licence
Willingness to travel occasionally and attend supplier/customer sites
Comfortable working in fast-paced development environments
Why This Role
Highly established, technically capable Test & Development team
Genuine leadership remit with real authority over validation strategy and delivery
Long-term, stable environment with strong engineering culture
Competitive salary to £60k and flexible leave scheme