We are seeking an experienced Engineering Industrialisation Lead to spearhead the industrialisation and scale-up of advanced ceramic composite materials from pilot development into full production.
The role will focus on establishing robust, repeatable and scalable manufacturing processes, developing production equipment and facility capability and ensuring the successful transition of new materials and processes into a controlled manufacturing environment suitable for high-performance aerospace and automotive applications.
The successful candidate will have deep practical experience in composite manufacturing, strong process engineering capability, and a demonstrable track record of implementing industrial equipment and production flows in regulated quality environments.
Responsibilities
Production & Process Leadership
* Lead day-to-day engineering aspects of ceramic composite production, ensuring safe, efficient and repeatable manufacturing operations.
* Define, document, and optimise end-to-end process flows, from raw material preparation through prepregging, packing and distribution.
* Translate development-scale processes into production‑ready workflows with appropriate controls, tolerances and documentation.
Equipment Specification & Implementation
* Specify, procure, install, and commission prepregging and associated composite processing equipment.
* Work with equipment suppliers to define technical requirements, acceptance criteria, and factory/site acceptance testing.
* Lead equipment setup, process validation, and capability studies to support production readiness.
Quality & Compliance
* Ensure production processes align with aerospace and/or automotive quality standards (e.g. AS9100, IATF 16949, or equivalent).
* Support the generation and maintenance of manufacturing documentation, including work instructions, control plans, and process FMEAs.
* Work closely with the quality team to manage non-conformances, corrective actions, and continuous improvement activities.
Team & Cross-Functional Leadership
* Provide technical leadership to production and engineering staff, fostering a strong safety, quality, and continuous improvement culture.
* Collaborate with R&D, materials science, supply chain and external partners to ensure manufacturability and supply robustness.
* Support training and upskilling of production teams as new processes and equipment are introduced.
Qualifications and Skills
* Bachelor’s degree in Engineering, Materials Science, Manufacturing Engineering, or a closely related discipline.
* Significant experience in composite manufacturing or advanced materials production environments.
* Demonstrable experience in scaling manufacturing processes from development or pilot stages into production.
* Strong background in manufacturing process engineering, including process design, optimisation, and troubleshooting.
* Experience specifying, installing, or commissioning industrial manufacturing equipment and production systems.
* Understanding of quality management systems used in regulated industries (e.g. aerospace, automotive or other high-reliability sectors).
* Proven ability to work across engineering, production, quality and supply chain functions to implement new manufacturing capability.
* Strong leadership, problem-solving and technical decision-making skills.
* Master’s degree or PhD in Engineering, Materials Science, or a related discipline.
* Direct experience with ceramic matrix composites (CMCs), fibre-reinforced composites, or advanced ceramic materials.
* Experience in process industrialisation or technology transfer from R&D to production.
* Knowledge of high-temperature materials processing, ceramic processing, or composite manufacturing techniques.
* Experience implementing lean manufacturing, process capability improvement, or production efficiency initiatives.
* Familiarity with aerospace or automotive certification environments (e.g. AS9100, IATF 16949).
Right to Work
Applicants must have the right to work in the UK.
#J-18808-Ljbffr