Manufacturing Engineer

Overview

Hybrid Manufacturing Engineering role supporting the production and introduction of low-volume, high-complexity Travelling Wave Tube Amplifier (TWTA) based products. The engineer acts as the technical bridge between design and production, guiding new and revised products through the full first-off manufacture and test cycle.

Responsibilities

• Lead the first-off build and test of new and design-modified TWTA products, from initial kit receipt through to completed system-level test.
• Define and establish the production process for new products entering the manufacturing environment, including work instructions, build sequences, and test procedures.
• Identify and resolve manufacturability issues early in the production cycle, ensuring lessons learned are documented and acted upon before volume or repeat builds.
• Collaborate with the design team during design reviews and engineering change assessments to provide manufacturing and test input prior to release.
• Fault Finding & Technical Resolution: diagnose and resolve complex electronic faults encountered during manufacture and test, working independently to root-cause failures at component, board, and system level.
• Apply structured fault-finding methodologies (functional analysis, signal tracing, schematic analysis) across analogue power electronics, RF assemblies, control electronics, and embedded systems.
• Interface with test equipment including oscilloscopes, spectrum analysers, network analysers, power meters, and automated test systems to characterise and diagnose product behaviour.
• Distinguish between design faults, workmanship faults, and component failures, and ensure each is addressed through the appropriate corrective channel.
• Engineering Change & Design Feedback: raise clear, technically substantiated ECRs when design issues are identified during manufacture or test; work with design engineers to evaluate changes for manufacturing feasibility; maintain and update controlled manufacturing documentation; provide structured hand-back reports at the conclusion of each first-off programme.
• Industrialisation & Continuous Improvement: define and drive the industrialisation roadmap for transitioning products from prototype/low-volume to repeatable production; identify opportunities to reduce build time, improve yield, and simplify test processes without compromising product integrity or traceability; develop and maintain Manufacturing Readiness Level (MRL) assessments; support tooling, fixtures and equipment for efficient manufacture; produce and maintain manufacturing Routings for system-generated Job Cards.

Qualifications

• Experience in electronics and mechanical engineering fundamentals; capable of quickly developing TWTA product knowledge and feeding structured design improvement recommendations.
• Experience with high-voltage electronics or vacuum electron devices (e.g., magnetrons, klystrons, TWTs) is advantageous.
• Background in satellite communications, radar, EW, or defence electronics where TWTA products are commonly employed.
• Familiarity with FRACAS (Failure Reporting, Analysis and Corrective Action System).
• Experience with ERP or MRP systems for tracking build records and material traceability.
• Exposure to FMEA, process FMEA, or DFM/DFT activities in a product introduction context.
• SC or higher security clearance already held (or willingness to obtain).
• Education: HNC/HND or BEng/MEng in Electronics, Electrical & Electronic Engineering, or a closely related discipline; equivalent qualification through apprenticeship and demonstrable technical experience will be considered.
• IPC-A-610 Certified IIS or CIS is advantageous.

Benefits

• 33 days’ holiday per year (including UK bank holidays), rising to 38 days over five years.
• Company-funded Health Cash Plan and enhanced wellbeing support programs (eye tests, Employee Assistance Programme, GP access).
• Annual Bonus & Salary Review; Company Pension; Career development and training for all roles.
• ETL People Perks: discounts on shopping, holidays, gym membership, days out, cinema and dining; Buy and Sell Holiday Scheme.
• On-site facilities: free on-site employee gym, subsidised gym memberships, subsidised on-site café with free refreshments, free on-site parking, car share scheme and EV charging.
• Casual business dress; Flexible hours with core hours Monday–Friday 8am–4pm (no weekends/evening).

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