Production Engineer (Full Lifecycle Development)
Location: Northampton
Salary: £30,000 – £50,000 (Dependent on Experience)
Job Type: Permanent | Full-Time
Impact Recruitment are supporting a well-established and highly innovative engineering and manufacturing business in their search for a Production Engineer with strong design and product development capability.
This is not a purely production-based role. It is a design‑led position within a manufacturing environment, ideal for an engineer who enjoys taking ownership of products from concept through to full-scale production. You will play a key role in shaping product design, ensuring manufacturability, and supporting successful delivery into production.
The Role
You will be responsible for the full product lifecycle, with a particular emphasis on design engineering and Design for Manufacture. Working closely with cross‑functional teams, you will ensure that products are not only innovative but also practical, efficient, and production‑ready.
- Leading end‑to‑end product development, from concept design through to production implementation
- Producing detailed designs using CAD (ideally Autodesk Inventor), with a strong focus on manufacturability
- Applying Design for Manufacture (DFM) and Design for Assembly (DFA) principles at all stages of development
- Developing prototypes, conducting testing, and supporting validation and verification activities
- Designing jigs, fixtures, and assembly aids to support efficient production processes
- Acting as the key link between design and production, ensuring smooth transition into manufacturing
- Providing hands‑on technical support on the shop floor, troubleshooting design and production issuesDriving continuous improvement across both product design and manufacturing processes
- Collaborating with internal teams and external stakeholders to deliver products to specification
- Occasional UK and international travel as required
About You
We are looking for a design‑led engineer who thrives in a manufacturing environment and enjoys seeing their designs come to life on the shop floor. You will ideally have:
- A degree in Mechanical Engineering (or equivalent practical experience)
- Proven experience in product design and development within a manufacturing setting (minimum 2 years)
- Strong CAD capability (ideally Autodesk Inventor or similar)
- A solid understanding of engineering standards and structured product development processes
- Experience applying DFM/DFA principles in real‑world applications
- The ability to balance design intent with practical production constraints
- Strong communication skills and the ability to work cross‑functionally
- A hands‑on, problem‑solving mindset with a proactive approach
What’s on Offer
- Flexible working hours
- Hybrid working (Fridays)
- Early finish on Fridays
- 25 days holiday + bank holidays
- Pension contribution (5%)
- Life assurance (4x salary)
- Healthcare support scheme
- Free refreshments on‑site
Why Apply?
This is an excellent opportunity for a design‑focused Production Engineer to join a forward‑thinking business where design plays a critical role in manufacturing success. You will have genuine ownership of projects, influence over product development, and the opportunity to see your designs progress from concept through to reality.
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