Lead Engineer- R&D Laboratory
Brackley, UK
At the Mercedes-AMG Petronas Formula One Team, a group of passionate and determined people work to design, develop, manufacture and race the cars driven by seven-time World Champion Lewis Hamilton and Grand Prix winner George Russell.
Whether working in our Operations, Technical, Race or Business Support functions, we are all in and aspire to build the greatest team in the history of our sport.
Every individual plays their part. No stone is left unturned in the chase for every tenth of a second. The history of our sport is long and rich, and we are continuing our journey with renewed effort year on year. Record books remember the names of a few, but history is written by the many.
In an environment of scarce on-track testing time, both at test and race events, the R&D laboratory plays an increasingly central role in driving performance to the race car. Fine margins can make a large difference to our success on track, and it is often a race against time to deliver performance, making it critical that we do so right first time.
We are looking for a driven and talented engineer to lead our R&D test engineer team, raising the bar of our testing standards, capability and efficiency and driving the future direction of the R&D laboratory to set the pitlane standard. You will be expected to be able to deliver change, earn the technical respect of your team and peers and to collaborate closely with specialists from across the entire technical team.
Key accountabilities:
1. Empowered by the Head of R&D Engineering, you will be responsible for driving forward our ability to plan and execute well designed experiments in the R&D laboratory to the highest standards, ensuring that the data and learning delivered to customers meets agreed expectations. This will require leadership and development of the R&D test engineering team and close cross-functional collaboration.
2. To help develop a culture of best experimental mindset and practice where well-posed and conducted experiments are seen as the test of our knowledge.
3. To be proactive in understanding in driving the contribution of the R&D laboratory to car performance. This includes efficient and effective sign-off and turnaround activities for reliability.
4. To lead complex testing activities where multiple functions are involved in the experiment, typically on our full- or partial-car testing rigs. You will be responsible for identifying the objectives and successfully delivering these within programme constraints.
5. To manage and develop the member(s) of your team. Work with the Lead Dyno Test Engineer to best utilise our people and put in place opportunities for growth to develop our test engineers to have detailed knowledge of the entire car.
6. To oversee the development of software tools to improve the efficiency and effectiveness of our testing, covering test preparation, execution, and data analysis.
7. To work with the Head of R&D Design to specify and commission new testing facilities.
8. To be responsible for FIA regulatory compliance of activities taking place within the R&D laboratory.
9. To be responsible for the engineering investigation of feedbacks raised across the R&D laboratory, including the implementation of suitable containments and countermeasures.
10. To support the enablement of our test facilities for commercial use.
11. To build and maintain strong relationships with the wider technical team such that the above can be achieved.
Candidate profile:
Essential:
12. Engineering or physics degree, or equivalent qualification(s).
13. Hands-on engineer with a good grounding in the basic principles of physics and engineering (mechanical, electronics, systems and control).
14. Broad experience of experimental testing.
15. Ability to collaborate and negotiate to deliver results across different departments.
16. A proven ability to take the initiative.
17. Tenacious, creative, and curious; committed to continuous learning with an ability to adapt quickly to change.
18. Ability to work in a pressurised environment.
19. Good personal communication skills with people at all levels.
Desirable:
20. Demonstrable experience of working in a high-performance engineering environment.
21. Experience in delivering experimental results in support of a fast-paced programme.
22. Experience in coding to automate processes, manage data and visualise information.
23. Previous line management responsibility.
24. Ability to creatively present data in formats that make it accessible and understandable to a wide range of stakeholders and business areas.
25. Demonstrable experience of delivering in a competition environment (such as sport) where the deadline is immovable.
26. Experience with modern programming languages (e.g. Python) and Matlab.
Benefits:
Our riverside campus is powered by 100% renewably sourced energy and features an on-site gym and exercise studio, subsidised restaurant and on-site parking with EV chargers available.
We offer a competitive and attractive package of benefits including a generous bonus scheme, Mercedes car lease scheme, private medical cover, life assurance and 25 days holiday. We pride ourselves on our family-friendly environment and employee well-being programmes.
Why us:
At the heart of our performance are our people. Every member of our team has a voice and plays their part in contributing to our successes on and off the racetrack. We take pride in creating an innovative, collaborative and high-performance culture where all of our team members are respected, empowered and valued.
Through our Accelerate 25 programme, we are continuously working to make our team even more diverse and inclusive. Whatever your background, we believe that you will find working with us rewarding and enriching.