Roxel is a leading Anglo-French company that designs, develops, and manufactures solid propellant rocket motors for tactical missiles. With operations spread across the UK and France, it boasts an annual turnover of £130M and a team of nearly 700 staff.
The UK operations are based at Summerfield, Kidderminster, where we require an Experienced Development Engineer to serve as Design Authority (DA) with Roxel, reporting directly to the Design Authority Team Leader. The successful candidate will work within a team on projects spanning from concept design through to customer in-service support, including demonstration, development, qualification, and production.
Rocket motors integrate multiple scientific and engineering principles into a single system. The motor structure must be lightweight yet capable of resisting extreme pressures and temperatures resulting from propellant combustion. Operational environments are equally severe, featuring extremes of temperature, mechanical vibration, and shock. Although specialist engineers support the Design Authorities, this role offers a unique opportunity for engineers willing to broaden their knowledge and experience. A Design Authority must be methodical and organized in their work, with a 'hands-on' approach essential.
Depending on experience, a successful candidate may be offered a position as Assistant, Lead, or Senior Design Authority.
Responsibilities
* Manage design evolution to meet customer requirements.
* Clearance of detail production drawings, ensuring conformance to BS8888 and manufacturability.
* Lead and complete DFMEAs.
* Approve production processes and tooling.
* Demonstrate compliance with customer requirements.
* Specify and review structural, thermal, and ballistic analyses.
* Review key suppliers' methods of manufacture and control procedures.
* Specify, monitor, and report rocket motor trials.
* Lead trials readiness reviews.
* Adhere to EN9100 processes, particularly RD2 process, understanding and sharing Technology Readiness Levels and Class of Difficulty Assessments.
* Produce and deliver formal technical presentations to the customer.
* Produce product technical specifications and detailed technical reports.
* Ensure appropriate validation testing is carried out prior to formal qualifications.
* Lead formal design reviews at relevant design phases and ensure actions are taken and completed on time.
* Responsible for design and production certification and produce Certificate of Design for the rocket motor.
* Customer technical interface leading on all technical matters with missile prime contractor (e.g., MBDA, Thales, SAAB) and end user (e.g., MoD, DGA).
* Lead technical investigations.
* Liaison at all levels within the business, manufacturers, and suppliers.
* Arrange/manage specific trials such as structural testing, rocket motor firings, laboratory scale testing (quantitative testing of materials, etc).
* Disassemble/assess fired rocket motor hardware.
These responsibilities require close liaison and understanding with Roxel specialists in CAD design, stress analysis, thermal analysis, ballistic analysis, solid propellants, materials, trials, production engineering, and project management.
Requirements
* Candidates shall have a formal qualification (degree or equivalent preferred) in mechanical, aeronautical, or related engineering discipline.
* Have at least 8 years of experience in a similar role.
Key attributes include:
* A sound understanding of engineering (mathematics, stressing, materials (metals and polymers), and manufacturing techniques).
* An interest and aptitude in both the theory and practical aspects of engineering and in particular rocket motor design.
* An ability to assimilate and evaluate technical information from a wide range of disciplines.
* Attention to detail is paramount.
* An ability to present complex problems clearly and logically to other specialist and non-specialist engineers.
* Communicate and work effectively with other technical specialists.
* A good understanding of DFMEA, 'Design to Cost,' and 'Design for Manufacture' principles.
* Be able to communicate and work well with the customer to meet their requirements and timescales.
* Good organisational skills and work well under pressure.
* Computer literate, Power Point, Excel, Word, etc. (essential).
* Excellent document/report writing skills.
* Trials/assessment testing experience (e.g., structural testing, vibration, etc.).
Additional training will be provided for those areas where experience and key skills may be missing.