The Business
This role is with a highly respected manufacturer of medical technology products, including operating theatre lighting systems and integrated control panels. The company is part of a wider European health tech group and operates from a stable, low-turnover manufacturing site with around 80 staff. The environment is described as relaxed, collaborative, and high-performing, making it an excellent opportunity for a motivated engineer seeking meaningful work in a purpose-driven setting.
The business is ISO 13485 certified and sits within the rapidly growing West Yorkshire health tech cluster. This provides a great opportunity for engineers to gain regulated industry experience and work on products that make a real impact in clinical environments.
The Role Overview
This is a Production Engineer role with a strong NPI (New Product Introduction) focus. The successful candidate will be embedded within the Design Engineering team, working alongside seven other engineers and reporting into a senior technical leader with a background in production engineering. The person in this role will play a key part in developing and introducing new products to the shop floor, as well as supporting day-to-day production engineering tasks.
The manufacturing environment is low-volume, highly configurable, and cell-based – including a small machine shop (4 operators), multiple manual assembly cells (c.10 operatives), and a paint shop. The role covers a wide spectrum, including process optimisation, work instruction creation, mechanical design support, CI/lean activities, and digital/data improvement projects.
Key Responsibilities
NPI & Manufacturing Readiness (c. 80% of initial focus):
* Lead engineering activities for new products being introduced to manufacturing.
* Collaborate with design engineers and shop floor staff to transition products from concept to build.
* Write and maintain work instructions and SOPs.
* Develop and implement fixtures and jigs to improve assembly efficiency and quality.
* Optimise existing build and test processes to reduce cost and improve reliability.
Process Improvement & Day-to-Day Engineering:
* Spend hands-on time on the shop floor to gain an in-depth understanding of the build processes.
* Identify cost, quality, and time-saving opportunities across assembly, machine shop, and paint shop areas.
* Support lean initiatives (5 Whys, waste reduction, mistake-proofing, etc).
* Assist with engineering change control including BOM updates and drawing modifications.
Mechanical Design Support:
* Support the over-capacity design team on minor mechanical updates and drawing tasks.
* Produce 3D models and drawings using SolidWorks (or equivalent CAD package).
Digital & ERP Projects:
* Assist with data collection and dashboarding projects using tools such as Power BI.
* Provide input to future ERP system implementation (currently Sage).
Desired Candidate Profile
Essential Experience:
* 2–5 years' experience in a production engineering or manufacturing support role.
* Comfortable working in a light mechanical/electronic assembly environment.
* Strong understanding of manufacturing documentation, BOMs, and build processes.
* Hands-on experience creating work instructions, fixtures, and standardised processes.
Preferred Background:
* Mechanical Engineering or Mechatronics degree, or an apprenticeship with solid practical experience.
* Experience in low-volume, high-mix environments.
* Familiarity with ERP/MRP systems (any platform).
Desirable Tools & Skills:
* SolidWorks or similar 3D CAD package
* Power BI or similar visualisation tools
* Understanding of lean manufacturing principles and continuous improvement methodologies
Personal Attributes:
* Strong self-starter – must be capable of working independently without close supervision.
* Comfortable working in a fast-paced, changing environment.
* Positive, proactive, and collaborative approach.
* Culturally adaptable, with awareness of expectations in UK manufacturing environments