Production Engineering Manager

Role Overview

Together with your team, you’ll be responsible for transitioning engineering prototypes to production readiness as well as supporting production with problem solving and continuous improvement initiatives to increase production efficiencies whilst achieving high levels of quality.

You’ll report directly to the COO and be trusted with the autonomy to drive change, influence design and shape how we transition from prototype to production at pace.

This role is primarily based on-site to enable close, hands on work with our physical products and systems, and to allow for regular cross-functional collaboration with other internal teams.

About Us

OpenWorks Engineering develops C-UAS, Air Defence and Optical Surveillance, Sensing and Tracking technology for Defence and Security. We’re award-winning and our systems have been deployed internationally to protect high profile military and civilian assets, and to contribute towards the defeat of nuisance, misguided and malicious aerial threats during operations.

We are very proud to have supported a wide range of law enforcement and military operators protecting many of the most high profile sites and individuals around the world.

The amazing things we do are only possible because of a dedicated and passionate team.

 

Our benefits

• Performance related bonus
• 25 days holiday plus public holidays (+ long-service bonus days)
• Free breakfast and a free freshly cooked lunch served daily by Chef Mark and his team
• Private health care insurance
• Death in service cover to protect those close to you
• EV car scheme
• Pension scheme (up to 4% matched contribution)
• A high-energy and dynamic work environment, based in the beautiful Northumberland countryside
• A positive company culture – we enable change, encourage challenge and demonstrate commitment

 

What you’ll be doing

In your first 6 months, you’ll focus on three key priorities; enhancing the quality inspection process to reduce customer recalls, leading the transition of our Vision Pace and Vision Guard products from pre-production to full production readiness, and embedding a culture of continuous improvement within the production team. You’ll be setting the tone for quality, efficiency and a mindset of ongoing optimisation from day one.

• Lead a small Production Engineering team
• Be both a creative force to identify new opportunities to improve production processes as well as the driving force to motivate and manage the wider production engineering team.
• Be able to see the big picture and plan how to transition pre-production designs to production ready data packs
• Identify opportunities to tweak the design to improve manufacturability without compromising performance
• Work with the purchasing team to develop  strategies that will streamline the delivery of parts into production in a form that reduces risk and increases throughput
• Work with the Engineering and Quality teams Identify performance metrics and testing to verify sub-system and completed product functionality
• Report to the Chief Operating Officer to demonstrate concrete progress on the productionisation of both existing and new products
• Ensure BOMs are optimised for production
• Develop build procedures

 

What we’re looking for

• A 2:1 or above degree in a relevant engineering discipline
• Strong people management experience to lead, support and develop production engineers
• Skilled in setting objectives, providing feedback and fostering a high-performing, collaborative team culture
• Confidence in delegating, managing workloads and driving continuous improvement through clear communication and accountability
• Strong creativity and excellent problem-solving skills
• Excellent attention to detail
• Experience working in a production environment
• Motivation driven by human-factors challenges in productionising complex, high-tech products
• A passion for engineering and continuous improvement
• The drive to achieve high-quality outcomes
• Excitement to solve both big and small problems to advance product quality

 

What you’ll get

As a small, fast growing company (with approx. 50 people), we offer the opportunity for a professional to have autonomy and responsibility. You’ll directly see the impact of your efforts.

Freedom to shape how things are built. You’ll have real autonomy to influence design and process directly shaping how we move from prototype to full production

Food, fuelled by purpose. Enjoy free breakfast and a freshly cooked lunch every day by our in-house chef giving you more time to focus on the big stuff

Be part of something meaningful. Work on award winning technology used to protect high profile sites and people around the world

Innovative work in an inspiring setting. Be part of a passionate team solving complex problems all from a unique location in the scenic Northumberland countryside

 

More About Us

Our vision: Help protect the territory and airspace of NATO countries and their allies.

Our mission: Be a world-leading provider of autonomous technology for Surveillance applications and Defence

Values

Be a good egg: Earn respect, have mutual trust and be honest

Do cool stuff: We develop cool tech with an awesome team, and we get stuff done

Be empowered: We are autonomous, reliable and take personal responsibility

We are one team: Look out for each other and the team

Things go wrong: Fail fast, learn and move on

Have fun: We’re doing amazing things with passionate people