Manufacturing Engineer – Heavy Fabrication

Manufacturing Engineer – Heavy Fabrication Northwest UK | £50,000 | Permanent A long-established defence engineering specialist is looking for a Manufacturing Engineer to join its Northwest Engineering Centre of Excellence. You'll be supporting fabrication and heavy manufacturing operations, driving process improvement, build quality, and production efficiency across large-scale welded and fabricated assemblies for military applications. What you'll be doing: Optimising and standardising manufacturing processes for complex welded and fabricated assemblies Identifying opportunities to reduce waste, improve cycle times, and enhance tooling and fixture effectiveness Analysing quality trends and driving corrective and preventive actions Developing and managing structured improvement plans with measurable outcomes Leading cross-functional teams to embed lean practices and improve cost and delivery performance Supporting NPI activity with a focus on Design for Manufacturability (DFM) in fabrication and welding Promoting continuous improvement using structured problem-solving tools including 8D and CAPA Ensuring compliance with EHS, manufacturing, and quality standards across fabrication processes Implementing containment and long-term corrective actions for process deviations What you need: HND, Higher/Advanced Apprenticeship, or Degree in Manufacturing or Mechanical Engineering Proven manufacturing engineering background in a technical, industrial, or heavy fabrication environment Experience with large-scale fabrications, welding processes, or heavy manufacturing flows Practical knowledge of lean tools and continuous improvement methodologies Strong problem-solving skills with a hands-on, shop-floor-led approach Clear communicator able to work across operational and engineering teams SAP or ERP systems experience advantageous (training available) What's on offer: £50,000 per annum 4% employee / 7% employer pension contribution Half-day Fridays Life assurance and enhanced sick pay (increasing with service) Employee Assistance Programme and wellbeing initiatives Long service awards and additional holidays Cycle-to-work scheme, on-site parking, and EV charging Modern, collaborative working environment This is a permanent position with a respected name in defence engineering, delivering highly engineered mechanical and structural systems for demanding military programmes. Data Protection Notice: By applying for this position, you consent to Recruit Engineering processing and storing your personal data, including your CV, contact details, and any other relevant information, for the purpose of providing work-finding services. This consent includes forwarding your details to our clients and storing your information on our recruitment software database. Your consent will last for two years, and you can withdraw it at any time by contacting us in writing or via email