Project Engineer, Design Engineering - Aerospace

Project Engineer, Design Engineering – Aerospace Manufacturing

Location: Portsmouth, UK

Company: F.P.T. Industries Ltd – DART Aerospace

Employment Type: Full-time, Permanent

Join DART Aerospace

DART Aerospace is a global aerospace manufacturer delivering mission-critical equipment and solutions to customers across the commercial and defence aerospace sectors.

At our Portsmouth facility, F.P.T. Industries manufactures safety-critical aerospace products, including aircraft fuel systems and emergency flotation equipment, within a highly regulated manufacturing environment.

The Project (Design & Certification) Engineer will be responsible for the design, development and certification of new products projects from quote through to final delivery. Situated within the Design Engineering department, the role will involve supporting sales, manufacturing and quality with new product introduction and existing products when required.

What You'll Do

• Review and evaluate customer requirements, technical specifications, and Statements of Work.
• Support bids and sales opportunities by developing technical proposals, compliance matrices and certification plans.
• 3D & 2D Design and development of products, working with the manufacturing engineering team to ensure feasibility, compliance, and cost-effectiveness.
• Compile certification documentation including Compliance Check Lists, Qualification Test Pans and Reports to support customer requirements and relevant aerospace standards.
• Contribute to internal documentation management including design change notes, design reviews and root cause analysis.
• Collaborate with external suppliers for the development of new products regarding documentation, testing and supply.
• Contribute to continuous improvement initiatives across the business.
• Support project reviews, gate reviews, supplier and customer meetings as required.
• Assisting production and quality with non-conformances - performing engineering assessments, ensuring compliance with airworthiness, safety, and certification requirements.

What We're Looking For

• Bachelor's degree in Aerospace, Mechanical, or Manufacturing Engineering (or equivalent experience)
• Proven experience in a design and certification engineering environment (preferably aviation-based)
• Working knowledge of aerospace standards, certification requirements, and industry regulations (e.g. UK CAA / EASA / FAA, CS-27, CS-29, DO-160)
• Understanding of design for manufacture, aerospace materials, and manufacturing processes
• Proficiency in 2D & 3D CAD creation (CATIA / SolidWorks or similar)
• Experience with GD&T, tolerance stack-up analysis, and technical drawing creation
• Detail-oriented with a strong problem-solving approach. Ability to balance design integrity, manufacturability, and operational needs.
• Strong teamwork skills with ability to bridge gaps between design, manufacturing, and operations.
• Drive for continuous improvement and proactive issue resolution.
• Comfortable working in a fast-paced, deadline-driven environment.
• Strong documentation organisation and compiling skills.
• Able to work independently across multiple projects.

You may have an advantage with:

• Experience with root cause analysis methodologies (8D, Ishikawa, 5 Whys)
• Lean / Continuous Improvement or Six Sigma experience
• Experience with PDM / PLM and ERP systems
• Experience within aviation manufacturing (Part 21 Subpart G) or maintenance environment (Part 145)

What We'll Offer

Once you're on board you'll get the following perks and benefits:

• 25 days holiday + bank holidays
• Industry Leading Pension Scheme = we'll match your contributions up to 8% on a 1 : 1.5 basis
• Life Assurance 8 x salary
• Income protection
• Shopping discounts
• Cycle To Work Scheme
• Employee Assistance Programme
• A collaborative, dynamic working environment

Apply now to join DART Aerospace in Portsmouth.