Engineering Manager

Lead engineering and product development for a global instrumentation business

Our client designs and manufactures automated testing instruments for scientific and industrial applications, exporting the vast majority of its products to research labs and manufacturers worldwide. We're looking for an experienced engineering leader to take ownership of the NPD programme and engineering function as the business grows.

This is a senior, hands-on leadership role. You'll set the technical direction for new product development, lead a small team of engineers, technicians and apprentices, and take full accountability for delivering projects on time, in budget, and to spec - from initial concept through to certification and production handover.

You'll be joining a small, well-established business with a strong reputation and global reach. There's no bureaucracy to wade through here: you'll have real autonomy, a direct line to the leadership team, and the scope to shape both the products and the engineering function itself.

What you'll be doing

• Owning delivery of NPD projects end-to-end - specifications, project planning, budget and resourcing, and hands-on engineering across electronics, firmware, software and mechanics
• Leading and developing a small team of engineers, technicians and apprentices
• Testing and validating designs and prototypes, and steering products through to certification and production handover
• Shaping the company's NPD roadmap and product specification strategy
• Supporting the existing product range - fault-finding, obsolescence, and design improvements to cost, quality and performance
• Representing engineering with customers and distributors, including occasional international travel to understand customer needs first-hand

What we're looking for

• Experience leading engineering or NPD in an electro-mechanical environment
• A track record of delivering complex projects to deadline and to spec, ideally with experience managing or mentoring a team
• Comfortable operating with autonomy in a small business, and confident building relationships with colleagues, customers and partners
• Willingness to visit customers on occasion, to understand issues and to get ideas for new products.

If you'd like to learn more about the role, please get in touch with Ashlea Harland for a confidential chat.