Production Engineer

Production Engineer
Location: Hailsham, East Sussex (BN27 4EL)
Salary: Competitive, depending on experience + excellent benefits
Contract: Permanent, Full Time
Hours: 37 hours per week, Monday to Friday
Benefits include: 25 days’ holiday + bank holidays, Private medical insurance, Salary sacrifice pension scheme, Life insurance, Electric Vehicle Salary Sacrifice Scheme, Cycle to Work Scheme, Ongoing training and career development and a modern, state-of-the-art manufacturing environment!
Fancy engineering products used by NASA, CERN and the European Space Agency
This isn't your average Production Engineer role.
At VACGEN, we design and manufacture ultra-high vacuum technology used in some pretty extraordinary places. Our products support cutting-edge scientific research, semiconductor technology and even space exploration, with customers including NASA, CERN and the European Space Agency.
And we’re looking for a Production Engineer to join our team in Hailsham and help us turn great engineering ideas into products that can be manufactured efficiently, reliably and to an exceptionally high standard.
If you like solving problems, getting hands-on with engineering and finding smarter ways to make things, you’ll have plenty to get stuck into here.
What will you be doing
You’ll sit right at the point where design meets manufacture, working with teams across VACGEN to take products from an engineering concept through to successful production.
One day you could be supporting the introduction of a brand-new product. The next, you might be designing a vacuum chamber or fixture in CAD, investigating a manufacturing problem or working with the shop floor to find a better way of making something.
It’s varied, technical and very hands-on.
You’ll be:
* Supporting New Product Introduction (NPI) and helping turn new designs into successful, manufacturable products.
* Developing manufacturing routes, Bills of Materials (BOMs) and engineering data within our ERP system.
* Working closely with Design and Manufacturing teams to make products easier, quicker and more cost-effective to manufacture.
* Designing vacuum chambers, fixtures and production tooling using 3D CAD.
* Producing detailed engineering drawings and manufacturing documentation.
* Providing technical input into quotations, costings and manufacturing feasibility.
* Investigating production problems and getting to the root cause using methods such as 8D.
* Driving continuous improvements in quality, efficiency and cost.
* Creating clear work instructions, process controls and manufacturing documentation.
* Supporting engineering changes and implementing ECNs.
* Reviewing customer build-to-print designs and providing practical engineering feedback.
* Supporting DFMEA, PFMEA and PPAP activities.
* Working directly with customers and suppliers on technical requirements.
* Sharing your knowledge and helping train colleagues on manufacturing systems and processes.
Most importantly, you’ll have a genuine say in how things are made. If you spot an opportunity to improve a product, process or way of working, we want you to speak up and help make it happen.
What are we looking for
We’re looking for an engineer who enjoys the practical side just as much as the technical side.
You’ll probably be happiest when you’re solving a problem, improving a process or working alongside other engineers to figure out the best way of turning a design into reality.
You’ll need:
* Experience within a Production Engineering, Manufacturing Engineering or similar engineering role.
* A degree, HNC or equivalent qualification in Engineering.
* Experience using 3D CAD and producing engineering models and drawings.
* A good understanding of manufacturing processes and engineering principles.
* Experience producing technical documentation and process instructions.
* Practical, hands-on engineering ability, including experience assembling complex mechanical products.
* Confidence working independently when needed, while being just as comfortable collaborating with different teams.
* Good Microsoft Office skills.
* Even better if you have:
* Experience within precision engineering or high-technology manufacturing.
* Experience supporting New Product Introduction (NPI).
* Knowledge of ERP systems and manufacturing control processes.
* Experience with DFMEA, PFMEA, PPAP, 8D or continuous improvement methodologies.
* Experience working directly with customers or suppliers.
Don’t tick absolutely every box We’d still like to hear from you. If you have a solid engineering background, a practical mindset and the enthusiasm to learn, you could be exactly who we’re looking for.
Why VACGEN
Because there’s something pretty satisfying about knowing where the things you engineer could end up.
For more than 60 years, VACGEN has been developing technology for demanding scientific and industrial applications around the world.
Today, our products contribute to everything from space exploration and particle physics to semiconductor technology and pioneering scientific research.
Joining us means you’ll get to work on genuinely interesting engineering challenges in a modern manufacturing environment, surrounded by people who know their stuff and care about what they produce.
You’ll be able to get close to the product, influence how it’s manufactured and actually see the results of the improvements you make.
And with a 37-hour, Monday-to-Friday working week, excellent benefits and opportunities to develop your career as the business grows, there’s plenty more on offer too.
Ready for your next engineering challenge
If you’re a Production Engineer who wants more variety, more interesting technical challenges and the opportunity to work on products with some extraordinary applications, we want to hear from you.
Apply today and help us engineer the technology behind tomorrow’s scientific breakthroughs