Job Title: Product Development & Design Engineer
Location: Lancaster, Lancashire
Department: Engineering / Product Development
Reports To: Head of Engineering
Employment Type: Full-Time
Job Summary:
We are seeking a Project Engineer. This role involves managing the full lifecycle of product development, including the design and creation of new products, modifications to existing products - from initial brief through quotation, feasibility, research and development, to final production. A key responsibility is ensuring that all projects are delivered on time, within budget, and meet the agreed-upon specifications through thorough verification and validation. The Project Engineer will ensure product conformity and alignment with project goals at every phase, adhering to the scope and standards outlined in the GVS procedure
Key Responsibilities:
Identify Product Requirements (Quotation / Feasibility):
- Assist in the identification and clarification of the product specification.
- Understand and advise on critical design requirements.
- Assist the Sales team with initial project quotation phase
- Make investigations into project feasibility if risks are identified at quotation
Generate Design Ideas (R&D / Industrialisation)
- Generate design ideas and verify against the agreed product specification.
- Identify opportunities for patent protection.
Detail Design (R&D / Industrialisation)
- Develop feasible design ideas into complete detailed specifications, having analysed and optimised the overall product and component design.
- Work with the team to use the knowledge gained from previous product designs, feedback from the field and current production methods to improve our product
- Generate the specifications that are required to manufacture and package the finished product.
Product Adequacy and Integrity (R&D / Industrialisation)
- Undertake and complete Risk analysis, Design and process FMEA to ensure that all project related risks are identified and controlled.
- Seek input from the UK team on the production processes that will be used in the manufacture of the product and its associated components.
- Perform verification testing on prototype and pre-production parts and devices
- Perform validation to ensure the manufacturing process is capable and product conformity is met
- Read and understand ISO and EN standards related to the product sector, product testing and specification
Project Management
- Manage the development projects from quotation to delivery, continuously review project goals and product conformity.
- Organise the procurement and manufacture of components, tooling and prototype samples used in the development process.
- Create project plans defining all project phases and key milestones
- Manage and review projects against agreed requirements of specification, time and cost.
- Regular reporting on project progress
Procedure and Process
- Ensure that accurate and meaningful records are kept in accordance with company practice and ISO quality standards.
- Adhere to all relevant procedures and processes as defined in the company quality system.
- Challenge existing methods where appropriate and propose viable alternatives supported by data.
Qualifications:
- HND/HNC Product Design/Industrial Design/Design Engineering or equivalent
- BA/BSC/BEng Product Design/Industrial Design/Design Engineering or equivalent
Experience:
- Minimum of 3 years relevant Engineering experience.
- Project management and planning.
- Experience of injection moulded component design and injection moulding is desirable
- 3D CAD proficiency (preferably SolidWorks)
- Competent with analytical techniques such as FMEA, Risk Analysis
- Understands Design for Manufacture.
- Has experience of validation (IQ, OQ, PQ or APQP)
- Experience of ISO level quality management systems is desirable - ISO 9001, ISO 13485
Personal Qualities:
- A team player who takes personal responsibility for their own work.
- A positive and enthusiastic outlook
- The ability to balance a number of tasks at the same time and plan work effectively
- The ability to follow detailed procedures with consistency
- The flexibility to deal with changes in priority and project direction
- Excellent written and verbal communication skills
- A keen desire to learn