Manufacturing Engineer CNC

The Manufacturing Engineering function’s role is to create, develop and validate manufacturing/inspection processes to support the MTC’s projects that are delivered across a broad range of technology areas and industrial sectors.

As a Manufacturing Engineer this role:

• Drives improvements in Manufacturing Engineering processes, ensuring CNC-related workflows, tooling strategies, digital methods and verification techniques are robust, efficient and aligned with stakeholder needs.
• Delivers to customer and project needs largely independently, particularly where complex CNC machining, prove-out or first off development is involved — managing expectations, risks and technical decisions to deliver high quality outputs within agreed budgets and timescales.
• Supports in executing the Manufacturing Engineering Strategy with specific input into CNC capability development, technology roadmap, and team skills alignment.
• Works with design teams to execute effective design for manufacture/inspection, advising particularly on CNC manufacturability, fixture concepts, tolerancing, and machining strategy to meet project milestones.
• Develops and validates CNC and broader manufacturing/inspection processes, working closely with engineering teams and external stakeholders to ensure repeatability, accuracy, safety and efficiency.
• Creates high quality manufacturing documentation, including machining methods and sequences, toolpath strategy notes, PFMEAs, inspection/control plans, setup sheets and technical reports.
• Coordinates procurement of CNC tooling, fixturing, materials and gauges, ensuring all resources required for machining and build trials are available and appropriate.
• Owns and drives the resolution of manufacturing issues, particularly complex machining challenges, ensuring robust, sustainable solutions are implemented and customer requirements are met wherever possible.
• Leads continuous improvement of manufacturing processes

Communication

• Excellent interpersonal and organisational skills are required for the role; able to demonstrate a high standard of report writing and presentation skills.
• Able to support senior colleagues with customer and internal partner liaison in collaborative projects, able to lead technical liaison with customers (both technical and non-technical customers) during project to ensure delivery.
• Strong commercial awareness and familiarity working within a project based environment.
• Attend and provide manufacturing engineering inputs to project meetings – weekly mtg, workshops, assurance activities, design reviews.
• Communicate and escalate manufacturing/assembly issues to the project teams/clients.

Innovation

• Support the ongoing development of MTCs manufacturing engineering capability through bringing best practice manufacturing engineering techniques into our operations.
• Enable innovative designs to be realised through providing manufacturing advice, process development and validation.

Knowledge

• Deep CNC machining expertise in low volume, high variety, first off environments, including 5-axis machining of complex geometries and tight tolerance work with experience of machining exotic & tough materials.
• Competent in CAD/CAM – Siemens NX preferred, If the applicant has no experience with NX, they must be willing to learn and have solid capability in another professional CAD/CAM package.  Cutting science & tooling:
• Knowledge of tooling selection, chip load/engagement, tool life models, high-pressure coolant, heat management, dynamic tool pathing, and chatter mitigation. 
• Fixturing & work holding: Design principles for rigid, repeatable fixtures or custom solutions for complex parts. 
• Metrology & verification: Practical application of GD&T, in-process measurement  
• Process development / prove out: Building a machining process from zero—material removal strategy, sequencing, datum strategy, in process control plans, first article signoff, and stabilisation to production ready state.  
• Cell / equipment knowledge: Experience specifying and integrating CNC machining cells (machine selection criteria, spindle spec, control options, probing, tool management, swarf/chip handling, coolant systems, work holding, mist extraction) and coordinating installation & commissioning with vendors.  
• Manufacturing risk & quality: Creating and using DFM/DFA inputs, PFMEA, control plans, and traceability in regulated environments. 
• Customer & commercial awareness in a consultancy/project environment: scoping effort, shaping proposals, articulating technical risk, and defending estimates with clear assumptions.  

Person Specification

The successful Manufacturing Engineer will embody MTC’s four values:

One Team Together, Pursuit of the Best, Insatiable Curiosity, and Enterprising Mindset, acting as a role model for others across the organisation.
Hands on, pragmatic problem solver: Brings practical experience and a shop floor credible approach; willing to physically participate in machining trials, prove outs, equipment commissioning, and technical problem resolution when required.
Technically authoritative yet approachable: Able to influence, coach and upskill Technicians, setting high technical standards while remaining open, supportive and grounded.
Self motivated and autonomous: A self-starter with the ability to work independently to meet deadlines, budgets and quality expectations, whilst also contributing effectively within multidisciplinary teams.
Ownership: Takes full responsibility for technical outcomes, especially in complex CNC machining environments where decisions have significant impact on cost, quality, and customer deliverables.
Calm under pressure: Able to manage ambiguity, technical risk, and challenging delivery timelines in first off, high complexity environments without compromising quality or safety.
Strong communicator: Comfortable engaging directly with customers, suppliers and internal stakeholders, able to explain complex CNC/manufacturing topics clearly, and capable of building trust rapidly.
High integrity in secure environments: Experience working in contexts where adherence to process, governance, documentation and policy is critical to maintain customer confidentiality and operational security.

In addition: There is a requirement that you are willing and able to apply for Developed Vetting security clearance by the UK Government and undertake duties associated with this level of clearance.