Manufacturing Composites Engineer

Manufacturing Composites Engineer
Location: London, West Sussex and South Coast  minimum 2 days onsite preferred
Type: Permanent
Sector: Defence / Aerospace / UAV
 
Overview
We are supporting a growing defence engineering business operating in the unmanned systems space, with a particular focus on offensive drone capability. As the business scales from product development into higher-volume delivery, they are looking to appoint a Manufacturing Composites Engineer to help shape and support the move toward a more scalable composites manufacturing operation.
This role is likely to suit someone from an F1, aerospace, motorsport, or advanced composites manufacturing background who can bring practical experience of moving from lower-volume, development-led manufacture into more repeatable and efficient production.
 
Role purpose
The successful candidate will help define and improve the manufacturing plan for composite products, with a focus on building a clear route to higher-volume production. This will include reviewing current manufacturing methods, workforce and shift planning, production flow, and supplier capability to support ramp-up.
 
Key responsibilities
Review and develop the manufacturing plan for composite products as the business moves toward higher-volume production
Assess current and future production capacity, including labour, shifts, tooling, and process flow
Support the transition from prototype or lower-rate manufacture into more efficient and repeatable production
Identify manufacturing bottlenecks, process improvements, and opportunities to improve output, quality, and efficiency
Work closely with engineering to ensure products are designed with manufacturability in mind
Help define what the future manufacturing organisation should look like, including headcount, structure, and shift requirements
Support supplier strategy where composite or specialist manufacturing inputs are outsourced
Contribute to the development of a scalable manufacturing model aligned to business growth and customer demand
Work closely with programme, operations, and engineering teams to ensure manufacturing readiness supports delivery 
What they are looking for
Strong background in composites manufacturing
Experience in F1, aerospace, motorsport, UAV, or advanced engineering environments
Experience moving from development / prototype manufacture into more production-led environments
Strong understanding of production planning, manufacturing readiness, and process improvement
Able to assess how many people, what shift structure, and what operational model is needed to support production ramp-up
Good understanding of Design for Manufacture (DFM) and how engineering choices affect production outcomes
Comfortable working in a fast-moving, scaling engineering businessDesirable
Experience supporting high-volume or scaled composites production
Exposure to outsourced manufacturing models
Knowledge of aerospace or defence quality standards
Experience in building or improving manufacturing cells, workflows, or production strategiesSummary
This is a strong opportunity for someone who understands composites manufacturing in detail and can help shape the route from specialist product build to scalable production capability
Only candidates based in UK and eligible to work in UK are allowed