Principal Research Engineer Machining

Principal Research Engineer Machining in Bristol, Avon | GKN Aerospace Find a job Post a job Sign up Never miss an opportunity. We’ll find jobs that fit Get Started Search These jobs were popular with other job seekers Product Safety Engineer Systems Engineering and Assessment Limited Bristol, Avon Up to £64,000 per annum DOE 1 week ago Join AECOM's Growing Ground Engineering and Tunnelling Teams! AECOM Bristol, Avon 1 week ago Safety Engineer – Maritime Defence Infinity Systems Engineering LTD Bristol (BS16) Up to £590 per day 4 weeks ago Senior ECandI Engineer (Nuclear) AECOM Bristol, Avon 1 week ago CDM Principal Designer AECOM Bristol, Avon 1 week ago Associate Director - Civil CDAE - Energy AECOM Bristol, Avon 1 week ago Senior Principal / Associate-level Mechanical Engineers - Water Sector Expression of Interest Stantec Bristol, Avon 2 weeks ago Highways and Traffic Engineer AECOM Bristol, Avon 1 week ago Staff Power Integrity Engineer Graphcore Bristol, Avon 2 weeks ago Mechanical Handling Equipment Engineer - Nuclear AECOM Bristol, Avon 1 week ago Principal Research Engineer Machining GKN Aerospace View Profile Bristol, Avon Hybrid Published: 4 weeks ago competitive Apply Save Principal Research Engineer Machining GKN Aerospace Apply Fantastic challenges. Amazing opportunities. GKN Aerospace is reimagining air travel: going further, faster and greener! Fuelled by great people whose expertise and creativity sets the standards in our industry, we're inspired by the opportunities to innovate and break boundaries. We're proud to play a part in protecting the world's democracies. And we're committed to putting sustainability at the centre of everything we do, opening up and protecting our planet. With over 16,000 employees across 32 manufacturing sites in 12 countries we serve over 90% of the world's aircraft and engine manufacturers and achieved sales of £3.6bn in 2025. There are no limits to where you can take your career. Job Summary As Principal Research Engineer you will take on the role of Work Stream Lead (technical programme manager) for Subtractive Technology (Machining). The purpose of this role is to identify and technically programme manage the execution of machining innovation activities and to lead the subtractive manufacturing team as line manager. You will have a strong track record in leading teams, leading technical work, managing budgets, schedule and risk. Based at our Global Technoloy Centre Bristol, this role offers a hybrid working pattern. How You'll Contribute Lead the subtractive manufacturing team as line manager and as technical leader, driving engagement and high team performance. Lead machining technology development in the TRL3 to TRL6 range ensuring high quality technical documentation is delivered and good project governance is undertaken. Deliver machining technology into operational sites across GKN. Ensure machining activities are completed, on time, to quality and to cost. Be the point of contact for machining technology development within the GKN Global Technology Centre managing internal and external stakeholder relationships. What You'll Bring To help us make a difference, you'll bring your passion and expertise/ talent for what you do along with the following skills, experience, qualifications and attributes: Essential: You will have experience of leading a technical team incorporating budget, schedule management and reporting. You will have a strong track-record in delivering innovative technical work, project risk management, and adapting to changing requirements and budget. You will have experience of delivering technology innovation into operational manufacturing environments within a highly regulated environment. Desirable: Substantial industrial experience within a machining environment. Domain expertise in subtractive manufacturing technologies, with a focus on milling. Be a subject matter expert in machining one of the following materials: composites, aluminium or titanium. Expertise in turning and grinding. Working knowledge of CNC programming, machining hardware, simulation, cutting tools, material science, machine dynamics. Direct experience of operating machining centres. A wide network of machining expertise to draw upon across academia and/or tooling suppliers. Education Essential: A relevant, accredited engineering degree Desirable: A higher degree qualification such as a Masters, PhD or EngD Chartered Engineer with a relevant institution What We'll Offer Once you're on board you'll get the following perks and benefits: Competitive salary dependent on experience Industry Leading Pension Scheme = we'll match your contributions up to 8% on a 1 : 1.5 basis Stip Max Bonus 15% Life Assurance 8 x salary 25 days holiday + bank holidays Flexible working hours including the ability to finish at 12noon on a Friday Income protection Shopping discounts Cycle To Work Scheme Employee Assistance Programme Virtual GP Clinic for you and immediate family A collaborative, dynamic working environment We'll offer you fantastic challenges and amazing opportunities. This is your chance to be part of an organisation that has proven itself to be at the cutting edge of our industry; and is committed to pushing the boundaries even further. And with some of the best training on offer in the industry, who knows how far you can go? A Great Place to work needs a Great Way of Working Everyone is welcome to apply to GKN. We believe that we can only achieve our ambitions through a coming together of diverse minds who enjoy collaborating in an inspirational environment. Through our commitment to diversity, inclusion and belonging and by living our five powerful principles we've created a culture where everyone feels welcome to contribute. It's a culture that won us 'The Best Workplace Culture Award'. By embracing and celebrating what makes us unique we encourage everyone to bring their full self to work. We're also committed to providing an accessible recruitment process, so if you require reasonable adjustments at any stage during our recruitment process please get in touch and let us know. We are the place where human dreams, plus human endeavour, shape the future of aerospace innovation and technology. Apply GKN Aerospace Other Manufacturing 69 Reviews 62 Jobs The company is part of Company Profile In Short Industry Aviation & Aerospace Founded 1759 Location Worldwide Company size 1000+ Making Aerospace Fit for the Natural World. Every day, around the world, we help aircrafts fly further, faster and greener. We’re the world’s leading multi-technology tier one aerospace supplier.  We develop, build and supply an extensive range of advanced aerospace systems, components and technologies for use in Defence and Commercial aircraft ranging from helicopters and business jets to passenger planes and the most advanced fighter aircrafts. Please let me know if you are succesful with this. If not, please could you send through a screenshot of the error message? Our technology is on-board 100,000 flights a day and we’re a market leader in Aero structures, Engine Systems, Transparencies and Wiring Systems.  We’re a truly global business, with 16,000 employees across 33 manufacturing sites in 12 countries serving over 90% of the world’s aircraft and engine manufacturers. In the UK we operate across 5 performance centres; Bristol Filton, Bristol Western Approach, Bristol Global Technology Centre, Luton and Cowes (Isle of Wight). People. Our people work with passion and determination; proud that our work impacts our company, industry and planet.  We draw on each other’s expertise and experience to achieve excellence.  We build our teams on trust and respect, we believe there is power in people, but even greater power in teams. Whether you’re looking to start your career at the forefront of engineering as an Apprentice, Intern, Graduate or Associate, work in a global support role, work regionally in one our performance centres, or as an executive helping to lead our business, there is plenty of opportunity to make an impact.  We can offer you a career that can go in many directions thanks to our breadth of international opportunities. Planet. Our ambition to be the most sustainable partner in the sky has real purpose and is opening up a world of fantastic challenges and amazing opportunities. In the last decade we’ve made record investments into research and development to accelerate sustainable aviation and the ultimate goal of net zero by 2050. We’ve invested deeply in the future of flight through new materials and processes, electrification and hydrogen propulsion technologies. We’re doing everything possible now to reduce emissions and waste in our manufacturing processes, making aerospace fit for the natural world. Progress. We’re a tier 1 supplier to the aerospace industries biggest names, so a career at GKN Aerospace can truly offer you an unrivalled breath of experience to achieve your full potential. We want you to succeed and progress. We support our employees with training; developing their capabilities and helping realise their aspirations. Diversity, Inclusion & Belonging Our goal is to embrace the human attributes that make each of us unique, to value those attributes and their uniqueness, and to create an environment where everyone feels welcome to contribute and bring their full self to work every day.  We need people of different backgrounds, with different skills and perspectives to spark originality, imagination and creativeness in our teams. We’re committed to providing an accessible recruitment process, if you require reasonable adjustments at any stage during our recruitment process please get in touch and let us know. Similar Principal Research Engineer Machining Jobs Popular with Other Job Seekers Product Safety Engineer Systems Engineering and Assessment Limited Bristol, Avon Up to £64,000 per annum DOE 1 week ago Join AECOM's Growing Ground Engineering and Tunnelling Teams! AECOM Bristol, Avon 1 week ago Safety Engineer – Maritime Defence Infinity Systems Engineering LTD Bristol (BS16) Up to £590 per day 4 weeks ago Senior ECandI Engineer (Nuclear) AECOM Bristol, Avon 1 week ago CDM Principal Designer AECOM Bristol, Avon 1 week ago Associate Director - Civil CDAE - Energy AECOM Bristol, Avon 1 week ago Senior Principal / Associate-level Mechanical Engineers - Water Sector Expression of Interest Stantec Bristol, Avon 2 weeks ago Highways and Traffic Engineer AECOM Bristol, Avon 1 week ago Staff Power Integrity Engineer Graphcore Bristol, Avon 2 weeks ago Mechanical Handling Equipment Engineer - Nuclear AECOM Bristol, Avon 1 week ago Principal Research Engineer Machining jobs Principal Research Engineer Machining jobs in Bristol Engineering jobs Engineering jobs in Bristol Jobs in Bristol Full Time jobs Weekend jobs Retail jobs Amazon Warehouse Operative jobs Christmas jobs Night Shift jobs NHS jobs Apprenticeship jobs Warehouse jobs Cleaning jobs No Experience jobs Remote jobs Admin jobs Administration jobs Apprenticeships jobs Tesco jobs Get hired. Find success. Get started Totaljobs About us Careers at Totaljobs Press Partners Privacy policy Terms and conditions Cookies Legal and compliance Accessibility Jobseekers Salary Planner Jobseeker help centre Career advice Recruiters Post job ads Recruiting news Courses Contact us - recruiters Recruit internationally Download App store Play store The Stepstone Group UK Ltd © 2026 We use cookies We use cookies to operate our website, measure how people use our services to help us improve them, enrich usage profiles and personalise the content displayed to you. We also share information about your use of our site with our social media, advertising, and analytics partners, who may combine it with other information, to show you relevant ads on other websites, and to measure the performance of our advertising. Some cookies are essential for the operation of our website. If you would prefer us not to use the non-essential cookies, click “Just necessary”, but please be aware that this may impact your experience of our site and the services we are able to offer. Click “Accept” if you’re happy for us to place these cookies. You can change your mind at any time. Store and / or access information on a device Cookies, device identifiers, or other information can be stored or accessed on your device for the purposes presented to you. Personalised ads and content, ad and content measurement, audience insights and product development Ads and content can be personalised based on a profile. More data can be added to better personalise ads and content. The performance of ads and content can be measured. Insights about audiences who have viewed the ads and content can be extracted. Data can be used to build or improve user experience, systems and software. Display third-party content (social networks, videos) Content from social networks and embedded content from third-party providers can be displayed. Identifiers derived from authentications If an identifier is created based on authentication data, such as contact details associated with online accounts you have set up on websites or apps (e.g. email address, phone number) or customer identifiers (e.g. an identifier provided by your telecommunications provider), then this identifier can be used to recognize you across websites, apps and devices if you are logged in with the same contact details. Just Necessary Accept All Cookie Settings You can also exercise your right to object to data processing based on legitimate interests under “Privacy Policy”. Privacy Policy Cookie policy