As an Apprentice Robot Operator, the successful candidate will have the opportunity to develop a broad range of technical and manufacturing skills, with a clear pathway towards becoming a fully competent Robot Operator and potentially progressing into more advanced technical, programming, engineering, production or supervisory roles.

Responsibilities

• Safely operate the robotic welding cell and associated equipment following appropriate training, operating procedures and risk assessments.
• Understand the robotic welding process, including machine operation, welding parameters, fixtures, consumables, and basic fault finding.
• Set up and prepare the robot welding cell for production, including loading components, checking fixtures, selecting the correct programme, and ensuring the equipment is ready for operation.
• Follow engineering drawings, manufacturing lists, job cards, welding specifications, and work instructions to ensure components are produced correctly and consistently.
• Carry out first-off and in-process checks.
• Monitor robotic welding operations and identify issues.
• Escalate technical, quality, or equipment issues.
• Carry out daily Total Productive Maintenance (TPM) and operator maintenance checks on the robot, welding equipment, fixtures, safety guards, and associated equipment.
• Maintain the welding cell in a clean, organised, and safe condition at all times.
• Ensure all safety systems, including guarding, interlocks, light guards, and emergency stops, are functioning correctly and report any defects immediately.
• Develop knowledge of robotic welding programmes and assist experienced operators and engineers with programme optimisation and improvements.
• Work with colleagues to identify best practice in robotic welding and establish consistent methods of working.
• Identify opportunities to improve productivity, quality, repeatability, cycle times, material usage, and overall equipment effectiveness.
• Participate in continuous improvement activities, including identifying waste, reducing downtime, improving setups, and eliminating recurring production issues.
• Support the development, review, and implementation of Standard Operating Procedures (SOPs), work instructions, check sheets, and other production documentation.
• Ensure SOPs and work instructions accurately reflect the current best method of working and highlight where documentation requires review or updating.
• Record and communicate relevant production information, including downtime, quality issues, machine faults, programme issues, and improvement opportunities.
• Assist with investigations into non-conforming products and contribute to root cause analysis and corrective actions.
• Work closely with the Welding & Fabrication, Production, Quality, Maintenance, and Engineering teams to improve the overall performance of the robotic welding process.
• Design, manufacture, and modify jigs and fixtures for robotic welding applications.
• Work closely with the welding and production teams to ensure robot-welding jigs provide accurate, repeatable, and efficient component positioning.
• Assist with continuous improvement of machine processes, tooling, jigs, and fixtures to improve quality, efficiency, and safety.
• Ensure all materials, components, fixtures, and consumables are correctly identified, stored, and handled.
• Ensure jobs are scanned on and off Mie Trak as required, maintaining accurate production and traceability records.
• Follow all company quality procedures and contribute to maintaining compliance with BSI standards.
• Develop knowledge of welding consumables and ensure appropriate materials are used in accordance with job requirements.
• Assist with changeovers and setup activities to minimise production downtime.
• Learn to operate and safely use prep and fabrication machinery relevant to the role.
• Learn to programme and operate tube and sheet laser cutting machines.
• Learn to troubleshoot tube and sheet laser equipment, identifying and resolving common operational and programming issues.
• Develop an understanding of laser programming, including preparing and modifying cutting programmes to meet production requirements.