Development and Test Engineer

About Munro Vehicles

Munro Vehicles is Scotland's only volume car manufacturer — the first since the Linwood Talbot factory closed in 1981. Founded in 2019 and headquartered in East Kilbride, Glasgow, Munro designs and builds the Series-M: a fully electric, heavy-duty 4x4 platform targeting the construction, mining, agriculture, forestry, defence, and emergency response sectors. The Series-M is offered in M170 (170 kW) and M280 (280 kW) variants, both riding on Munro's proprietary body-on-frame ladder chassis (5 mm steel), fitted with coil-sprung live axles, an 85 kWh LFP battery pack, and 130 kW DC rapid charging. The vehicle is engineered for a 50-year service life through modularity, repairability, and the use of Tier-1 truck/bus-sector components. Over 80% of suppliers are UK-based.

The Role

The Development Engineer will sit at the heart of Munro's vehicle development programme, taking hands-on ownership of systems across the Series-M platform. This is a generalist engineering role in a lean startup team: you will carry significant individual responsibility and will move between detailed design, prototype build, testing, and validation within a single sprint cycle. This is not a desk-only role. You will be expected to physically build, rig, instrument, and drive test vehicles in off-road and on-road conditions. The work is direct, tangible, and consequential.

Key Responsibilities

Vehicle Systems Development Design, develop, and refine mechanical and electromechanical systems across the Series-M platform, including chassis, suspension, drivetrain, body-in-white, and ancillary systems. Translate customer and field-trial feedback into engineering changes, using a structured change-management process. Produce and maintain engineering drawings, GD&T specifications, and 3D CAD models to production release standard. Support chassis, body, and powertrain integration — including mechanical interfaces with the 85 kWh LFP battery pack, electric motors, and high-voltage systems.

Prototype Build & Testing Build and assemble prototype and pre-production vehicles at the East Kilbride facility alongside the manufacturing team. Design and execute structured test plans: off-road durability, wading, thermal, NVH, and on-road performance. Instrument vehicles for data acquisition, analyse results, and produce clear engineering reports with actionable findings. Support homologation and type-approval activities in accordance with UK/EU vehicle regulations.

Supplier & Component Engineering Work with the supply chain team to specify, qualify, and validate components from Tier-1 OEM suppliers (predominantly UK-based, with truck/bus sector pedigree). Review supplier DFMEAs and DVP&Rs; raise and track engineering concerns to closure. Evaluate alternative components during design iterations, documenting trade-off decisions with supporting data.

Cross-functional Collaboration Work closely with the other engineering and manufacturing team to ensure design-for-manufacture and design-for-serviceability requirements are met. Support customer-specific upfit and configuration projects (mining, defence, emergency response) by providing engineering input at the specification and integration stages. Contribute to internal technical documentation, BOM management, and engineering change requests (ECRs).

Required Skills & Experience

Essential Degree in Mechanical Engineering, Automotive Engineering, or closely related discipline (BEng minimum; MEng/MSc preferred). Demonstrable hands-on experience in vehicle or off-highway equipment development — prototype build, test, and validation. Proficiency in 3D CAD (SolidWorks or equivalent) and 2D engineering drawing to BS 8888 / ISO standard. Sound understanding of vehicle dynamics, structural analysis, and chassis/suspension systems. Experience writing and executing test plans; comfortable using data acquisition equipment and interpreting results. Ability to work independently in a small team with minimal process overhead — self-directed, outcome-focused. Full UK driving licence; willing to drive test vehicles in demanding off-road conditions.

Desirable Experience with electric or hybrid powertrains — HV architecture, battery systems, e-motor integration, or BMS interaction. Familiarity with UK/EU type approval processes (WVTA, NSSTA, or IVA). Experience in sectors aligned with Munro's end markets: mining, construction, agriculture, defence, or emergency response vehicles. FMEA, DVP&R, or APQP process experience. Knowledge of body-on-frame architectures and aluminium/steel composite body structures. UK SC Security Clearance (or eligibility to obtain it), relevant to Munro's defence and government customers.

Personal Attributes

Practical, build-it-and-test-it mindset — comfortable getting hands dirty on the build floor as well as producing rigorous technical documentation. High tolerance for ambiguity and the iterative pace of a scaling startup. Strong communication skills: able to present technical findings clearly to non-engineering stakeholders. Commitment to Munro's mission of decarbonising heavy-duty off-road fleets. Collaborative but confident enough to flag engineering concerns early and clearly.

Why Join Munro Vehicles Munro is at a pivotal moment: first vehicles are in customer hands, an order book of over £17 million is being executed, and a production ramp to 2,500 units per year is underway. The engineering team is small by design — every engineer has direct, measurable impact on the product. You will work on a genuinely novel vehicle platform, in a company that has already achieved something most startups never do: delivering production vehicles to paying customers. Scotland's automotive revival is a real story, and you would be part of it.