StirLight | Friction Stir Welding
Manufacturing Process Engineer
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Help turn advanced welding technology into reliable production
StirLight is growing, and we are looking for an experienced Friction Stir Welding Process and Manufacturing Engineer who enjoys being hands on with the machinery and making things happen.
This is not a desk-based design role. You will spend much of your time setting up, operating and monitoring advanced manufacturing equipment, delivering FSW trials and production work, and finding practical ways to make our processes safer, more reliable and more efficient.
About StirLight
StirLight is a growing UK advanced-manufacturing business making Friction Stir Welding more accessible at a commercial scale.
From our facility in Holmewood, Chesterfield, we combine advanced machinery with deep technical knowledge to help customers move from early process development through to prototypes, pilot production and scalable manufacturing.
Our work supports applications across aerospace, defence, automotive, energy and nuclear—industries where weld quality, process control and traceability really matter.
We are also developing StirSense, our proprietary platform for real-time FSW monitoring and quality assurance.
We are a small, hands-on team with ambitious plans. Joining us now means having the opportunity to influence how our production capability, equipment and working practices develop as the business grows.
The role
Reporting to our Specialist FSW Project Lead, you will help deliver safe, controlled and repeatable FSW operations across customer, development and production projects.
Your main focus will be machine operation and manufacturing delivery. You will also contribute to trials, process improvement, equipment care, practical problem-solving and the development of clear operating standards.
Your responsibilities will include:
- Setting up, operating and monitoring FSW equipment safely and confidently.
- Delivering planned welding trials and repeatable production cycles.
- Preparing materials, tooling, fixtures and specimens.
- Operating CNC machinery and robotic systems used within the manufacturing process.
- Supporting CNC and robot programming, setting, prove-out and adjustment within your level of competence.
- Monitoring machine performance and responding appropriately to abnormal conditions.
- Recording machine settings, process parameters, inspection results and production information accurately.
- Identifying and investigating welding, equipment or quality problems.
- Completing operator checks, routine maintenance and basic equipment care.
- Maintaining a safe, organised and effective workshop environment.
- Producing clear work instructions, process records and technical reports.
- Sharing practical knowledge and helping to train future operators or junior colleagues.
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Continuous improvement is part of the job
We do not expect you simply to run the process and accept it as it is.
You will be encouraged to identify and implement practical improvements to:
- Safety and workplace organisation.
- Weld quality and repeatability.
- Machine reliability and availability.
- Cycle time and production efficiency.
- Tooling, fixtures and machine setup.
- Material waste and operating cost.
- Work instructions and process controls.
You will be expected to take ownership of an improvement project during your first six months and demonstrate the difference it has made.
What we are looking for
You will need:
- At least 2 years’ practical Friction Stir Welding experience.
- Regular hands-on experience of setting up and operating FSW machinery.
- Experience supporting welding trials, parameter adjustment and troubleshooting.
- An understanding of how process parameters, tooling and setup affect weld quality.
- The ability to follow risk assessments, safe systems of work and controlled operating procedures.
- Confidence interpreting process data, inspection results and production information.
- A practical, methodical approach to diagnosing operational or quality problems.
- The ability to maintain accurate, traceable records.
- A relevant engineering, manufacturing or machining qualification—or equivalent practical industrial experience.
- A willingness to work predominantly onsite and move between machine operation, trials, production and documentation as priorities change.
Particularly useful experience
You do not need to arrive knowing every machine or system we use. However, the following would be valuable:
- Experience operating CNC machinery.
- CNC programming, setting or prove-out experience.
- Experience operating or supporting industrial robots.
- Robot teaching or programming experience.
- Familiarity with engineering drawings, tolerances, tooling and fixtures.
- CAD capability.
- Experience within aerospace, nuclear, defence, automotive, energy or another high-integrity manufacturing environment.
- Lean manufacturing, structured problem-solving, SPC or continuous-improvement training.
- Certificates relating to machinery operation, lifting equipment, first aid or other workshop responsibilities.
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Previous robot programming experience is not essential. What matters is that you are comfortable working around automated equipment and willing to learn.
The kind of person who will thrive here
StirLight is a small business, so attitude and ways of working matter.
You are likely to enjoy this role if you:
- Prefer practical involvement to watching from the sidelines.
- Take pride in precision, preparation and consistent output.
- Raise problems early and help solve them.
- Stay focused during detailed or repetitive production activity.
- Learn new machinery and processes quickly.
- Ask thoughtful questions and test ideas methodically.
- Take responsibility for seeing work through.
- Communicate clearly and work constructively with others.
- Are comfortable with the pace, variety and occasional ambiguity of a growing business.
Why join StirLight?
You will be joining at an exciting stage in our growth, following £1.25 million of pre-seed investment and grant funding to accelerate our technology and manufacturing capability.
This is an opportunity to:
- Work directly with advanced FSW, CNC and robotic equipment.
- Contribute to projects in industries where engineering quality has real consequences.
- See the direct results of your work in customer trials and manufactured components.
- Build broader experience across production, process improvement and advanced manufacturing.
- Help shape operating standards and capability as the business grows.
- Work alongside experienced FSW specialists in a collaborative, technically curious team.
At StirLight, precision matters. We learn by doing, communicate openly and take ownership of the outcome.
If that sounds like the environment in which you do your best work, we would like to hear from you.
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