Chess Dynamics
Senior Production Engineer
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Role Purpose
The Senior Production Engineer is a technical leader responsible for defining, developing, and optimising the end-to-end production capability for defence-grade hardware systems. This role provides strategic influence across design, industrialisation, and full-rate manufacturing, ensuring products are engineered for reliability, regulatory compliance, and scalable delivery.
Operating within a secure and highly regulated environment, the Senior Production Engineer drives manufacturing excellence through robust process development, disciplined configuration control, and structured risk management. The role champions Design for Manufacture and Assembly (DFMA), strengthens cross-functional collaboration between engineering and operations, and ensures production readiness from prototype through series manufacture.
As a senior technical authority, the role mentors engineering teams, guides continuous improvement initiatives, and leads the development of resilient production solutions for complex electro-mechanical systems, supporting both programme delivery and long-term operational capability.
Key Responsibilities
- Reporting to the Production Engineering Manager and in his absence the Industrialisation Manager.
- Translate hardware designs into robust, scalable production processes, ensuring manufacturability, repeatability, and compliance with defence standards.
- Develop and optimise production workflows, including tooling, fixtures, assembly methods, and test procedures.
- Lead root cause analysis and corrective actions for production issues, driving continuous improvement and reducing defects.
- Collaborate closely with design engineering to influence early design decisions and ensure alignment with production capability.
- Create and maintain manufacturing documentation, including build instructions, process specifications, PFMEAs, and control plans.
- Support new product introduction (NPI) from prototype through to full rate production.
- Ensure compliance with defence, safety, and quality regulations, including configuration control and traceability requirements.
- Manage production readiness activities, including capability assessments, equipment qualification, and process validation.
- Work with suppliers and internal teams to resolve technical issues and ensure component manufacturability and quality.
- Drive cost effective production solutions without compromising performance, reliability, or security.
- Assist the quality department with inspection and investigation activities.
- Develop and manage CAPEX proposals, including ROI analysis and investment appraisal.
- Perform engineering analysis to reduce test equipment and production assembly equipment downtime and outages.
- Develop best practices to improve production capacity, quality and reliability.
- Stay current with product specifications, engineering technology and production processes.
- Support purchasing with supplier management, process improvement and corrective action.
- Assist with production staff training and the development of workmanship standards in both Mechanical and Electrical teams, identifying areas of improvement.
- Adhere to the company's procedures, policies and goals, always upholding the good reputation of the company.
- Ensure full compliance with health and safety regulations and company policies, always promoting safe working practices and consideration for colleagues.
- Ensure that all procedures are followed as specified in the Quality Manual.
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Skills & Experience
Essential
- Degree in Mechanical, Electrical, Manufacturing or Production Engineering (or equivalent experience)
- At least 10+ years’ experience in a defence, aerospace, automotive or other highly regulated environment.
- Demonstrated experience leading NPI activities, including process development, prototyping, and transition to full-rate manufacturing.
- Deep understanding of DFM/DFA principles, with demonstrated ability to embed manufacturability into early-stage design and industrialisation strategy.
- Strong working knowledge of 3D CAD systems, with the ability to interrogate models for DFMA, tolerance analysis, and tooling development.
- Demonstrated experience in the manufacture and integration of complex electro-mechanical systems, including PCB assemblies and precision mechanical components.
- Working knowledge of defence and industry standards (e.g., IPC, MIL-STD) and their application within regulated manufacturing environments.
- Proven capability to lead root cause investigations and implement corrective and preventive actions using structured methodologies (e.g., 8D, DMAIC, 5-Why).
- Experience driving continuous improvement initiatives focused on cost reduction, yield improvement, cycle time optimisation, and process capability enhancement.
- Excellent communication skills and the ability to work cross functionally in a fast paced, regulated environment.
- Experience supporting products through full lifecycle stages, from prototype and low-rate initial production (LRIP) through to full-rate manufacture.
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Desirable
- Experience with automated test systems or production automation.
- Knowledge of configuration management and controlled documentation systems.
- Experience in staff supervision or mentoring.
- Experience supporting audits or regulatory reviews.
Personal Attributes
- Demonstrates our company values of Teamwork, Integrity, Excellence and Courage
- Highly organised and methodical approach, with an eye for detail
- The ability to work independently when required
- A flexible, conscientious, and diligent attitude
- Excellent communication, interpersonal and written skills
- A resilient and adaptable approach
Work life balance:
- 37.5 hour working week
- Lunchtime finishes on a Friday
- Hybrid / flexible working arrangements
- 28 days annual leave
- Christmas closure
- Holiday purchasing scheme
Benefits:
- Group pension plan – matched contributions up to 5%
- Income protection scheme
- Employee Assistance Programme gives you and your family access to 4 key services including remote GP service, second opinion, mental health pathway service and physiotherapy consultations
- Life assurance policy, including bereavement counselling and probate helpline
- Company shares incentive plan and save as you earn scheme
- Electric vehicle salary sacrifice scheme
- Wellbeing initiatives, including access to wellbeing app and the addition of mental health support for all employees. Plus, regular activities across our sites to support and promote wellbeing
- Regular sports and social activities
- Gym membership discounts
- Reward platform (high street discounts, employee benefits, health, and wellbeing offerings).
- Recruitment referral bonus scheme
- Excellent learning & development opportunities
- Great working environment with free, onsite car parking across all our locations
Security Clearance Requirements
Due to the nature of our business, our staff need to be able to obtain UK Security Clearance as a mandated requirement. Therefore, if successful, you will need to provide proof of identity, employment history and right to work in the UK, along with proof of UK residency for at least five years.
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