Engineer – Composites Manufacturing

Location: Poole, Dorset, England

Salary: Competitive salary + bonus

Company

Established manufacturer of large composite structures and Fibre Reinforced Plastic (FRP) mouldings, providing design, engineering, composite moulding, finishing, machining and final assembly services across marine defence, aerospace and UAV sectors.

What you will do

• Create and maintain manufacturing work instructions, lay-up and assembly guides, and inspection documentation.
• Review customer drawings and CAD data to develop manufacturing methods, templates, kits and solutions for complex composite components.
• Set up and manage part numbers, Bills of Materials and routings in the MRP system.
• Design moulds, jigs, fixtures and other manufacturing aids, and support cost estimation.
• Provide technical support to manufacturing and quality teams and act as a technical contact for customers and suppliers.
• Improve manufacturing efficiency and product quality while ensuring compliance with health and safety, quality and environmental standards.

Requirements

• Proven experience in an engineering or manufacturing role within the composites industry.
• Knowledge of composite manufacturing techniques, including pre-preg, resin infusion and open moulding.
• Strong understanding of composite material characteristics, including thermal expansion, fibre fractions, laminate detailing and thermal properties.
• Good working knowledge of 2D and 3D CAD software.
• Excellent analytical skills, attention to detail and a methodical approach to technical problem-solving.
• Confidence dealing with customers and suppliers, plus strong communication and interpersonal skills across multiple departments.
• Detailed and accurate preparation of manufacturing documentation for safety-critical structures.
• Successful applicants must complete and pass DBS checks and, where applicable, further National Security Vetting checks.

Nice to have

• Experience with Rhino and SolidWorks.
• Degree in Engineering or a related discipline.
• Knowledge of Lean Manufacturing principles and techniques.
• Experience with customer specifications and industry standards.
• Familiarity with quality management systems and ISO/AS standards.
• Project management knowledge or experience.

Culture & Benefits

• Permanent role within a growing engineering and manufacturing team.
• Collaborative work with production, quality, engineering, customers and suppliers.
• Opportunity to contribute to modern manufacturing technologies and process improvements.
• Additional security vetting requirements may apply after a conditional offer.