Process Engineer

Location: Corby
Salary:£60,000 - £70,000
Job Type: Full-time, Permanent

We are recruiting fora Process Engineer to join a specialist manufacturing business, supporting and improving the production of ceramic cores.

Reporting to the General Manager, you will work closely with Production, Quality, Engineering and R&D teams to optimise manufacturing processes, resolve technical challenges and ensure products meet customer specifications and quality standards.

The ideal candidate will have experience within ceramics manufacturing, strong problem-solving abilities and a proactive approach to identifying and implementing process improvements.

• Process Development: Develop, optimise and improve ceramic core manufacturing processes, including material preparation, injection and firing, to improve yields, reduce defects and minimise cycle times.

• Technical Support: Provide engineering support to production teams, investigate process issues and implement corrective actions to maintain quality and production efficiency.

• Customer Enquiries and Quotation: Manage customer enquiries and quotations for new and existing programmes, including pricing for products, development work, engineering and tooling.

• Materials Development: Support the development of new materials and modification of existing materials to meet customer requirements. Coordinate material testing, approvals and sign-off with laboratory and materials control teams.

• Quality Assurance: Work alongside the Quality team to ensure manufacturing processes meet internal quality management requirements and customer specifications, including AS9100 Rev D.

• Continuous Improvement: Lead and contribute to process improvement initiatives using Lean Manufacturing, Six Sigma or similar methodologies to improve efficiency and reduce waste.

• Equipment and Tooling: Specify, evaluate and maintain manufacturing equipment and tooling to ensure safe, reliable and effective operation.

• Technical Documentation: Produce and maintain process documentation, work instructions, process flow diagrams and technical reports using Microsoft Office and internal systems.

• New Product Introduction: Collaborate with Production, Quality and R&D teams to introduce new products and manufacturing processes.

• Tooling Development: Produce tooling build instructions and liaise with customers and toolmakers throughout the tooling development process to ensure designs meet the required specifications.

• Training and Safety: Support employee training where required and ensure processes comply with health and safety requirements, including risk assessments and the safe handling of materials.

• A degree in Materials Science, Ceramic Engineering, Manufacturing Engineering or a related discipline.

• At least three years' experience in ceramics manufacturing.

• Knowledge of ceramic manufacturing processes, including material preparation, material control and dimensional measurement.

• Experience with CAD software such as SolidWorks or AutoCAD, particularly for tooling and fixture design.

• Competency in Microsoft Office for technical documentation and reporting.

• Strong analytical and problem-solving skills, with experience in root cause analysis.

• Excellent communication skills and the ability to work effectively with cross-functional teams and external customers.

• A proactive approach to continuous improvement, technical troubleshooting and process optimisation.

• Ability to work in a controlled manufacturing environment, including exposure to ceramic powders and high-temperature equipment, and to meet the physical demands of the role.

This is an excellent opportunity for a technically minded engineer to take ownership of manufacturing process improvements, contribute to new product and material development, and work closely with production and engineering teams within a specialist manufacturing environment.