Job Title:
Location: Gloucester
Pay Rate: Negotiable
Contract length: 12 Months

Role Summary/Purpose:

To gain a deep understanding of existing aerospace component manufacturing processes and equipment, quantify how they perform, and use this insight to inform the design, implementation and optimisation of new production lines and facilities. This role will analyse current operations (time, utilisation, efficiency, waste), create accurate value stream maps, and support line and facility design so that the future production system is efficient at launch and capable of scaling to volume.

Key Responsibilities

• Understand and quantify the existing process
• Study the current aerospace component manufacturing processes and machines in detail to understand how work actually flows on the shop floor.
• Conduct time studies on all major steps and support activities (set-up, changeover, inspection, rework, material handling, etc.), maintaining an accurate and current picture of process timings.
• Measure machine utilisation, OEE, downtime causes and bottlenecks.
• Discreet event simulation. (Supporting lean line/line balancing).
• Create and maintain value stream maps for current-state processes, highlighting non-value-add activities and improvement opportunities.
• Ci and Process improvement input.
• Identify critical process characteristics that must be preserved or improved in any future line or facility

2. Input to new line and facility design

• Translate current-state analysis into requirements and design inputs for new or modified production lines (cycle times, burrer sizes, stalling levels, equipment capacities).
• Work with Manufacturing Engineering, Facilities and other internal stakeholders to ensure line layouts, cell designs and production spaces reflect real process needs and constraints.
• Support decisions on equipment selection, automation versus manual operations and line balancing based on measured data rather than assumptions.
• Provide input into the facility layout (flow of people, materials and information), including ancillary spaces such as rework, inspection, WIP burrers and maintenance areas.

3. Pre-launch and commissioning support

• Help define acceptance criteria for new equipment and line performance (cycle time, uptime, quality, ergonomics).
• Support commissioning, trials and dry runs, checking that new lines meet expected performance and identifying gaps or underperforming areas.
• Update future-state value stream maps as lines are installed and validated.
• Work alongside the project team during ramp-up to monitor line performance versus plan and recommend targeted improvements.

4. Continuous improvement and performance management

• Establish baseline performance (e.g. OEE, throughput, WIP, lead time) and track it through pilot and volume phases.
• Identify initiatives to increase utilisation, reduce waste and stabilise processes as volumes grow.
• Data input to support the creation and maintenance of standard work, work instructions and training material based on accurate timings and best practice.
• Provide regular feedback into future line and facility concepts for subsequent phases of industrialisation.

5. Wider project and cross-functional support

• Contribute to the Scope of Work for production equipment (performance requirements, cycle times, changeover expectations).
• Support risk assessments (e.g. process FMEA) with data from existing operations.
• Provide input to utilities and infrastructure planning (peak and average loads, duty cycles) based on process timing and utilisation.

Skills and Experience

• Strong engineering awareness, ideally in aerospace or complex component manufacturing (mechanical, industrial or manufacturing engineering).
• Experience with time studies, work measurement and value stream mapping, with a focus on maintaining accurate, up-to-date timings.
• Automation/robotics experience.
• Familiarity with OEE, utilisation, line balancing and lean manufacturing principles.
• Ability to interpret production data, layouts and process documentation, and convert them into actionable design inputs.
• Comfortable working on the shop floor, observing processes and engaging with operators and supervisors.
• Effective communication skills to work with Manufacturing Engineering, Operations, Quality, Facilities, HSE and other support functions.
• Experience with NPI or industrialisation projects is highly desirable.

Personal Attributes

• Analytical and data-driven, with strong attention to detail and timing accuracy.
• Curious about how processes really work and willing to spend time in the operation.
• Able to challenge assumptions constructively and influence design decisions.
• Comfortable working across pre-launch, commissioning and volume production phases.