Graduate Engineer
Due to the nature and growth of our work, we have an exciting opportunity for a recent Mechanical Engineering graduate to join our small engineering team. This is a hands-on role within the casting and manufacturing industry, offering exposure to the full product lifecycle and to a range of business functions.
The Graduate Mechanical Engineer will work under the guidance of the Engineering/Quality Manager and closely with engineering, quality and purchasing colleagues. The role will also involve regular communication with customers, UK manufacturing operations and overseas suppliers.
The successful candidate will support the engineering, quality and purchasing functions and will gain practical experience across UK manufacturing and the management of components and castings supplied by overseas manufacturers. The role will involve design, engineering documentation, casting/process development, inspection, quality improvement, estimating and problem solving.
This position is designed for a graduate who wants to build a career in mechanical engineering and manufacturing. You will receive practical, in-house training and progressively take on greater responsibility. Training may include CAD and casting simulation, engineering drawings, metrology and inspection, casting processes.
Key Responsibilities
· Liaise with customers, customer design engineers, UK manufacturing teams and overseas suppliers to understand technical requirements and resolve engineering issues.
· Support the design and development of new and existing castings and manufactured components, with a focus on manufacturability, quality, cost and performance.
· Investigate and analyse opportunities to improve component design, casting quality and manufacturing processes.
· Assist with projects from initial concept design through prototyping, supplier manufacture, inspection and mass production.
· Assist customer design engineers with the development and introduction of new products.
· Create and develop manufacturing models and processes using 3D CAD software, including ANSYS SpaceClaim, with training provided where required.
· Use casting simulation software, including Altair Inspire Cast, to support casting and process development, with training provided.
· Prepare and maintain engineering documentation, drawings, specifications, inspection information and project records.
· Assist with estimating and technical reviews, considering material, manufacturing, tooling, machining, inspection and supplier requirements.
· Plan and prioritise engineering activities to help ensure projects are delivered on time, to the required customer standards and within agreed budgets.
· Inspect and measure components using CMM equipment (FARO Arm), other precision measuring and 3D scanning equipment.
· Support incoming inspection and technical evaluation of castings and components supplied by overseas manufacturers, working with purchasing and quality to address non-conformances.
· Investigate product and process failures, including containment, root-cause analysis, corrective actions and preventative actions.
· Assist with supplier technical queries, quality issues and continuous-improvement activities.
· Work collaboratively with engineering, quality, purchasing, production and other departments as required.
Essential
· Bachelor’s degree (BEng/BSc or equivalent) in Mechanical Engineering (preferred) or a closely related engineering discipline.
· Basic understanding of mechanical engineering principles, manufacturing processes and engineering drawings.
· Good numerical, analytical and problem-solving ability.
· Good written and verbal communication skills, with the ability to communicate professionally with customers, suppliers and colleagues.
· Good working knowledge of Microsoft Office, particularly Excel, Word and Outlook.
· Ability to work methodically, accurately and safely in a manufacturing environment.
· Willingness to learn, take responsibility and develop practical engineering skills.
· Ability to adapt to changing priorities and respond positively to project, customer and production requirements.
· Ability to work effectively both independently and as part of a small engineering team.
Desirable
· Experience with 3D CAD or modelling software; ANSYS SpaceClaim ideal.
· Exposure to casting, foundry, machining or other manufacturing processes.
· Familiarity with casting simulation software, particularly Altair Inspire Cast. (Not essential as in-house training provided)
· Experience using CMM, FARO Arm, 3D scanning or other precision inspection equipment. (Not essential as in-house training provided)
· Industrial placement, internship or at least one year of relevant industrial/manufacturing experience.
· Awareness of quality tools such as 8D, 5 Whys, fishbone analysis, FMEA or corrective/preventive action.
What We Offer
· Full-time position – 39 hours per week, Monday to Friday.
· Starting salary: £28,000 per annum, dependent on experience.
· 20 days’ annual leave plus UK bank holidays, with 3 additional days’ Christmas holiday.
· Performance-related bonus opportunities.
· Auto enrolled company pension scheme
· Hands-on training and development within a specialist casting and manufacturing environment.
· Opportunity to gain broad experience across engineering, quality, purchasing, supplier management and manufacturing.
We are not prepared to sponsor work permit or work permit transfer applications. Candidates must be able to prove their eligibility to work in the UK.
Pay: £28,000.00 per year
Work Location: In person
