Production Engineer – Fabrication & Production Planning
About the Role
We are looking for an experienced Production Engineer with a strong fabrication background to join our manufacturing team.
The successful candidate will play a key role in planning and coordinating jobs through the factory, from initial review of drawings and materials through fabrication, welding, machining, finishing and final inspection.
The role will combine production engineering, fabrication knowledge and hands-on production planning. You will work closely with the shop-floor team to ensure jobs are properly planned, prioritised and progressed through each stage of manufacture, while identifying opportunities to improve efficiency, quality and delivery.
Previous hands-on fabrication experience is essential for this role.
Key Responsibilities
Production Planning & Factory Flow
- Plan and coordinate jobs through the factory from order receipt through to completion and dispatch.
- Develop practical production plans and establish the correct sequence of manufacturing operations.
- Coordinate work between fabrication, welding, machining, finishing, assembly and inspection.
- Prioritise jobs according to customer requirements, delivery dates, capacity and available resources.
- Monitor job progress throughout the factory and identify potential delays before they affect delivery.
- Work closely with production supervisors and shop-floor personnel to ensure jobs remain on schedule.
- Ensure materials, drawings, tooling, consumables and other requirements are available before jobs enter production.
- Identify bottlenecks and implement solutions to improve the flow of work through the factory.
- Balance workloads and identify available production capacity.
- Maintain accurate production schedules and update priorities as requirements change.
- Liaise with purchasing and suppliers to ensure materials and subcontract operations are available when required.
- Communicate production priorities clearly to the relevant departments.
Production Engineering
- Develop and improve manufacturing processes and methods.
- Provide engineering support to the fabrication and production teams.
- Review drawings and manufacturing requirements to ensure products can be manufactured efficiently.
- Identify and implement improvements to manufacturing methods, tooling, fixtures and processes.
- Investigate production problems and implement effective corrective actions.
- Develop jigs, fixtures and other production aids where required.
- Produce and maintain manufacturing instructions, process sheets and production documentation.
- Assist with the introduction of new products into production.
- Identify opportunities to reduce waste, improve productivity and reduce manufacturing costs.
- Support continuous improvement activities throughout the factory.
Fabrication & Shop-Floor Support
- Work closely with fabricators and welders to resolve technical and manufacturing issues.
- Provide practical engineering advice on fabrication and welding processes.
- Ensure manufacturing processes are achievable and efficient before work reaches the shop floor.
- Support production personnel with technical queries and problem solving.
- Ensure work is completed to the required drawings, specifications, quality standards and tolerances.
- Assist with resolving issues relating to materials, welding, fabrication and machining.
Essential Experience and Skills
- Previous production engineering experience within a fabrication/manufacturing environment.
- Strong practical fabrication experience is essential.
- Good understanding of welding and fabrication processes.
- Experience of planning and coordinating jobs through a manufacturing facility.
- Ability to read and interpret engineering drawings.
- Understanding of materials, fabrication methods and manufacturing tolerances.
- Strong practical problem-solving skills.
- Experience working closely with shop-floor production teams.
- Ability to prioritise multiple jobs and manage changing production requirements.
- Strong organisational and communication skills.
- Ability to identify bottlenecks and improve production flow.
- Good understanding of manufacturing processes and quality requirements.
Desirable Experience
- Experience with CNC machining or machining processes.
- Experience designing and developing jigs and fixtures.
- CAD experience.
- Experience with lean manufacturing or continuous improvement.
- Experience with production planning, scheduling or ERP/MRP systems.
- Experience in heavy fabrication or structural steel manufacturing.
- Welding/fabrication qualifications.
- Experience managing subcontract processes such as machining, galvanising, painting or other finishing operations.
The Ideal Candidate
The ideal candidate will be a practical, hands-on Production Engineer with a strong fabrication background who understands how a manufacturing business operates from the shop floor upwards.
You will be confident planning jobs, coordinating multiple departments and keeping work moving through the factory. You will be comfortable working directly with fabricators, welders, machinists and production management, and will have the practical knowledge to identify problems and find workable solutions.
You will take ownership of jobs from start to finish, ensuring that work is properly planned, materials and information are available, production priorities are clear and customer delivery dates are achieved.
This is a key role for someone who enjoys being hands-on, organised and involved in the day-to-day running and improvement of a busy manufacturing environment.
What We Offer
- Competitive salary
- Company pension
- Holiday entitlement
- Training and development opportunities
- Opportunity to make a significant impact on production efficiency and factory performance
- Supportive and practical working environment
Pay: £40,000.00-£45,000.00 per year
Benefits:
- Company pension
- Cycle to work scheme
- Free parking
- Health & wellbeing programme
- On-site parking
Work Location: In person
