Location: Belfast, United Kingdom
Position: Manufacturing Technician
Department: Manufacturing
Our Opportunity
As a CNC Machinist, you will support and lead the manufacture and inspection of high precision components, sub‑assemblies, tooling and fixtures in a total quality team environment to meet production schedules and requirements.
About You
Ideally, you have completed an apprenticeship as a turner or skilled machinist and have proven post‑apprenticeship experience with mill/turn or multi‑axis machining. You can understand information from technical drawings, program and operate CNC machine tools.
Key Duties
- Set‑up and operate major plant equipment, including CNC machine tools, to manufacture high‑precision missile components, tooling, gauging, jigs, fixtures and R&D hardware.
- Program shop floor CNC operations using M.D.I. and G‑codes, produce CNC programmes for R&D hardware and tooling, edit part programmes during probetout and production runs, and ensure changes are fed back to manufacturing engineering for traceability.
- Prove out programmes step‑by‑step, diagnosing errors to protect plant equipment and ensure correct manufacture of components.
- Record statistical process control data, monitor and analyse data to resolve machining‑process issues.
- Perform calibration and plausibility checks on post‑process gauging to assure correct part measurements.
- Maintain product quality to drawing specifications and quality standards, using meteorology equipment and ensuring equipment is within calibration requirements.
- Accountable for own productivity and quality, recording defect data on the factory management system (F.M.S.) to facilitate traceability.
- Progress finished components to other work groups, actively handling materials and recording progress data on F.M.S.
- Identify errors in process sheets and measurement plans and report them to manufacturing engineering for correction.
- Work in a continuous improvement environment to improve product quality, reduce machining cycle times, lead time and production costs.
- Provide detailed training to other employees and apprentices in effective task performance.
Why Thales?
- Global leader in aerospace, defence and security technologies with a supportive, inclusive workplace.
- Opportunities for skill development through expert training and clear career pathways.
- Chance to work on impactful projects that protect and connect communities worldwide.
- Culture grounded in innovation, collaboration and respect.
Benefits
- 4‑day working week
- Pension scheme
- 28 days annual leave (plus bank holidays)
- Progression and development opportunities
- 24/7 employee assistance program and access to mental wellbeing app
- Employee discount schemes on major brands and retailers
After selection, you will receive an additional ongoing training programme over 2‑3 years to handle increasingly complex jobs aligned with the total quality concept.
Current working hours are subject to change; successful applicants must be open to future shift patterns.
Thales is an equal opportunity employer. We are committed to providing an inclusive and barrier‑free recruitment process and will provide reasonable adjustments to ensure applicants can perform their best during the selection process.
In line with Thales’ Baseline Security requirements, candidates must provide evidence of identity, eligibility to work in the UK and employment and/or education history for up to three years. Some vacancies may require full security clearance, which requires further evidence. For further details, refer to the Defence Business Services National Security Vetting (DBS NSV) Agency.
