At a Glance
- Tasks: Lead the production of advanced composite UAV airframes from start to finish.
- Company: Join a rapidly growing autonomous systems business in aerospace and defence.
- Benefits: Competitive salary, travel opportunities, and a chance to shape manufacturing processes.
- Other info: Exciting opportunity for career growth in a dynamic environment.
- Why this job: Make a real impact in the aerospace industry with cutting-edge composite technology.
- Qualifications: Significant experience in advanced composite manufacturing and strong technical knowledge required.
The predicted salary is between 38056 - 46512 £ per year.
We are recruiting a Composite Production Manager for a rapidly growing autonomous systems business manufacturing advanced UAV platforms for international defence customers. This is a specialist composites manufacturing position with responsibility for the end-to-end production and delivery of composite airframes across a network of UK and European manufacturing partners.
We are specifically looking for someone with significant practical experience of composite component and structural manufacture. This is not a general Production Manager position. Candidates need a strong technical understanding of advanced composites manufacturing processes.
The role
You will take ownership of the production of composite airframes from tooling and raw material availability through component manufacture, finishing, bonding and final structural assembly. You'll work closely with engineering, supply chain and quality while managing specialist external composite manufacturers.
Key responsibilities will include:
- Managing end-to-end production of composite UAV airframes
- Coordinating multiple composite components and structural assemblies against aircraft build requirements
- Managing specialist composite subcontractors across the UK and Europe
- Ensuring mould tools, jigs and fixtures are production-ready
- Coordinating raw material availability against manufacturing schedules
- Monitoring composite lay-up and laminate manufacture
- Managing cure and post-cure processes
- Overseeing trimming, drilling, machining and finishing operations
- Coordinating bonded and mechanically fastened structural assemblies
- Managing final airframe assembly and delivery
- Reviewing manufacturing drawings, laminate specifications, BOMs and work instructions
- Working with engineering teams to improve Design for Manufacture and Assembly
- Managing manufacturing changes and their impact on tooling and production
- Investigating manufacturing defects and non-conformances
- Driving root-cause analysis and corrective action
- Improving manufacturing yield, repeatability and cycle times
- Monitoring supplier capacity, quality and delivery performance
- Developing recovery plans where production falls behind schedule
- Supporting industrialisation and production scale-up
Essential composites experience
Candidates should have substantial experience within advanced composite manufacturing and a strong working knowledge of several of the following:
- CFRP / carbon fibre composite manufacture
- Prepreg materials
- Composite lay-up
- Ply orientation and laminate schedules
- Vacuum bagging
- Autoclave processing
- Out-of-autoclave processing
- Cure and post-cure cycles
- Resin systems
- Core materials
- Honeycomb / sandwich structures
- Composite mould tools
- Tool preparation and release systems
- Structural adhesives
- Bonded composite assemblies
- Trimming and machining composite components
- Drilling and fastening composite structures
- Jigs and fixtures
- Dimensional inspection
- Composite repair/rework
- Final structural assembly
You should understand the manufacturing process behind a composite component, rather than simply having managed a business that happens to manufacture composites.
Production & quality experience
You should also have strong manufacturing control experience, ideally covering:
- Production planning and scheduling
- Manufacturing Bills of Materials
- Route cards / production travellers
- Manufacturing instructions
- Material traceability
- Batch control
- Prepreg shelf-life and freezer-life management
- Cure-cycle records
- Process control
- First Article manufacture / inspection
- Non-Conformance Reports
- Concessions and deviations
- Root Cause Analysis
- Corrective and Preventive Action
- Engineering change control
- Configuration control
- Quality documentation
- Supplier quality and performance
- Production readiness
- Industrialisation / NPI
Supplier management
A major part of this position involves managing external manufacturing partners. You must therefore have experience working directly with composite suppliers or subcontract manufacturers, rather than solely managing an internal production team. You'll need to be capable of visiting a supplier and technically assessing:
- whether tooling is ready
- whether materials are available
- whether manufacturing processes are being followed
- whether production capacity is sufficient
- why components are being rejected
- whether defects are process or design related
- whether recovery plans are achievable
- what is genuinely preventing delivery
You'll work closely with suppliers to solve those issues rather than simply monitor their KPIs.
Backgrounds of particular interest
We are particularly interested in candidates from: UAV / UAS | Aerospace | Formula 1 | Motorsport | Defence | Advanced Automotive | High-Performance Marine Composites. Potential backgrounds could include:
- Composite Production Manager
- Composite Manufacturing Manager
- Senior Composite Manufacturing Engineer
- Composite Engineering Manager
- Manufacturing Engineering Manager
- Composite Operations Manager
- Composite Industrialisation Manager
- Production Engineering Manager
Candidates from Formula 1 and motorsport are particularly relevant where they have managed carbon composite structures from tooling and laminate manufacture through to completed structural assemblies.
What we don't need
This role is unlikely to suit a general manufacturing or operations manager without substantial composites experience. Likewise, a purely design-focused composites engineer may not have the production ownership required. We need someone who understands the practical realities of turning composite designs into repeatable, conforming physical structures against a production schedule.
The opportunity
The company is moving from relatively low-volume manufacture towards considerably greater production. You'll therefore have significant influence over: tooling, materials, manufacturing processes, supplier capability, quality, production planning, industrialisation, scalability.
If you have built your career around manufacturing high-quality composite structures and want responsibility for delivering complete UAV airframes, we'd like to hear from you. This role is Permanent and Travel is required 3-4 days per week either London or the subcontractor facility.
Composite Production Manager in Slough employer: Electus Recruitment
As a Material Process Engineer at our Whitstable location, you will thrive in a high-technology manufacturing environment that prioritises precision and technical leadership. We offer a supportive work culture with practical benefits such as a flexitime system, enhanced maternity pay, and a comprehensive Health and Wellbeing suite, ensuring a balanced and rewarding career path. Join us to take advantage of continuous growth opportunities while contributing to mission-critical aerospace components.
StudySmarter Expert Advice🤫
We think this is how you could land Composite Production Manager in Slough
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We think you need these skills to ace Composite Production Manager in Slough
Some tips for your application 🫡
Showcase Your Technical Skills:In the manufacturing-production sector, it's crucial to highlight your technical skills and experience. Make sure your CV features any relevant qualifications, such as certifications in machinery operation or production management, and don’t forget about any specific systems or software you’re familiar with. This can really set you apart!
Emphasise Teamwork and Communication:Working in manufacturing often means being part of a larger team. Highlight your experience in collaborative projects or environments where communication was key. Maybe you have experience with lean manufacturing principles? Talk about how you worked with your team to improve productivity and maintain quality.
Tailor Your Cover Letter to the Company:Don’t just recycle an old cover letter! Take the time to tailor your cover letter to Electus Recruitment specifically. Mention what excites you about their production processes or products, and how your previous experiences can contribute to their goals. We want to see your enthusiasm for the role!
Use Concrete Examples of Your Achievements:When detailing your work experience, include measurable achievements that can demonstrate your impact. Whether it’s improving efficiency by a certain percentage or successfully leading a project, these specifics can make a huge difference. Numbers speak volumes in the manufacturing world!
How to prepare for a job interview at Electus Recruitment
✨Know Your Manufacturing Processes
Before you walk into the interview with Electus Recruitment, brush up on the specific manufacturing processes relevant to the role. Understanding lean manufacturing principles or quality control techniques could give you a solid edge to discuss how you’d fit into their operations.
✨Technical Questions Are Key
Be prepared for technical questions around machinery, production scheduling, or materials handling. Make sure you can confidently explain how you've dealt with these in past experiences or internships. Knowing industry-specific software could also be a big plus!
✨Showcase Your Problem-Solving Skills
Manufacturing environments often focus on continuous improvement. Be ready to discuss specific instances where you’ve solved a production issue or implemented a process improvement. It’s all about demonstrating your analytical thinking and hands-on approach.
✨Align Your Values with Quality and Safety
In a full-time role, companies like Electus Recruitment value commitment to quality and safety. Be prepared to discuss how you prioritise these factors in your work. It’s about showing that you’re not just looking for a job, but that you genuinely care about contributing positively to their production environment.
