IFPL Group – comprised of IFPL and Cobalt Aerospace – is an award‑winning engineering company, designing and manufacturing products for the commercial aerospace sector. The business is growing rapidly and we are looking to recruit a Head of Engineering.
We are a full end‑to‑end business designing, selling, and manufacturing our own products for sale to airlines and original equipment manufacturers (OEMs) around the world. We are recognised as industry leaders for our passenger power and audio products, as well as for our drop‑in LED mood lighting system, and have recently completed a six‑figure investment to establish a new PCBA surface‑mount facility.
The Role
The Head of Engineering is responsible for leading the company’s engineering capability across product design, OEM and subcontract programmes, and production support. This senior, hands‑on leadership role combines technical authority, customer engagement, and team development while ensuring engineering output is robust, manufacturable, and aligned to regulatory and commercial requirements.
Key Responsibilities
Engineering Leadership & role requirements
- Lead and provide clear direction for the engineering function.
- Act as the senior technical authority within the business.
- Ensure engineering output is consistent, high quality, and aligned with business and customer expectations.
- Balance structure and governance with agility and delivery focus.
- Act as the senior technical interface with customers, OEMs, and third‑party design organisations.
- Lead technical discussions, design reviews, and issue resolution.
- Translate customer requirements into practical, deliverable engineering solutions.
Design Oversight (In‑house & OEM / Subcontract)
- Lead design activities across both in‑house product development and OEM/customer‑owned design programmes.
- Ensure appropriate separation where required between regulated and customer‑controlled work.
- Maintain consistent engineering standards, tools, and design practices.
- Provide hands‑on input to electronics design where required.
- Review and guide technical solutions to ensure robustness and manufacturability.
Production Support & Problem Solving
- Provide technical leadership and support to Production and Production Engineering.
- Support resolution of non‑conformances, build and test issues, and design interpretation queries.
- Lead or guide root cause analysis and corrective actions.
- Ensure production feedback is captured and drives continuous improvement in design.
Business Contribution
- Contribute to business strategy as part of the management team.
- Support bids and proposals with technical input.
- Help define engineering capability and future technology direction.
- Promote a culture of accountability, quality, and continuous improvement.
Skills & Experience
- Strong background in electronics design (schematics, PCB, system integration).
- Experience across both product development and customer‑led engineering environments.
- Proven leadership and mentoring capability.
- Strong problem‑solving skills, solution focused, particularly in production or real‑world environments.
- Ability to operate as a senior technical authority while remaining hands‑on.
- Excellent communication and stakeholder management skills.
Qualifications
- Degree (or equivalent) in Electronics, Electrical Engineering, or related discipline.
Benefits
- Flexible working 37½ hour week
- Private medical cover
- Death in Service
- Cycle Scheme & Tech Scheme
- Discounted gym membership
- Competitive salary and bonus
CLOSING DATE – 15 July 2026
