Manufacturing Engineer in Southampton

Your impact

We have an exciting opportunity for a Manufacturing Engineer to join the Mechanical Assembly Process Engineering team in Southampton, supporting the manufacture of infra‑red detector assemblies. This is an engaging, hands‑on role supporting manufacturing in a cutting‑edge environment. It is also an excellent opportunity to develop your career, as the work of the group covers a diverse range of processes, hands‑on and desk‑based activities, offering a wide variety of options for potential future areas of development, dependent on the individual and business requirements.

What you’ll do as a Manufacturing Engineer:

• You will be a key part of the team of Manufacturing Engineers. The team as a whole will:
• Train manufacturing staff to perform processes correctly
• Monitor yields, defects & process times
• Investigate defects (DFRs) and yield issues relating to manufacturing processes
• Define and carry out re‑work processes where required
• Define and carry out routine TPM engineering tasks/process checks as required
• Suggest and implement process improvements in areas of responsibility
• Write process instructions
• Monitor the performance of equipment including SPC
• Run new capital equipment projects
• Root cause analysis
• Give input to new product introduction initiatives

Over time there will be opportunities for development within the group dependant on performance, skillset and areas of interest. Example processes supported by the team are:

• Mechanical assembly (welding, brazing, pressure bonding, gluing etc.)
• Inspection (including precision measurement equipment e.g. OGP, CMM)
• Vacuum pumping and leak testing
• Machine shop
• Spray blackening
• Cooler integration
• Plating shop

What you’ll bring

We are looking for an enthusiastic, flexible and driven engineer with hands‑on manufacturing experience. The right candidate will need to be a good communicator, capable of effectively training manufacturing assistants as well as giving progress updates on tasks/projects at an appropriate level of detail to update manufacturing management. Must be capable of working independently with minimal supervision, but must also not be afraid to actively seek help/support when required. A sense of urgency is needed to support manufacturing in a timely fashion, but appropriate attention to detail, ensuring compliance to process instructions is also essential. Existing experience and knowledge of one or more of the processes supported by the team would be an advantage, as would experience working in clean rooms and responsibility for health and safety of processes/equipment/chemicals. Products are delicate and high‑value so a good level of dexterity and some experience of manual handling of relevant components is desirable. Experience and understanding of lean manufacturing techniques (e.g. continuous improvement, 5S etc.) is also advantageous. This is not an exhaustive list, and we are keen to hear from you even if you might not have experience in all the above. The most important skill is a good attitude and willingness to learn.

Security Clearance

This role is subject to pre‑employment screening in line with the UK Government’s Baseline Personnel Security Standard (BPSS). An additional range of Personnel Security Controls referred to as National Security Vetting (NSV) may apply, this could include meeting the eligibility requirements for The Security Check (SC) or Developed Vetting (DV).

Why join us

At Leonardo, our people are at the heart of everything we do. We offer a comprehensive, company‑funded benefits package that supports your wellbeing, career development, and work‑life balance. Whether you're looking to grow professionally, care for your health, or plan for the future, we’re here to help you thrive.

• Time to Recharge: Enjoy generous leave with the opportunity to accrue up to 12 additional flexi‑days each year.
• Secure your Future: Benefit from our award‑winning pension scheme with up to 15% employer contribution.
• Your Wellbeing Matters: Free access to mental health support, financial advice, and employee‑led networks championing inclusion and diversity (Enable, Pride, Equalise, Armed Forces, Carers, Wellbeing and Ethnicity).
• Rewarding Performance: All employees at management level and below are eligible for our bonus scheme.
• Never Stop Learning: Free access to 4,000+ online courses via Coursera and LinkedIn Learning.
• Refer a friend: Receive a financial reward through our referral programme.
• Tailored Perks: Spend up to £500 annually on flexible benefits including private healthcare, dental, family cover, tech & lifestyle discounts, gym memberships and more.
• Flexible working: Flexible hours with hybrid working options. For part time opportunities, please talk to us about what might be possible for this role.

For a full list of our company benefits please visit our website. Leonardo is a global leader in Aerospace, Defence, and Security. Headquartered in Italy, we employ over 53,000 people worldwide including 8,500 across 9 sites in the UK. Our employees are not just part of a team—they are key contributors to shaping innovation, advancing technology, and enhancing global safety. At Leonardo we are committed to building an inclusive, accessible, and welcoming workplace. We believe that a diverse workforce sparks creativity, drives innovation, and leads to better outcomes for our people and our customers. If you have any accessibility requirements to support you during the recruitment process, just let us know. Be part of something bigger - apply now!