At a Glance
- Tasks: Lead creative direction and enhance passenger experience in aerospace design.
- Company: Join a leading aerospace company focused on innovation and design excellence.
- Benefits: Enjoy competitive salary, annual bonus, generous leave, and health benefits.
- Other info: Collaborative environment with opportunities for professional growth and development.
- Why this job: Shape the future of aviation interiors and make a real impact on passenger comfort.
- Qualifications: Degree in Industrial Design or related field with extensive aerospace design experience.
The predicted salary is between 70000 - 90000 £ per year.
Earnings
Salary discussed on application
The Senior Manager Industrial Design will lead the creative direction and passenger experience vision for TAS.
This is a senior leadership role for a design leader who can balance aesthetics, ergonomics, manufacturability, certification requirements, and commercial priorities to create a world-class passenger experience, ensuring every product combines passenger comfort, visual appeal, technical feasibility, airline brand requirements, and long-term durability.
Responsibilities
- Define and deliver the organisation’s industrial design strategy aligned with business and programme objectives
- Lead, mentor, and develop a high‑performing industrial design team (designers, CAD specialists, UX specialists where applicable)
- Act as the Industrial Design subject matter expert across programmes, ensuring consistency, quality, and innovation
- Actively contribute to long‑term innovation roadmaps and R&D initiatives
- Guide design work from research, sketching, concept development, digital visualisation, CAD modelling, prototyping, mock‑ups, and customer presentations
- Oversee colour, material, and finish strategy, ensuring selections meet brand, durability, cleaning, fire, weight, and certification requirements.
- Champion human‑centred design, usability, and passenger experience
- Contribute to thought leadership through conferences, publications, and industry engagement.
- Partner with airline customers & OEMs teams to interpret briefs, develop compelling design proposals, and support bids, RFPs, and customer engagement activities.
- Collaborate with commercial, engineering, marketing, manufacturing, quality, and certification teams to ensure design intent is translated into technically robust, certifiable, cost effective and production‑ready solutions.
- Introduce emerging technologies, materials, and processes (e. g. sustainable materials, digital design tools)
- Monitor aviation interiors, automotive, premium travel, hospitality, materials, technology, and sustainability trends to inform future product direction.
- Reward
- Annual bonus (linked to company performance)
- 33 days annual leave (Increase after 5 years' service)
- 37.5 hours per week
- Health cash plan
- Contributory Salary Sacrifice Pension Scheme
- Holiday Purchase Scheme - Salary Sacrifice
- Electric Car Scheme - Salary Sacrifice
- Cycle to Work Scheme
- Competitive enhanced Maternity and Paternity pay
- IVF & Assisted Conception Policy
- Women in Business - Corporate Member
- Service Awards
- Local charity /sponsorship activities
- Dedicated employee parking
- Discounted Gym membership
- Learning and development opportunities
Requirements
- Degree in Industrial Design, Product Design, Engineering, or related discipline
- Extensive experience in industrial design within aerospace
- Proven leadership experience managing and developing multidisciplinary design teams
- Strong understanding of aerospace design principles, materials, ergonomics, and certification requirements
- Expertise in CAD tools (e. g. CATIA, Siemens NX or similar) and design development processes
- Demonstrated ability to deliver complex design programmes from concept to production
- Strong stakeholder engagement skills, including senior leadership and external customers
- Strategic thinker with a strong commercial mindset
- Highly creative with a passion for innovation and design excellence
- Strong leadership, influencing, and decision‑making capability
- Ability to operate effectively in a complex, regulated environment
- Excellent communication and presentation skills
- Postgraduate qualification or professional certification (e. g. CEng, CSD)
- Minimum 5‑10+ years experience in cabin interiors, preferably aircraft seating
- Knowledge of sustainability and lightweight design approaches
- Experience with key UK aerospace OEMs or Tier 1 suppliers
- Familiarity with digital engineering, PLM systems, and Industry 4.0 practices
We reserve theright to enhance criteria on shortlisting.
Thompson Aero Seating is an Equal Opportunities employer.
The closing date for applications is the 20th July 2026 at 17:00.
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Senior Manager Industrial Design employer: Thompson Aero
Thompson Aero Seating is an exceptional employer that values its skilled Machinists by offering a supportive work culture and numerous benefits, including an annual bonus linked to company performance and a comprehensive health cash plan. Located in a dynamic environment, employees enjoy opportunities for professional growth through learning and development initiatives, while also benefiting from generous leave policies and various salary sacrifice schemes that promote work-life balance and well-being.
StudySmarter Expert Advice🤫
We think this is how you could land Senior Manager Industrial Design
✨Join Aerospace Forums and Groups
Get involved in aerospace engineering forums and online communities, like the AIAA (American Institute of Aeronautics and Astronautics). It's a great way to meet industry peers and stay updated on job openings and trends in the field.
✨Attend Industry Conferences
Keep an eye on upcoming aerospace conferences and events where you can network with professionals and showcase your interest. Events like the Farnborough International Airshow are not just about flying machines; they're a goldmine for connections and potential job leads.
✨Spotlight Your Projects
Make sure to highlight any hands-on experience or projects on your portfolio that showcase your skills in aerospace engineering. Employers love seeing practical applications of theoretical knowledge. Show us what you've got!
✨Apply Directly on Company Websites
When you find companies you want to work for, head straight to their careers page to apply for full-time roles, like the one with Thompson Aero for a Senior Manager Industrial Design. This often puts your application in front of the right people faster than just waiting for job boards!
We think you need these skills to ace Senior Manager Industrial Design
Some tips for your application 🫡
Show Off Your Technical Skills:When applying for the aerospace engineering role at Thompson Aero, make sure to highlight your technical expertise. Include specific software skills, like CAD tools or simulation software, and any relevant engineering projects you’ve worked on. This is your chance to really shine and showcase your engineering toolkit!
Don't Skip Your Projects!:Include a section in your CV dedicated to projects that demonstrate your problem-solving abilities in aerospace engineering. Whether it's a university project, an internship, or personal work, we love seeing how you’ve applied your skills in real-world scenarios. Make it clear what your role was and the impact of the project.
Show Your Passion in Your Cover Letter:At Thompson Aero, we're not just looking for skills – we want to know why you’re passionate about aerospace engineering. Use your cover letter to express what excites you about aviation technology and your career goals. Share any relevant experiences or inspirations that have led you to apply for this full-time position.
Tailor Your CV for Aerospace:Make sure your CV is specifically tailored to aerospace engineering. Focus on your education, any certifications, and your work experience, ensuring you highlight aspects that relate directly to the role. Don’t forget to mention any internships or apprenticeships that have given you hands-on experience.
How to prepare for a job interview at Thompson Aero
✨Brush Up on Your Technical Knowledge
Aerospace engineering is all about technical precision, so make sure you’re comfortable with key concepts like aerodynamics, propulsion, and materials science. We recommend going through any relevant coursework or projects you’ve worked on – these real-world examples can illustrate your understanding during the interview with Thompson Aero.
✨Showcase Your Projects with Confidence
Make sure to have a portfolio ready that details any significant projects you've worked on, whether it’s a group assignment or a personal endeavour. Be prepared to discuss the challenges you faced, the tools you used, like CAD software, and what you learned from the experience, as this will show your problem-solving skills in action.
✨Prepare for Technical Interviews
Expect some technical questions or even problem-solving exercises during your interview with Thompson Aero. Get familiar with design challenges or theoretical problems related to aerospace; this can range from calculating lift and drag forces to materials selection under stress. Practising these can help you feel more at ease when faced with tricky questions.
✨Emphasise Your Passion and Teamwork Skills
As a full-time candidate, it’s crucial to convey your passion for aerospace engineering and your ability to work in teams. Highlight any group projects or internships you've done, focusing on how you collaborated with others to achieve a goal. Companies like Thompson Aero love seeing candidates who not only have technical skills but also fit well within their team culture.
