Lead Design Engineer in Crawley

At Unum Aircraft Seating, we're redefining business class with smart, adaptable seating designed for comfort, reliability, and on-time delivery. Culture matters to us. We're looking for thoughtful, respectful team players who lead with integrity, collaborate openly, and help create a positive environment for everyone.

As we continue to scale and deliver next-generation aircraft seating, we're looking for a Lead Design Engineer to lead our product development and engineering capability. This is a hands-on, high-impact role where leadership, product thinking, and delivery excellence come together.

Why Join Unum? Be part of our growing, ambitious business with a startup mentality and a culture built on collaboration, sustainability, and quality. Competitive salary and benefits include:

• 25 days holiday + bank holidays
• 1pm finish on Fridays
• Pension scheme
• Electric car & cycle-to-work schemes
• Employee discounts

What you'll do in this role as Lead Design Engineer:

• Own and drive engineering strategy aligned with product and business goals.
• Lead New Product Development (NPD) end-to-end — from concept through to certification and entry into service.
• Build, lead, and inspire a high-performing engineering team.
• Work cross-functionally with Product, Design, and Commercial teams to deliver the roadmap.
• Create a culture of accountability, clarity, and continuous improvement.
• Stay close to the work — guiding architecture, challenging design decisions, and unblocking teams.
• Drive efficient engineering processes that balance speed, quality, and compliance.
• Ensure products meet stringent aerospace certification and regulatory requirements.
• Lead technical decision-making, trade-offs, and risk management across programmes.
• Manage engineering capacity, priorities, and delivery to meet ambitious timelines.
• Build strong, outcome-focused relationships with suppliers and partners.
• Introduce metrics to track performance, product quality, and delivery reliability.
• Champion innovation in materials, mechanisms, and passenger experience.

What we're looking for in a Lead Design Engineer:

• Strong engineering leadership experience in aerospace or another regulated industry.
• Proven track record of delivering complex products through full lifecycle (NPD/NPI).
• Experience building and leading high-performing teams in fast-paced environments.
• Deep understanding of product development, manufacturing, and certification.
• Ability to operate at both strategic and hands-on levels.
• Strong product mindset with a focus on customer and business impact.
• Clear communicator who can align teams and drive decisions.

Nice to have:

• Aircraft seating or cabin interiors experience.
• Familiarity with CAD tools (e.g. SolidWorks).
• Experience with FEA, testing, and validation.
• Exposure to lean, agile, or startup-style environments.

Ready to lead the engineering behind world-class aircraft seating? Apply now - we'd love to hear from you. Unum Aircraft Seating is an equal opportunities employer. We are committed to creating an inclusive environment where diversity is valued and respected. We encourage applications from all suitably qualified individuals regardless of background. All applicants must have the right to work in the UK. Proof of eligibility will be required prior to commencing employment. At Unum, we're dedicated to creating a welcoming environment for all applicants and a first-class candidate experience. If you require any reasonable adjustments during your interview process, please let us know.