Principal Engineer Design for Manufacture and Assembly
Full-Time, Permanent
Westhill, Aberdeen or Inchinnan, Glasgow - Hybrid working
About the Company
JFD is the world leading underwater capability provider, serving the commercial and defence markets with innovative diving, submarine and hyperbaric rescue, technical solutions and services. Operating worldwide, the company is the world’s leading provider of submarine rescue capability and an established provider of submarine escape training. The company is at the forefront of Hyperbaric Rescue, along with being the leading supplier of commercial and defence diving equipment and saturation diving systems to the commercial industry.
JFD – part of a Global James Fisher Group
James Fisher is a global engineering services company that has evolved from its origins as a ship owner and operator to provide expertise and innovative technology across Energy, Defence, and Maritime Transport. We help our customers deliver on their promises safely, efficiently, and responsibly. With a strong heritage built on our people and innovation, we are embedding sustainability across our business.
Our strategy, centered around the One James Fisher ambition, aims to build a cohesive engineering service company in the Blue Economy.
- Our Energy Division offers safe, sustainable products and services for oil, gas, and renewables.
- The Defence Division provides underwater systems and life support for defence and commercial diving markets.
- Maritime Transport leads in global maritime shipping and ship-to-ship transfer services.
Together, we are building a brighter, bolder, and more innovative future.
The Opportunity
We have an exciting opportunity for a Principal Engineer to join the JFD team.
The successful candidate will play a critical role in leading the design and development of products with a focus on manufacturability, assembly, and cost efficiency. You will have a deep understanding of engineering principles, manufacturing processes, and cost analysis.
Working closely within the Engineering team, you will provide strong direction on the design for manufacturability and assembly methodology and selection of processes, focusing on ease of manufacturing, cost sensitivity and lead times on ongoing developing engineered solutions.
You will identify the existing manufacturing methods to selecting alternative manufacturing methods for efficiencies in manufacture, assembly and testing. Working alongside the design engineers, suppy chain, production and external suppliers to influence and refine the design for the manufacturing methods selected, whilst also investigating emerging manufacturing techniques that can be introduced.
You will also provide inputs on designed products to internal JFD manufacturing processes globally to improve efficiencies on existing products and supporting new product developments by supporting the assembly and test methods identifying best tooling and equipment to support volume objectives.
Key Accountabilities
- Deliver leadership to the design and development of products, ensuring they are optimized for manufacturing and assembly.
- Analyse and evaluate product designs and materials for most efficient method of manufacture against quantities required with a view on quality and cost sensitivity.
- Support the Head of Engineering on the strategy of DFX by (not limited to) mentoring engineers in the principles of Design for Manufacturing and Design for Assembly.
- Conduct should cost analysis to determine the cost of manufacturing and assembly processes.
- Collaborate with cross-functional teams including design, manufacturing, and supply chain to ensure product designs meet cost, quality, and performance targets.
- Develop and implement design for manufacturing (DFM) and design for assembly (DFA) guidelines and best practices.
- Evaluate and select materials, components, and manufacturing processes to achieve cost-effective and high-quality products.Conduct feasibility studies, risk assessments, and cost-benefit analyses for new product designs.
- Support negotiations with suppliers for components and sub-assemblies on new product developments.
- Proactively investigate and collaborate with suppliers on different manufacturing techniques and support transition from conventional manufacturing methods to alternative and emerging manufacturing processes.
- Check detailed manufacturing drawings and documentation to ensure that detailed information on drawings and specifications is accurate to manufacture and produce the part.
- Support design reviews by assessing and providing input to manufacturing methodologies and processes and costings.
- Assures product and process quality by designing testing and inspection methods and any tooling and equipment as required as well as training personnel to use.
- Creation of engineering documentation such as specifications, proposals, focused on manufacturing documentation and assembly instructions, testing methods, and reports.
Skills, Experience and Qualifications
- Strong knowledge and experience of identify and challenging existing manufacturing methodologies on polymer components with respect to manufacturing technique’s including but not limited too moulding, casting, 3D printing, machining and alternative processes.
- Knowledge of DFMA tools to estimate Should Cost.
- Utilise principles of Six Sigma.
- Good knowledge and understanding of emerging and existing manufacturing techniques of rubber, plastics, metallic and fabric goods and finishing coatings.
- Proven mechanical design/manufacturing methodology skills for a production environment.
- Proven analytical and communication skills.
- Skilled in problem solving, along with a strong commercial awareness.
- Maintains knowledge of new and developing manufacturing technology.
- Previous diving equipment design experience or any relevant diving qualifications or subsea product development/manufacturing experience would be advantageous, but not essential.
- Proficiency in CAD software and other engineering tools.
- Proven experience in should costing and cost reduction initiatives.
- Bachelor’s degree in Mechanical Engineering, Manufacturing Engineering, or a related field. A Master’s degree is preferred.
If this sounds like the ideal next step in your career, then click ‘apply’ now!
You can find out more about James Fisher & Sons group companies and valued behaviours by watching a short film here:
We are One James Fisher - YouTube
Due to the volume of applications we receive for our vacancies, on occasion applications may close before the deadline, so please apply early to avoid disappointment.
James Fisher and Sons are committed to taking positive action on diversity and strongly encourage applications for candidates from all backgrounds. We are proud to be a Disability Confident employer and recognise that our success depends on our talented and diverse workforce. For more information
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Please note that all James Fisher Defence roles require security clearance.