JOB DESCRIPTION: Lead Engineer - Advanced Materials & technology

SUMMARY

The Brompton is the iconic product of its type, a unique bike used and loved in over forty countries around the world. Sales have grown rapidly over the last ten years, making us the largest bicycle manufacturer in the UK, with our products still designed and made by hand right here in London. Despite this we feel like we’re just getting started and there is huge potential to make our bike lighter, more capable and more fun to use.

As a design team we are passionate about making the best bike we can and approach this in an unusual way. we design all of our own components so we get exactly what we want and need them to be. Brompton is created by us from nose-to-tail.

JOB DESCRIPTION

We are seeking a technically and commercially skilled senior mechanical engineer to lead our Advanced Materials and Technology team and help deliver the next ten years of Brompton products.

The successful candidate will bring expertise in Materials and manufacturing technologies, with specific focus around sustainable composites, aluminium alloys, and next generation of steels. The ideal candidate will also show understanding and knowledge of new and conventional manufacturing techniques for metal fabrication (including but not limited to forming and joining techniques) and manufacturing methods for reinforced plastic composites.

The role will help Brompton shape the engineering strategy for our future product pipeline and our manufacturing base. You will assess the suitability of new material options and manufacturing technologies for our future product needs. You will lead prototyping and testing to assess the engineering suitability of new technologies and run pilot studies to investigate promising options and deliver technology readiness. You will also work within a programme team of cross functional expertise, coordinating your team’s activities within the larger programme breath.

THE CANDIDATE

Minimum:

• Min 5 years experience, preferably within a manufacturing environment (i.e. automotive, motorsport or bicycle industry)
• Degree in mechanical Engineer and/or Materials (Msc. Preferable)
• Ability to work and deliver under a requirements management environment
• Direct experience with the most common manufacturing processes (forging, rolling, drawing, cold forming, swaging, sheet metal forming etc…).
• Solid academic background in Mechanical engineering or Material Science, with understanding of structural engineering.
• Concepts of Production engineering and manufacturing engineering.
• Strong analytical skills. Data driven.
• Good commercial awareness.
• Understanding of research methodology and approach. Previous experience on Research projects
• Ability to interpret and read technical drawings
• Extremely high proficiency of Microsoft Excel
• Willingness to expand their knowledge towards new manufacturing processes.
• Understanding of Technology readiness levels
• Good presentation skills.
• Good organisation skills (to manage projects with a very brief life cycle).
• Proactive, Highly motivated, a self-starter and a self-learner.
• Very good communication skills and soft skills.

Preferable:

• Experience in forming of aluminium alloys (and or steel), preferably tube forming technologies (i.e. Hydroforming) and/or sheet metal forming (hot / cold)
• Experience with composite materials, and related manufacturing methods (possibly non conventional/highly automated).
• Experience in joining of aluminium and/or steel sheets is preferable (laser welding preferable)
• A record of successful project(s) where multiple suppliers were involved

• Project engineering/project management knowledge (even if small projects - PMI/APM/PRINCE2 knowledge preferable)
• Understanding of Lean Six Sigma approach
• Minitab
• Knowledge of FMEA & PFMEA