Background
No restraints. No limitations. We don’t simply push boundaries. We completely rethink them. McLaren Automotive exists to create breath-taking performance road cars.
With innovation at the core of all we do, every challenge starts with the same question. How can we do it better? This restless spirit runs right through McLaren Automotive. And the search for perfection is evident in everything we do.
Purpose of Role
Our Manufacturing Engineering team are growing to support our business plan. New Models mean more opportunity to develop and create new and innovative processes whilst standardising around how we perfect each, and every model we build.
As one of our Business Strategy - Lead Manufacturing Engineers you will lead the development and execution of practices driving improvement in Project Management, Safety, Quality, Cost Management, People Development, and Product Delivery within our Production facilities.
You will have the opportunity to work with expert teams across the business as well as within your own functional area to deliver all program aspects from inception into Series production.
You will assist the Manufacturing Engineering Manager in scoping, specifying, and delivering best operational practices in alignment with brand expectations; and lead the development of departmental budgets as contributor to overall program business cases.
Principal Accountabilities
Achieving all project gateway milestones is key to the successful delivery of all new products & practices, as such you will be the department lead in the delivery of all program objectives for your project to ensure this happens.
This includes the development and execution of the following deliverables for each introduction:
Equipment & Process Development
- Design and deliver entire or partial production lines and processes
- Integrate new vehicle models into existing facilities
- Define and implement line re-rate projects (Capacity increase / transformation)
- Support with the definition of the process flow, build sequence, logistics strategies, equipment, and tooling specifications for specific (Paint / Body Assembly / General Assembly / Trim & Final) Process Areas
- Develop strategies and business cases that justifies the benefit for automation based on quality, cost, ergo, and / or throughput requirements
- Partner with Operations teams to ensure a successful ramp and long-term production at our facilities
- Develop equipment qualification requirements including correlation, process capability (CP/CPk) and Gage Repeatability & Reproducibility (GR&R)
- Management of equipment suppliers / partners during specification, design, buyoff, installation, commissioning and ramp up
- Drive the continuous evolution of McLaren processes & equipment standards
- Provide regular, metric-based project updates to the Leadership team.
- Lead project activities from concept layout development, equipment design, specifications, RFQ, schedule, installation, commissioning, start-up, training & buyoff.
- Develop Request for Quotation (RFQ) that defines the design, engineering, and timeline requirements
- Define Equipment design requirements like UPD, Uptime, availability, MTTR, MTBF, ergo, and Safety
- Plan / coordinate installation of new Tooling, Equipment and Automation systems for new models in conjunction with process and product requirements
- Alongside Supplier & Internal stakeholders ensure detailed documentation & drawings for new equipment, instruction manuals, spare parts lists, operating procedures, maintenance procedures and other important documents are received, written to standards, and updated to reflect any changes
- Collaborate with various teams including design, quality, controls, process, production to deliver optimum manufacturing solution
- Ensure achievement of safety, quality, cost, timing & performance targets
Team Development
- Support the other Manufacturing Engineering / Launch groups with delivering a concurrent engineering approach to ensure that decisions and solutions are optimized for McLaren Automotive operations
- Actively look for ways to add value beyond specifically assigned scope of work
- Mentor and provide guidance to Manufacturing Engineering team members
Coalesce and influence the following cross functional business activities to achieve Project deliverables such as:
- Concept / Design Reviews
- PFMEA & DFMEA
- Control Plan creation & handover to Series Production
Knowledge, Skills and Experience
- A degree in Mechanical / Automotive engineering or similar or equivalent experience in a similar role
- 5+ years of experience in an engineering role related to automated equipment and processes, preferably from concept definition to fully ramped.
Ideally you will have experience with:
- Demonstrated ability to optimize existing processes for rate, yield, availability
- Detailed knowledge of manufacturing and processing principles (cycle time analysis, quality control, equipment efficiency, equipment selection, return on investment, error proofing, ergonomics, material logistics)
- Demonstrated ability to effectively solve difficult technical problems
- Ability to work independently with only general guidance.
- Ability to lead technical team members
- Capable of working as a member of a team across several cross functional disciplines, including with external stakeholders.
- Good verbal and written communication skills.
- Experience working in both 2D & 3D CAD environments
- Experience with robot automation cells
- Experience in compliance with Health & Safety (e.g. DSEAR & COSHH) regulations
- Experience with conveyors & controls automation
- Knowledge of GD&T principles in developing detailed RFQ
- Experience and understanding of Construction Design & Management (CDM) regulations and compliance
Personal Attributes
- The ability to lead and encourage by displaying a positive attitude and practice strong work ethics that reflects the mission, philosophy, and goals of McLaren.
- As one of our Senior team you will naturally have an understanding and appreciation for low volume, high value performance vehicle production and brand requirements.
- We work in a fast-paced environment so the ability to act under pressure with calmness, clarity of thought and decisive authority is crucial. Change is a natural part of our business and candidates must be agile to plans and procedures changing.
- You will need to travel to off-site development facilities, within the UK and overseas, therefore a flexible approach to travel is required
- You will have the determination to drive forward the business to ‘Best in Class’ performance standards in line with brand expectations and be a lateral thinker able to think outside of the box to make structured and objective decisions
- Other traits of a successful McLaren employee will include excellent communication skills both written and verbal, to all levels of the business. Excellent attention to detail and strong data analysis skills including the use of all Microsoft Office applications, specifically with Microsoft Excel