Principal Product Engineer

This role exists to ensure that the electromechanical design, processes and procedures, are applied robustly across the Product Design Engineering Team. This role requires that the correct support, guidance and technical oversight is applied, across the team, to ensure that the designs of our Generators, Motors and associated product lines are fit for purpose, of a high quality, cost efficient and are developed with a ‘Right First Time' approach, to ensure we meet the needs of the business and its customers.
In addition, the role holder is required to provide specialist mechanical engineering guidance and leadership, to support the solving of complex engineering problems.

• Primary responsibility is to lead, and where necessary, support the definition of robust mechanical design solutions for R&D / R&T project/s, by ensuring the designs are technically robust, fit for purpose and meet both the business and customer needs.
• Responsibility for the oversight and approval of design solutions, delivered by Product Engineers within designated team. Where necessary, support other Principal and Senior Principal Engineering teams with design review and approval.
• Support the Mechanical Engineering teams to set and maintain the technical direction, of a product, throughout the Product Introduction Process.
• Support of, or ownership of, one or more Engineering Work Packages, for the Mechanical Design of products.
• Co-ordination of a small team, incorporating all engineering disciplines, to meet the needs of the project. These will include directly interfacing with Mechanical Engineering, Stress & Thermal, Supply Chain, Industrialisation, Validation and Verification (V&V), Configuration and Quality.
• No direct report functional responsibility, but Product Engineers & Senior Product Engineers will report technically to the Work Package Owner / Principal Product Engineer.
• Responsibility for the delivery of engineering solutions that meet ‘Design to Cost' and ‘Design to Manufacture/Assembly' requirements, against programme deliverables.
• Ensure all Engineering product designs, being run within the Product Design Team, are coordinated with the industrialisation team (D2I process).
• Delivering robust solutions & supporting the interpretation of customer and internal technical requirements, against which, to accurately design robust solutions of complex mechanical designs. He or she will also verify these designs by applying the most suitable combination of design calculation, analysis and validation tools.
• Taking technical responsibility and accountability for the oversight, review and delivery of other designer's technical solutions, within designated project groups. Additionally, where necessary, support other teams in ensuring designs are technically accurate, fit for purpose and optimised for Manufacture / Assembly / cost.
• Acting as the prime contact for advice, expertise and resolution of Mechanical Design queries.

• Providing planning support, technical leadership, accountability and direction of engineering design investigations and Root Cause Analysis (RCA) activities, designed to remove risk and develop mature products or technical concepts. The role will involve both new technology, and improvements to existing products, where unique or unusually complex problems are to be resolved.
• Providing independent, specialist, technical support and acting as a Peer Reviewer for projects.
• Authoring, reviewing, and approving engineering documentation, across Engineering and Through Life Support.
• Adhering to, and the supporting of, the teams delivery of monthly Key Performance indicators (KPI's) and engineering budget (short & long term) your associated team/s. Where necessary take responsibility for the construction and reporting of these metrics.
• Delivery of formal and informal training, mentoring and leadership support, to engineering personnel and less experienced staff, to ensure the continuous improvement of both Technical and Behavioural skills, across the Product Design and Electromechanical Engineering teams and projects.

• Educated to Degree Level in a mechanical Engineering or Aerospace design discipline. Have significant experience, developing complex electromechanical engineering products, in an Aerospace or similarly highly regulated sector. Hold a high level of first-hand experience designing and developing rotating machines, including smart motor and generator technologies. Engineers able to demonstrate a full and in-depth working knowledge of the fundamental principles and practices of Mechanical Engineering design and the relevant product specific experience will be considered.
• Significant experience in delivering robust solutions to complex design problems, and taking responsibility for the technical oversight and delivery of other design team member's technical solutions, through the coordination and utilisation of appropriate technical experts and design assurance and validation tools.
Experience of Mentoring and support the technical growth of other individuals.
• Self-motivated and a self-starter, who takes ownership and responsibility for their tasks.
• Must be able to effectively communicate, formally and informally with peer groups, other team members, suppliers and customers, both internal and external.
• Must have an understanding of engineering materials and production methods relevant to them.
• A sound understanding of the aerospace design and development process, ideally within both R&T and R&D (NPI) environments.
• An aptitude for working systematically, managing their own work and the work of others, and providing sound strategic visibility in the management of the team and products.
• Ability to work within agreed timescales and budgets, and follow tasks through to completion.
• Ability to gain credibility and liaise with the stakeholder audiences, including peers, management and customers, produce and deliver presentations to employees at any level and customers.
• Ability to analyse and resolve complex problems by devising creative and effective solutions.
• Competency with current software packages, including Microsoft Office tools, CAD systems and PLM databases NX, CATIA, Teamcentre & Windchill preferred), and a fundamental ability to review and digest analysis documentation (Stress FEA, Thermal and bearings).
• Ability to perform, review and demonstrate hand calculations and their techniques.
• Ability to support the generation and maintenance of performance metrics, to measure the quality and delivery performance of the Project team, and use this performance information to further improve the performance of the team.

As required.