Production Engineer

Electra Commercial Vehicles Ltd is a UK manufacturer of battery-electric commercial vehicles, developing and supplying zero-emission vehicles for the UK and international markets.

We are seeking an experienced Production Engineer to join our growing manufacturing team. The role will be responsible for developing, implementing and continuously improving the manufacturing processes used to assemble Electra’s electric commercial vehicles.

The Production Engineer will work closely with Engineering, Production, Quality, Procurement and Supply Chain to ensure vehicles can be manufactured safely, efficiently, consistently and to the required quality standards.

This is a hands‑on role suited to an engineer who enjoys solving practical manufacturing problems and wants to play a key role in developing the manufacturing capability of a growing electric commercial vehicle manufacturer.

Key Responsibilities

Manufacturing Engineering

• Develop and optimise manufacturing processes for Electra’s vehicle production.
• Translate engineering designs and Bills of Materials (BOMs) into practical manufacturing processes.
• Develop detailed assembly processes, work instructions and manufacturing standards.
• Define tooling, fixtures, equipment and specialist manufacturing requirements.
• Ensure manufacturing processes are capable of consistently achieving required quality standards.
• Identify opportunities to improve productivity, efficiency and manufacturing cost.
• Support the introduction of new vehicle variants and engineering changes into production.
• Ensure manufacturing processes reflect the latest approved engineering specifications and drawings.
• Develop standardised processes that can support increasing production volumes.

Production Support

• Provide day-to-day engineering support to the production team.
• Investigate and resolve manufacturing problems, defects and assembly issues.
• Work directly with Production Supervisors and Technicians to identify root causes and implement corrective actions.
• Support production during vehicle builds, particularly during prototype, pre-production and early-series manufacture.
• Monitor production performance and identify bottlenecks and opportunities for improvement.
• Support the implementation of production schedules and manufacturing capacity plans.
• Provide technical support for non-conforming product and rework activities.
• Assist with troubleshooting mechanical, electrical and vehicle integration issues.

Process Development

• Develop and document manufacturing processes for:
• Vehicle assembly
• Battery installation
• High‑voltage electrical systems
• Electric driveline installation
• Vehicle wiring and electrical integration
• Final vehicle inspection and commissioning
• Develop process flow diagrams, assembly sequences and standard operating procedures.
• Establish appropriate inspection and quality‑control points within production processes.
• Develop process time estimates and standard operation times.
• Support line balancing and production capacity analysis.

Tooling & Equipment

• Define requirements for production tooling, fixtures and specialist equipment.
• Design or specify simple jigs and fixtures where appropriate.
• Work with external suppliers to develop and commission manufacturing equipment.
• Introduce appropriate torque‑controlled tools and measurement equipment.
• Ensure production equipment is maintained and suitable for the intended manufacturing process.
• Identify opportunities for automation, semi‑automation and digital manufacturing where commercially justified.

Quality & Continuous Improvement

• Work closely with the Quality team to identify and eliminate manufacturing defects.
• Lead or support root‑cause analysis using appropriate problem‑solving techniques.
• Implement corrective and preventive actions.
• Apply Lean Manufacturing and continuous improvement principles.
• Reduce waste, rework, assembly time and manufacturing variability.
• Support 5S and workplace organisation initiatives.
• Develop and monitor process KPIs.
• Ensure lessons learned from production are incorporated into future vehicle designs and manufacturing processes.

New Product Introduction

• Support the transition of new vehicle designs from Engineering into Production.
• Participate in design‑for‑manufacture and design‑for‑assembly reviews.
• Identify manufacturing risks at an early stage of product development.
• Work with Engineering to simplify vehicle assembly and reduce manufacturing cost.
• Develop manufacturing processes for prototype and pre‑production vehicles.
• Support prototype builds, pilot builds and production validation.
• Ensure production documentation is completed before release to manufacturing.
• Support engineering change implementation and ensure changes are correctly incorporated into production.

Documentation & Systems

• Create and maintain:
• Manufacturing work instructions
• Standard operating procedures
• Process flow diagrams
• Assembly instructions
• Tooling specifications
• Inspection instructions
• Manufacturing Bills of Materials
• Process risk assessments
• Production control plans
• Maintain accurate production engineering documentation.
• Ensure manufacturing documentation is controlled and aligned with engineering revisions.
• Support the development and implementation of digital manufacturing systems and ERP/MRP processes.

Health, Safety & Compliance

• Ensure manufacturing processes are designed and operated safely.
• Identify and mitigate manufacturing and assembly risks.
• Support risk assessments for machinery, tooling and production processes.
• Pay particular attention to the safe handling and installation of high‑voltage EV systems and batteries.
• Ensure production processes comply with relevant legislation, company procedures and automotive safety requirements.
• Support investigations into manufacturing‑related incidents and implement corrective actions.

Experience & Qualifications

Essential

• Engineering qualification or equivalent practical engineering experience.
• Proven experience in a production engineering, manufacturing engineering or manufacturing support role.
• Experience within automotive, commercial vehicle, machinery, electrical equipment or another complex manufacturing environment.
• Strong practical understanding of mechanical and electrical assembly processes.
• Experience developing manufacturing processes and work instructions.
• Experience investigating production problems and implementing corrective actions.
• Good understanding of engineering drawings, specifications and Bills of Materials.
• Experience working with production teams and manufacturing technicians.
• Strong problem‑solving and analytical skills.
• Good understanding of Health & Safety requirements within a manufacturing environment.

Desirable

• Experience within electric vehicle or battery manufacturing.
• Experience with high‑voltage vehicle systems.
• Commercial vehicle or heavy vehicle manufacturing experience.
• Experience with chassis and vehicle assembly.
• Experience with Lean Manufacturing, 5S, Kaizen or similar continuous improvement methodologies.
• Experience with APQP, PPAP, PFMEA and Control Plans.
• Experience with CAD systems.
• Experience with ERP/MRP systems.
• Experience developing production tooling and fixtures.
• Experience with prototype and low‑volume vehicle manufacturing.
• HNC/HND, degree or equivalent qualification in Mechanical, Manufacturing, Automotive, Electrical or related Engineering.

Personal Attributes

• Hands‑on – comfortable working directly on the production floor and with technicians.
• Problem‑solving – able to quickly identify the root cause of manufacturing problems.
• Practical – able to turn engineering concepts into robust manufacturing processes.
• Analytical – capable of using data to identify process improvements.
• Quality‑focused – understands the importance of building vehicles right first time.
• Safety‑conscious – particularly regarding high‑voltage EV systems and vehicle assembly.
• Organised – capable of managing multiple engineering and production priorities.
• Collaborative – able to work effectively across Engineering, Production, Quality and Supply Chain.
• Proactive – identifies opportunities for improvement rather than simply reacting to problems.
• Commercially aware – understands the relationship between manufacturing efficiency, quality and vehicle cost.
• Adaptable – comfortable working in a rapidly growing business where processes and products are continually evolving.

Reporting Structure

Reports to: Director of Design

Key internal interfaces:

• Production
• Engineering
• Quality
• Procurement
• Supply Chain & Logistics
• Service & After Sales
• HSEQ
• Senior Management

External interfaces:

• Component suppliers
• Tooling and equipment suppliers
• Engineering partners
• Manufacturing service providers

Role Scope

The role will cover the complete manufacturing engineering process from prototype build through to series production, with particular emphasis on:

• Vehicle assembly
• Manufacturing process development
• Production readiness
• New product introduction
• Engineering change implementation
• Production problem solving
• Continuous improvement
• Tooling and equipment
• Manufacturing documentation
• Quality improvement
• Production cost reduction

What Electra Offers

• The opportunity to join an innovative UK electric commercial vehicle manufacturer.
• A key engineering role within a rapidly developing manufacturing business.
• Hands‑on involvement in the development and manufacture of electric commercial vehicles.
• Exposure to advanced EV, battery and vehicle technologies.
• The opportunity to make a direct and measurable contribution to manufacturing performance.
• A dynamic and entrepreneurial working environment.
• Career development opportunities as the company grows.