Manufacturing Engineer

Job Title: Manufacturing Engineer

Location: Cleckheaton, West Yorkshire

Salary: £50,000 - £55,000

Hours: 37.75 hours per week

Position: Permanent, Full-Time, Site-Based

We are recruiting for a Manufacturing Improvement Engineer to join an established industrial manufacturing business based in Cleckheaton. This is an excellent opportunity for an experienced Manufacturing, Production or Continuous Improvement Engineer to take ownership of lean manufacturing and capital improvement projects within a busy production environment.

This is a hands-on, shop-floor-focused role working closely with Production, Maintenance, Quality and HSE teams. You will have significant responsibility for identifying improvement opportunities, delivering measurable operational gains and managing CAPEX projects from initial concept through to commissioning.

The Role

You will play a key role in improving safety, quality, cost and delivery performance, combining practical lean manufacturing expertise with mechanical and project engineering capability.

Key responsibilities include:

• Driving lean manufacturing improvements across the shop floor, including 5S, TPM, SMED, standard work and value stream mapping.
• Measuring and improving OEE, identifying key equipment losses and implementing targeted improvements.
• Leading Kaizen events, improvement workshops and structured continuous improvement activity.
• Identifying opportunities to improve productivity, equipment reliability, quality and process stability.
• Managing CAPEX projects from business case and specification through to procurement, installation, commissioning and handover.
• Developing technical specifications and evaluating equipment and supplier proposals.
• Managing equipment suppliers and installation contractors on live manufacturing sites.
• Supporting machinery modifications, equipment upgrades and production layout changes.
• Ensuring machinery and engineering projects meet relevant UK safety and compliance requirements, including PUWER and LOLER.
• Leading structured root cause analysis using methodologies such as 8D, A3, 5 Whys or Ishikawa.
• Working closely with Maintenance to identify permanent solutions to recurring equipment failures.
• Providing hands‑on technical support to Production teams.
• Creating and maintaining SOPs, standard work instructions and technical documentation.
• Training and coaching operators and team leaders in lean methods, problem solving and new equipment.
• Analysing production and quality data to identify improvement opportunities and measure project benefits.
• Working collaboratively with Production, Maintenance, Quality, HSE, Planning, Supply Chain and Engineering teams.

What We’re Looking For

• Previous experience in Manufacturing Engineering, Production Engineering, Manufacturing Improvement or Continuous Improvement within an industrial manufacturing environment.
• Proven practical experience implementing Lean Manufacturing, 5S, TPM, SMED, standard work or value stream mapping.
• Experience managing CAPEX projects from initial justification through to installation and commissioning.
• Hands‑on experience specifying, installing or commissioning production machinery and equipment.
• Strong mechanical engineering and equipment troubleshooting knowledge.
• Experience using structured problem‑solving and root cause analysis techniques.
• Proven ability to lead cross‑functional projects and influence teams without direct authority.
• Strong understanding of manufacturing Health & Safety requirements.
• Good analytical skills, with the ability to use production data to identify problems and demonstrate improvements.
• Experience with ERP systems; QAD experience would be advantageous.
• Engineering qualification such as HNC/HND, degree or equivalent practical industrial experience.
• Lean/Six Sigma, project management or IOSH/NEBOSH qualifications would be advantageous.

The Individual

You will be a practical, hands‑on Manufacturing Engineer who enjoys being visible on the shop floor and working directly with Production and Maintenance teams. You will be comfortable challenging existing processes, identifying waste and taking ownership of improvements from initial idea through to measurable result.

The role would suit someone who combines strong mechanical engineering knowledge with a genuine continuous improvement mindset, alongside the communication skills required to bring operators, engineers and other stakeholders with them.

This is an excellent opportunity to join a manufacturing operation investing in new equipment, process improvement and increased manufacturing capability, with scope to take on broader responsibility as the improvement programme develops.