Principal Manufacturing Engineer

Principal Manufacturing Engineer Based in Henlow Salary up to £50,000 Most Manufacturing Engineers are good at the technical side. Fewer are good at the people side. This role needs both. You'll be leading a team of Senior Manufacturing Engineers on a site that's growing, with real investment going in, production rates increasing, and a pipeline that isn't slowing down. That means your fingerprints will be on how this manufacturing function scales, not just how it runs. Day to day: managing workloads, driving CI, representing the team at cross-functional forums, and getting involved in DfM conversations with the design authority early enough to actually make a difference. There's also genuine scope to get into manufacturing architecture and factory of the future concepts if that interests you. You'll need a solid engineering background, experience interpreting design drawings and developing manufacturing methods, and the confidence to lead a team rather than just work in one. Defence or aerospace sector experience is an advantage; the right mindset and technical foundation matters more. The role is site-based in Henlow, 4-5 days per week. Security clearance is required, so UK nationality is a pre-requisite. The package is competitive: bonus up to £2,500, pension contributions to 14%, paid overtime, up to 15 days flexi leave, and a benefits stack that reflects the employer's intent to keep good people. If you're currently a Senior Manufacturing Engineer ready to lead, or already at Principal level and looking for a role with real scope, this is worth a look