Brakes Refinement Engineer

Brakes Refinement Engineer Department: Chassis / Brakes Engineering Contract Type: Contract 12 months Location: Gaydon/ Warwickshire Rate £27.21 per hour inside IR35 The Opportunity The Brakes Refinement team is responsible for the engineering and delivery of a refined braking system, from pedal input through to the foundation brake, across all vehicle lines. The team ensures braking systems meet customer expectations for performance, comfort, and sound quality. Key refinement attributes include squeal, judder, creep groan, wheel honk, brake actuation NVH, and EPB sound quality. There is a strong focus on customer satisfaction, supported by the development of efficient programme delivery methods, including the use of virtual tools and the translation of customer requirements into objective, measurable targets. This role plays a critical part in enhancing the customer experience through the design, development, testing, measurement, and balancing of brake refinement attributes across the client's vehicle portfolio. Key Performance Indicator Support the Lead Engineer in delivering brakes refinement customer quality targets for one or more vehicle programmes or platforms in line with programme gateways Key Responsibilities Support delivery of all Attribute Requirement targets at each programme gateway Identify, track, and help resolve technical issues impacting brake refinement performance Support test and development activities defined in the Design Verification Plan (DVP), including: Physical and virtual testing Objective measurement and data analysis Subjective and visual assessments Work closely with the Lead Engineer to drive implementation and resolution of engineering solutions Produce technical recommendations, reports, and presentations Support competitor and comparator benchmarking, including futuring activities Undertake additional tasks as directed by the line manager aligned to the role Key Interfaces Brakes Refinement Lead Engineer Brakes Module Leaders Brakes Design Team Brakes Performance Team Suspension System Architecture Team Knowledge, Skills & Experience Essential Knowledge of automotive brake system design Experience using structured problem‑solving tools, such as: Root Cause Analysis 8D problem solving Design of Experiments (DoE) Failure Modes and Effects Analysis (FMEA), including manufacturing applications Proven ability to solve complex technical challenges Relevant engineering degree Full UK Category B driving licence Desirable Ability to identify and understand specifications influencing brake performance and refinement attributes Experience in NVH analysis Knowledge of industry‑standard NVH measurement systems (e.g. LMS Test.lab, HEAD Artemis, Prosig) Proficiency with Microsoft Project, PowerPoint, and Excel Whole‑vehicle engineering awareness and cross‑functional experience Some experience using explicit and/or implicit CAE tools, including pre‑ and post‑processing Personal Profile Essential Results‑driven, with the ability to deliver operational plans in a highly demanding environment Strong ability to prioritise workload and manage multiple tasks Clear and confident communicator, able to explain complex technical topics Effective team player who actively supports colleagues Willing and able to support vehicle test activities in the UK and Europe, typically in 2-3 week test blocks (including Spain, Sweden, and Finland) Desirable Resilient, enthusiastic, and able to deliver results under pressure Experience with vehicle testing and subjective evaluation Degree‑level education in engineering, ideally MEng