Senior Design Authority Team Leader

1. Do you have proven experience working as a Design Authority within a safety-critical engineering environment, leading multidisciplinary teams and managing the product lifecycle from design through to qualification and production?

1. Are you experienced in leading DFMEA activities, managing technical risks and ensuring engineering products meet customer requirements and relevant regulatory standards?

About the Role

An exciting opportunity has arisen for an experienced Embedded Design Authority Team Leader to join a growing defence engineering programme. Working within a highly technical, safety-critical environment, you will lead multidisciplinary teams through the full product lifecycle, from concept and development through qualification, production, and in-service support. This role offers the chance to act as the technical authority on complex engineering projects, engage directly with customers and key stakeholders, and contribute to advanced technologies that support the security of the UK and its allies. In return, you'll benefit from a collaborative culture, accredited training and development opportunities, and the chance to work on challenging, high-profile programmes.

Your duties and responsibilities will be

• Lead engineering teams across the full product development lifecycle from concept through to production and in-service support.

• Manage design evolution activities to ensure customer requirements are fully achieved.

• Review and approve detailed production drawings, ensuring compliance with BS8888 and manufacturability requirements.

• Lead and manage DFMEA activities throughout development programmes.

• Approve production processes, tooling, and manufacturing methodologies.

• Demonstrate product compliance against customer requirements and technical specifications.

• Specify and review structural, thermal, and ballistic analyses.

• Lead trials readiness reviews and engineering validation activities.

• Monitor and report on product trials and testing activities.

• Produce technical specifications, qualification reports, compliance matrices, and safety case documentation.

• Chair and lead formal design reviews including PDR, DDR, and CDR activities.

• Act as the primary technical interface with customers, manufacturers, and suppliers.

• Lead technical investigations and problem-solving activities.

• Support continuous improvement initiatives and product development activities.

• Ensure adherence to quality processes and internal development procedures.

• Deliver technical presentations and reports to stakeholders and customers.

• Promote health, safety, environmental, and zero-harm objectives throughout all activities.

You will have the following qualifications & experience:

• Ability to obtain SC Security Clearance.

• Relevant qualification.

• Alternatively, be a fully time-served engineer with recognised apprenticeship qualifications and substantial relevant experience.

• Proven experience operating as a Design Authority within a safety-critical engineering environment.

• Significant experience leading engineering development programmes and multidisciplinary technical teams.

• Expert knowledge and practical application of DFMEA methodologies.

• Experience working with regulatory standards and governance requirements.

• Strong understanding of engineering principles including materials, manufacturing techniques, stressing, and applied mathematics.

• Experience working with safety-critical products and relevant industry standards.

• Excellent technical report writing and presentation skills.

• Trials planning, execution, and assessment experience.

• Strong stakeholder management and communication skills.

• Ability to work on-site near Kidderminster five days per week initially.

It’s great if you also have the following

• Chartered Engineer (CEng) status or membership of a relevant professional institution.

• Knowledge of CAD design, stress analysis, thermal analysis, ballistic analysis, materials engineering, or production engineering.

• Experience within defence, aerospace, automotive, or advanced manufacturing sectors.

• Knowledge of Design for Manufacture (DFM) and Design to Cost principles.

• Experience operating within an EN9100 or quality management system environment.

• Bid, commercial, or programme management experience.

• Experience working with rocket motor or propulsion technologies.

• Strong customer-facing experience within complex technical programmes.

The setting for the role This position is based near Kidderminster, working within a collaborative engineering environment on advanced defence programmes. The role is predominantly site-based, with an opportunity for hybrid working once established in the team.

You'll work alongside subject matter experts across multiple engineering disciplines and have access to ongoing professional development, accredited training, and a competitive benefits package