Senior Manufacturing Engineer - DFM

Help Build Europe's Hypersonic Capability   At Hypersonica, we’re redefining what’s possible in European defence technology. We exist to deliver speed, resilience, and technological independence at a pace that sets a new standard. We are a small, elite team working on problems that matter, and solving them fast.   By joining Hypersonica, you’re not stepping into a predefined role. You’re joining a talent dense environment where every individual shapes the direction of the company. Our philosophy is to hire a small number of exceptional people with broad, deep technical capability, strong judgement, and the ability to operate autonomously.   We hire for talent, not rigid boxes. This role represents a business need, but the way it evolves will be shaped by the individual. If you’ve achieved what others said was impossible, or you bring a unique combination of skills that doesn’t fit a traditional mould, we want to hear from you. The work you do here directly contributes to Europe’s technological independence. What you'll do

• You’ll be the focal point between product development (Engineering) and industrialization (Manufacturing)
• Ensure manufacturing optimized design decisions from early project phases. Advise and consult the engineering team based on your expertise in manufacturing.
• Represent manufacturing in concept development, design meetings and design reviews. Flagging risks and proactively developing solutions and suggestions for improvements.
• Follow the entire manufacturing engineering process until full production rate to capture lessons learned and best practices from each program to implement into following design projects.
• Develop tools and processes to ensure an effective and efficient DFM process, supportive to Engineering teams and overall accelerating the time to market and efficiency.
• Suggest technologies and processes to be considered. Initiate strategic competence build-up if beneficial and required to a program.
• Work with vendors and equipment manufacturers to identify innovative solutions to manufacturing problems. Drive co-development for highly specialized processes & technologies.
• Operate as a manufacturing all‑rounder, bridging detailed process design with factory‑level thinking to ensure coherent design and seamless integration into the manufacturing system at exceptional industrialization speed.
• Identify process‑level risks and trade‑offs early, driving mitigations through design, analysis, or process changes.
• Produce and maintain clear documentation, including drawings, specifications, and design justifications.
• Act as a technically credible problem‑solver in ambiguous environments, closing decisions and keeping programs moving at pace. 

Who you are

• A senior Manufacturing Engineer with firsthand expertise and experience in manufacturing / assembly. Ideally combined with experience in product design or previous DFM roles.
• Experienced working on complex, integrated manufacturing systems. Ideally in aerospace, defence, or other high‑performance, cross functional environments under intense time pressure.
• Managing partners and suppliers proficiently and effectively. Motivating everyone to go above and beyond to achieve common goals and timelines.
• Dealing well with ambiguity and uncertainty, willing to anticipate, test and reconsider if necessary.
• Comfortable operating at multiple levels of abstraction from detailed design to work center‑ or system‑level.
• Experienced working on complex, integrated systems, ideally in aerospace, defence, or other high‑performance hardware environments.
• Strong engineering fundamentals covering process- and product design
• Pragmatic and delivery‑focused, able to make sound engineering trade‑offs without over‑engineering
• Comfortable collaborating across disciplines and acting as a technical integrator, not just a specialist.
• Hands‑on by instinct, willing to support build, integration, and test when needed.
• Calm and effective in ambiguous, fast‑moving environments where priorities evolve.
• Motivated by building real, high‑consequence hardware where mechanical and system correctness truly matter. 

What we offer

• A mission driven environment with the opportunity to work on one of Europe’s most consequential defence challenges, with direct impact on sovereign capability and security. 
• Daily collaboration with top experts across engineering, operations, and defence, with real opportunity to learn from the best, contribute, and grow.
• High ownership and autonomy; no time tracking, no micromanagement, just clear objectives and accountability for outcomes.
• A fast paced environment where good ideas are implemented quickly, and feedback from test and flight drives real decisions.
• A culture that values clarity, integrity, and excellence, and supports people who take initiative and push boundaries responsibly.
• Competitive compensation and real share options aligned to responsibility and impact, not tenure or hierarchy. 

Security and Eligibility Requirement Due to the nature of the work with the UK MOD, applicants must be a British Citizen (or Dual UK national with British citizenship) and eligible for UK Security Clearance (SC) and, where required, Developed Vetting (DV)  At Hypersonica, every hire raises the bar. We are deliberately small, intensely capable, and deeply mission-driven. If this role feels like a strong fit, or if you believe you bring something exceptional that goes beyond the description, we encourage you to apply.   Hypersonica is an equal-opportunity employer and assesses candidates solely on merit, capability, and potential.   You can apply directly to this role or reach out to Nathan Sweeney, Head of Talent. We review every application and aim to respond to all candidates within two weeks, whether the answer is yes or no.

Find Jobs in United Kingdom on Arbeitnow