hirly

MBDA

Principal Manufacturing Engineer- Continuous Improvement

Bolton

See how you match this job — and similar ones. Free.

Upload your resume and hirly scores it against this role at MBDA first, then against similar open jobs, and shows where you fit and why.

PDF or DOCX, up to 12MB. No sign-up to see your matches.

Get past the screening software and onto a recruiter's desk

hirly rewrites your resume for this job — matching the keywords and skills in the posting, moving your most relevant experience to the top, and writing a cover letter to fit. About 30 seconds.

  • Keywords matched to this posting
  • Fit score before you apply
  • Cover letter included

Matched against 2.6M live jobs from 210,000+ employers in 200+ countries.

Tailor my resume for this job →

Apply from your AI assistant

Connect hirly to Claude or ChatGPT and ask it to apply to this job. hirly tailors your resume, fills the employer’s form and asks before sending.

Some employer sites stop an application at a CAPTCHA or sign-in and hand it back with a link. Applying needs a paid plan. Works with any assistant that supports MCP.

hirly's read of this role

Seniority
Lead / management
Stated salary
£47,000 per year
Country
GB
Work mode
On-site / unstated
First seen by hirly
3 Nov 2026

Derived automatically from the posting. Upload your resume above to see how the role scores against it.

the posting

If you are motivated by supporting and leading waste / defect reduction activities that will increase productivity as we drive towards trebling our production rates while reducing our costs, this role may suit you.

Salary: Circa £47,000 depending on experience

Dynamic (hybrid) working : 4-5 days per week on-site due to workload classification

Security Clearance:

British Citizen or a Dual UK national with British citizenship. Restrictions and/or limitations relating to nationality and/or rights to work may apply. As a minimum and after offer stage, all successful candidates will need to undergo HMG Basic Personnel Security Standard checks (BPSS), which are managed by the MBDA Personnel Security Team.

What we can offer you:

  • Company bonus : Up to £2,500 (based on company performance and will vary year to year)
  • Pension : maximum total (employer and employee) contribution of up to 14%
  • Overtime: opportunity for paid overtime
  • Flexi Leave: Up to 15 additional days
  • Flexible working: We welcome applicants who are looking for flexible working arrangements
  • Enhanced parental leave: offers up to 26 weeks for maternity, adoption and shared parental leave -enhancements are available for paternity leave, neonatal leave and fertility testing and treatments
  • Facilities : Fantastic site facilities including subsidised meals, free car parking and much more…

The opportunity:

Continuous Improvement Engineers support the MBDA Assembly Operations business in the delivery of missile systems to our UK & international customers. Whilst working to reduce waste you will liaise with other functions within MBDA, ensuring they are fully aware of all improvement activities.

You will provide leadership, direction and support across Assembly Operations at all levels of the organisation.

As a Principal Manufacturing Engineer- Continuous Improvement, your main responsibilities will involve:

  • Manage the CI program for an allocated business Unit
  • Removal of waste from manufacturing processes
  • Lead the development and implementation of business metrics and reporting systems
  • Set up, support and govern CI reviews, ensuring they are robust and sustainable.
  • Development of Continuous Improvement plans
  • Supporting root cause analysis for externally supplied detail products
  • Reduce defective issues within the business which include concessions, rework and non-conformances using a structured approach (8D / PDCA / DMAIC, etc, etc)
  • Implementation of process controls & process capability
  • Create and maintain the foundation for standard work for business Processes
  • Facilitation of Improvement activities within the manufacturing facility
  • Technical expertise on Lean tool sets and change management

What we're looking for from you:

Electrical or Mechanical Engineering/Manufacturing Apprenticeship (Advanced Level or L3 Standard)

&

Electrical or Mechanical Engineering/Manufacturing Level 4 academic qualification (HNC, diploma, etc.)

&

Electrical or Mechanical Engineering/Manufacturing Level 3 vocational qualification (NVQ) *Not required if a L3 apprenticeship standard has been achieved

Or

Degree in a relevant subject.

  • Passion for Continuous Improvement
  • Working in or supporting operations in a fast paced production environment.
  • Excellent interpersonal skills and the ability to influence teams outside of your direct reporting structure.
  • The ability to form and maintain productive, working relationships with different stakeholders within the business
  • Experience in the use & understanding of Lean manufacturing / Six sigma methodologies and the 7 Quality tools
  • Leading practical problem solving exercises with multi-functional teams
  • The ability to produce, maintain and interpret data using a structured approach.
  • Manage projects and or improvement from “cradle to grave”
  • Having a sound understanding of manufacturing, logistical and engineering processes

Our company: Peace is not a given, Freedom is not a given, Sovereignty is not a given

MBDA is a leading defence organisation. We are proud of the role we play in supporting the Armed Forces who protect our nations. We partner with governments to work together towards a common goal, defending our freedom.

We are proud of our employee-led networks, examples include: Gender Equality, Pride, Menopause Matters, Parents and Carers, Armed Forces, Ethnic Diversity, Neurodiversity and more…

We recognise that everyone is unique, and we encourage you to speak to us should you require any advice, support or adjustments throughout our recruitment process.

Follow us on LinkedIn (MBDA), X (@MBDA_UK), Instagram (MBDA_UK) and Glassdoor or visit our MBDA Careers website for more information.

Original posting on MBDA's site ↗

Listed on hirly, a job board. hirly is not the employer: MBDA is hiring for this role.

Browse similar roles

Want this one?

Upload your resume and hirly rewrites it for this job and writes the cover letter — in about thirty seconds, before you sign up.

Tailor my resume for this job