Lead Manufacturing Technician
UK
Vacancy listed 26/08/2026
Application deadline 30/09/2026
Details
Role Purpose:
The Lead Manufacturing Technician will be responsible for leading day-to-day manufacturing activities while playing a key role in establishing our battery manufacturing capability from the ground up. Working closely with the Manufacturing Director, the role will support facility setup, equipment commissioning, process development, production readiness and team development. You will combine hands-on technical expertise with leadership capability, supporting the assembly, integration and testing of advanced lithium-ion battery systems across prototype and early production programmes. As the business scales, this role will help build a best-in-class battery prototyping and industrialisation capability, enabling the rapid development, build, test and industrialisation of advanced battery systems for marine, defence, industrial and specialist vehicle applications. The role will be instrumental in embedding high standards of safety, quality, technical excellence and continuous improvement throughout the manufacturing organisation.
Key Responsibilities:
Team Leadership & Supervision 
  • Lead, and coordinate daily manufacturing activities. 
  • Conduct daily production meetings. 
  • Allocate tasks and resources to meet production priorities. 
  • Monitor attendance, training and performance of team members. 
  • Support recruitment, onboarding and competency development of the team. 
  • Promote a culture of accountability, teamwork, safety and continuous improvement. 

Manufacturing Capability 
  • Support establishment of the manufacturing facility, production areas and workflows. 
  • Assist with installation, commissioning and validation of manufacturing equipment and test systems. 
  • Develop and improve assembly methods, production fixtures and manufacturing tooling. 
  • Create and maintain work instructions, standard operating procedures and training materials. 
  • Support introduction of manufacturing controls, traceability systems and quality processes. 
  • Support Design for Manufacture and Design for Assembly reviews with engineering 
  • Capture lessons learned from prototype and development builds and feed improvements into production processes. 
  • Support manufacturing readiness reviews and stage-gate activities. 
  • Key contributor to the development of a scalable manufacturing operating model. 

Manufacturing Operations 
  • Perform and supervise battery module and battery pack assembly activities. 
  • Support prototype, development and production builds. 
  • Ensure manufacturing processes are followed in accordance with work instructions and standard operating procedures. 
  • Monitor production progress and escalate issues affecting delivery, quality or safety. 
  • Support materials handling, inventory control and production scheduling activities. 
  • Maintain accurate build records and production documentation 

Battery Pack Assembly & Testing 
  • Lead hands-on assembly of battery modules and packs incorporating cylindrical and pouch cell technologies. 
  • Support cell loading, wire bonding, laser welding, mechanical assembly, BMS integration, HV harness installation and enclosure assembly. 
  • Supervise battery testing activities including OCV, DCIR, insulation resistance, functional testing and end-of-line verification. 
  • Ensure traceability requirements are maintained for cells, modules and finished packs. 
  • Identify and resolve manufacturing issues during assembly and testing activities. 

Quality & Continuous Improvement 
  • Ensure products are manufactured in accordance with defined quality standards. 
  • Perform and oversee inspections throughout the manufacturing process. 
  • Support root cause investigations and corrective actions. 
  • Raise and manage non-conformances and containment actions. 
  • Participate in PFMEA, control plan and process development activities. 
  • Identify opportunities to improve manufacturing efficiency, quality and productivity. 
  • Support implementation of Lean Manufacturing and 5S practices. 

Safety & Compliance 
  • Ensure safe working practices are followed at all times. 
  • Support implementation of battery handling procedures and HV safety requirements. 
  • Monitor compliance with EHS policies and risk assessments. 
  • Ensure correct use of PPE, tooling and test equipment. 
  • Support emergency preparedness activities, battery incident response and safe storage requirements. 
  • Promote a strong safety culture throughout the manufacturing team. 

Equipment & Facility Management 
  • Maintain manufacturing equipment, tools and fixtures in a safe and operational condition. 
  • Coordinate equipment checks, calibration and preventative maintenance activities. 
  • Support introduction and commissioning of new manufacturing equipment. 
  • Maintain workplace organisation standards and facility cleanliness requirements. 
  • Assist with facility expansion and manufacturing cell development activities. 

New Product Introduction (NPI) 
  • Support manufacture of prototype and development builds. 
  • Provide manufacturing feedback to engineering teams regarding buildability. 
  • Assist with process validation and production readiness activities. 
  • Help develop manufacturing documentation including work instructions, visual aids and training materials.

Qualifications, Experience and Skills Required:
  • HNC/HND, apprenticeship or equivalent qualification in Engineering, Manufacturing or related discipline. 
  • Minimum 5 years' manufacturing experience within battery, automotive, aerospace, defence, electronics or similar high-reliability industries. 
  • Previous experience leading technicians, operators or production teams. 
  • Experience working with high-voltage electrical systems. 
  • Experience creating work instructions, manufacturing procedures and process controls from first principles. 
  • Strong understanding of Health & Safety requirements within manufacturing. 
  • Ability to interpret engineering drawings, assembly instructions and BOMs. 
  • Good problem-solving and fault-finding skills. 
  • Strong communication and organisational skills. 
  • Proficient with Microsoft Office and manufacturing systems.

Qualifications, Experience and Skills Preferred:
  • Experience helping establish a new manufacturing facility or assembly capability. 
  • Experience with wire bonding, laser welding or cell interconnection processes.
  • Experience commissioning equipment, workstations, tooling or test systems. 
  • Knowledge of battery testing methodologies including OCV, DCIR and insulation testing. 
  • Familiarity with ISO9001 and controlled manufacturing environments. 
  • Lean Manufacturing or Six Sigma training. 
  • Forklift, crane or lifting equipment experience.

Role specific knowledge:
  • Lithium-ion cell technologies and battery pack assembly. 
  • High-voltage safety principles. 
  • Manufacturing process control and traceability. 
  • Root cause analysis and problem-solving techniques. 
  • Quality inspection methods and non-conformance management. 
  • Production planning and workflow management. 
  • Safe handling and storage of lithium-ion batteries. 
  • Manufacturing equipment, fixtures and tooling. 
  • Lean Manufacturing and continuous improvement methodologies.

Personal Attributes:
  • Hands-on and technically capable, leads by example on the shop floor. 
  • Highly organised and self-motivated, strong attention to detail. 
  • Calm and effective under pressure. 
  • Proactive problem solver, positive attitude toward continuous improvement. 
  • Excellent team player and communicator. 
  • Committed to safety, quality and operational excellence. 
  • Passionate about battery technology and advanced manufacturing.

Location and Travel:
  • You must be eligible to work in the UK and have no restrictions for world-wide travel. We are unable to offer Visa sponsorship. 
  • Working hours are 09h00 to 17h00, 5 days a week, however some travel is expected, and flexible working patterns are essential to the role.
 

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