Lead Product/Application Engineer
Location: Trafford Park, Manchester
Salary: up to £47,000 pa, DOE
Hours: 44 hours per week, Monday to Friday
Your Role
We are looking for an experienced Product Engineer / Application Engineer to lead this critical area of our established bodybuilding manufacturing facility. This role requires a confident and credible engineering professional who will take full ownership of product engineering and application activity, setting standards, providing direction and ensuring consistent, compliant delivery across the function.
You will play a central leadership role in supporting the sales team by creating accurate, well‑planned and commercially sound engineering solutions, including detailed specifications, project plans and customer quotations. You will be accountable for ensuring all designs, documentation and proposals meet regulatory requirements, technical standards and internal governance.
As the key link between Sales, Engineering, Production and our supplier network, you will ensure information flows effectively, risks are identified early, and work is planned correctly from the outset. This role carries responsibility and accountability, requiring strong leadership, decisiveness, attention to detail and the ability to drive continuous improvement, consistency and quality within an established manufacturing environment.
Required skills and behaviours
- Proven experience in a Product Engineer, Application Engineer or similar role within a manufacturing or vehicle bodybuilding environment
- Strong leadership capability, with the confidence to take ownership, set direction and be accountable for decisions and outputs
- Strong knowledge of relevant engineering standards, regulations and compliance requirements, with a rigorous and methodical approach to ensuring them
- Strong CAD expertise
- Ability to create accurate engineering plans, specifications and quotations, balancing technical requirements with commercial awareness
- Highly organised, with strong planning skills and the ability to manage multiple priorities in a fast‑paced environment
- Excellent attention to detail, ensuring accuracy, traceability and compliance across all documentation and processes
- Clear and effective communicator, able to work collaboratively across departments and confidently engage with customers and suppliers
- Proactive and solutions‑focused, with the willingness to challenge existing practices and drive continuous improvement
- Strong sense of accountability, professionalism and integrity, leading by example within an established team
Key Responsibilities
- Produce engineering‑ready part lists and specifications.
- Maintain supplier quotes and manage supplier costing.
- Create order acknowledgements and documentation ready for customer issue.
- Track quote status and report on customer conversions.
- Liaise with customers regarding product specifications and requirements.
- Ensure clear, accurate communication between Sales and Engineering.
- Sign off build documentation and engineering specifications.
- Manage product specifications within the Engineering function.
- Maintain control of the product matrix and high‑value parts lists.
- Prepare and complete sales quotes for customers and the sales team.
- Carry out any other duties within your capability to support the team.
Research shows that some people are less likely to apply for a role unless they meet 100% of the criteria. As long as you are experienced for the role, and hold the relevant and required qualifications, we encourage you to apply, even if you don’t feel like you meet all our requirements. We want to know about your passions, achievements, learning and growth. If this role excites you, start a conversation with us!
Benefits for you
- 23 days of annual leave, plus bank holidays
- A day off for your Birthday.
- Auto‑enrolment pension.
- Enhanced Maternity and Paternity policies.
- Access to our wellness programme and Employee Assistance Programmes, including WeCare from Canada Life (EAP with 24HR Online GP access and second Medical Opinion).
Forward Assist Recruitment is operating as an employment agency. Forward Assist Recruitment is an Equal Opportunities employer; we welcome applicants from all backgrounds.
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