I am recruiting on behalf of my client, a specialist contract electronics manufacturing business, for an experienced Product Engineer to join their engineering team in Fareham. This is a hands-on engineering position focused on ensuring customer requirements are accurately translated into manufacturing documentation and providing the technical support needed to keep day-to-day production running effectively.

As a Product Engineer, you will act as an important link between customer engineering information and the internal manufacturing operation. You will work with parts lists, drawings, Bills of Materials and engineering documentation, converting customer requirements into clear and controlled information that production teams can use.

The Product Engineer will be responsible for:

• Inputting and checking Bills of Materials.
• Planning, creating and updating detailed Assembly Aids in line with customer requirements.
• Maintaining configuration control of engineering packs and supplied documentation.
• Implementing customer design changes at agreed points within production.
• Supporting Production with analysis of product yields and manufacturing trends.
• Helping investigate root causes and supporting process improvement activities.
• Providing Design for Manufacture (DFM) feedback to customers to optimise products for assembly.
• Supporting Sales with labour estimates where required.
• Developing and implementing improved manufacturing methods and processes to increase efficiency and yield.
• Supporting Quality Assurance activities.
• Communicating engineering issues effectively with internal departments and, where appropriate, customers.
• Working closely with Sales, Purchasing, Engineering, Production and Quality teams.

For this Product Engineer position, electronic assembly experience is essential, alongside the ability to understand technical drawings and electronic component descriptions.
I am particularly interested in speaking with candidates who can demonstrate:

• Practical experience within electronic assembly.
• A good understanding of engineering drawings and electronic components.
• Previous Engineering or Technician experience.
• Strong attention to detail and accurate record keeping.
• Good written and verbal communication skills.
• The ability to use initiative and solve manufacturing problems.
• Experience creating production documentation using Microsoft Word.
• Mechanical assembly experience would be advantageous.
• Knowledge of MRP or stock-control software would be beneficial.
• Continuous Improvement experience would be an advantage.
• An engineering qualification such as A Level, BTEC or higher would be beneficial.

This is a non-managerial Product Engineer role, but one with considerable interaction across the business and direct communication with customers at engineering and quality level. The successful candidate will be expected to work within established engineering procedures while also having the freedom to identify initiatives capable of improving performance or delivering cost savings.
The right Product Engineer will be organised, responsive and comfortable working within a busy manufacturing environment. You will need a disciplined approach, strong interpersonal skills and the confidence to work independently when resolving technical and manufacturing issues.

If you have a strong electronics manufacturing background and are looking for a Product Engineer opportunity where you can have a direct impact on manufacturing documentation, product quality, efficiency and continuous improvement, I would be keen to hear from you.
Ian Broadhurst
(phone number removed)
(url removed)