Location: Chichester
Salary:  up to £40,000 DOE
Hours: 40 hours – 4-day week, Monday to Thursday
Job Type: Permanent

About the Role

We are looking for a practical, hands-on Production Engineer / Toolmaker to join a busy manufacturing environment in Chichester.

This is a role for someone who enjoys making, modifying and improving tools, fixtures and production aids, rather than being primarily focused on CNC programming or machine operation.

Working closely with the Engineering Manager and production teams, you will provide practical engineering support on the shop floor, helping to solve manufacturing problems, improve processes and ensure production has the right tools, fixtures and equipment to manufacture efficiently and consistently.

The role would suit someone with a toolmaking, bench fitting, mechanical engineering or production engineering background who enjoys getting hands-on and finding practical solutions.

Key Responsibilities

• Design, make, modify and maintain production tools, jigs, fixtures and assembly aids.
• Provide day-to-day tooling and engineering support to the production team.
• Carry out practical bench work, fitting, assembly and tool modification.
• Read and interpret engineering drawings and use them to manufacture or modify tooling.
• Identify tooling and production issues and develop practical solutions.
• Support the introduction of new products and complex builds by identifying tooling requirements in advance.
• Create and maintain Standard Work instructions and production documentation.
• Improve existing tools, fixtures and processes to increase efficiency, quality and repeatability.
• Support Lean Manufacturing and Continuous Improvement initiatives.
• Work closely with production and engineering teams to understand problems and implement improvements.
• Use workshop equipment and hand/bench tools to manufacture and modify components and tooling.
• Where required, carry out basic machining using manual lathe and milling machines.
• Help reduce waste, downtime and production difficulties through practical engineering improvements.
• Maintain a safe, organised and efficient engineering/workshop environment.

About You

We are looking for someone who is hands-on, practical and technically minded, with a genuine interest in making and improving things.

You may currently be working as a:

Toolmaker | Tooling Engineer | Bench Fitter | Tooling Technician | Production Engineer | Manufacturing Technician | Mechanical Technician | Prototype Technician | Engineering Technician

You will ideally have:

• Experience working within a manufacturing or engineering environment.
• Strong practical toolmaking, fitting or bench engineering skills.
• Experience making or modifying tools, jigs, fixtures or production aids.
• Good knowledge and use of hand tools and bench tools.
• Ability to read and interpret engineering drawings.
• Experience with fitting, assembly, adjustment and modification of components.
• Some experience with manual lathe and milling machines would be advantageous.
• An understanding of production processes and manufacturing requirements.
• Experience improving tools or processes to make production easier, safer or more efficient.
• Good problem-solving skills and a practical approach to engineering challenges.
• A willingness to work directly with production and get involved on the shop floor.
• Good communication skills and the ability to work collaboratively with production and engineering colleagues.

The Opportunity

This is an excellent opportunity for a hands-on engineer or toolmaker who enjoys seeing a problem on the production floor and then physically designing, making or modifying something to solve it.

You will not be sitting behind a desk all day. The role is centred around toolmaking, bench work, fixtures, jigs, production aids and practical engineering support, with the opportunity to make a genuine difference to manufacturing processes.

If you enjoy making things, fixing things and improving the way things are made, this could be an excellent opportunity.