Applications Engineering Manager

Applications Engineering Manager Advanced Manufacturing & Defence Dorking up to £80,000 plus package Great engineering. Real influence. An opportunity to build something.

Are you an experienced manufacturing engineer who thrives on solving complex engineering challenges, enjoys working directly with customers and wants to have a bigger impact than your current role allows?

This is an opportunity to put your technical expertise at the heart of a growing precision engineering business, combining hands on engineering knowledge with customer engagement, technical leadership and business development.

We're looking for a highly capable engineer who understands how to turn challenging customer requirements into practical, manufacturable and commercially competitive solutions. Someone who can move confidently between engineering drawings, manufacturing processes, customer discussions and the shop floor - bringing people together to make things happen.

With an ambitious growth strategy and an expanding focus on the UK defence sector, this is a chance to play a pivotal role in developing new markets, building customer relationships and influencing the future direction of the business.

This is more than an engineering position. It's an opportunity to shape a growing business, take real ownership and see the results of your contribution.

The opportunity

You'll work closely with customers and the senior leadership team, acting as the technical link between customer requirements and the engineering and manufacturing capabilities of the business.

From precision CNC machined components and fabricated assemblies to complex electromechanical systems, you'll help develop solutions to demanding engineering challenges, ensuring designs and proposals are technically sound, manufacturable and commercially viable.

A key part of the role will be helping establish and grow the business's presence within UK defence supply chains, while continuing to develop opportunities across advanced manufacturing and existing customer markets.

You'll have the freedom to influence technical decisions, identify new opportunities and work collaboratively with engineering, production and purchasing teams. In a growing, owner managed SME, your contribution won't disappear into layers of management - you'll have direct access to decision makers and the opportunity to make a visible difference.

What you'll be doing

• Solve real engineering challenges: Review technical specifications, engineering drawings, CAD models and customer requirements, identifying practical solutions and manufacturing opportunities.

• Apply your manufacturing expertise: Lead design for manufacture reviews and assess CNC machining, fabrication, sheet metal processes, precision assembly and production methods.

• Become a trusted technical partner: Build strong customer relationships, understand their challenges and provide credible engineering advice throughout project development.

• Turn opportunities into solutions: Work with engineering, production and purchasing to develop manufacturing strategies, evaluate technical risks and prepare competitive quotations and proposals.

• Help drive business growth: Identify new opportunities, develop existing accounts and support the expansion into defence and other advanced manufacturing markets.

• Shape the future: Contribute to defence supply chain engagement, including relevant Make UK Defence and JOSCAR initiatives, while helping develop the business's longer term capabilities and customer base.

What we're looking for

You'll be an accomplished engineer from a precision engineering or advanced manufacturing environment, with the technical depth to understand complex manufacturing challenges and the confidence to engage with customers and influence decisions.

You'll ideally bring:

• A degree, HND or equivalent qualification in Mechanical, Manufacturing or Production Engineering.

• Extensive experience in precision engineering and manufacturing, with strong knowledge of CNC machining, fabrication, sheet metal and electromechanical assembly.

• The ability to interpret engineering drawings, GD&T, CAD models and technical specifications.

• A solid understanding of manufacturing methods, process planning, design for manufacture and production constraints.

• Experience developing customer solutions, preparing quotations or technical proposals, and assessing cost, quality, risk and delivery.

• Strong commercial awareness, excellent communication skills and a practical, solutions focused approach.

• The ability to work across engineering, production, purchasing and customer facing activities in a dynamic SME environment.

Experience in aerospace, defence, scientific instrumentation or complex electromechanical systems would be advantageous. Familiarity with ERP/MRP systems, ISO 9001 and defence procurement processes would also be beneficial.

A full, clean driving licence and willingness to travel are required.

We're interested in the strength of your engineering knowledge, not just your current job title. You may be a Senior Manufacturing Engineer, Applications Engineer, Applications Engineering Manager, Project Engineer or similar, looking for a role that gives you greater responsibility and a broader influence.

Why make the move?

Real autonomy and influence. Work directly with senior decision makers and help determine which opportunities the business pursues and how its engineering capabilities develop.

Engineering that keeps you interested. Work across a diverse range of components, assemblies, technologies and customer challenges, applying your technical knowledge to solve real world problems.

A chance to shape a growing defence presence. Help develop relationships and opportunities in a strategically important sector, bringing your manufacturing expertise into new markets.

Technical credibility meets commercial opportunity. Expand your influence beyond manufacturing delivery, developing customer relationships and contributing directly to business performance.

A business where your contribution matters. Enjoy a strong engineering culture, minimal bureaucracy and the opportunity to see the tangible results of your work.

What success looks like

In your first 12 months, you'll have established strong relationships with key customers and prospects, developed a meaningful pipeline of qualified opportunities, increased engagement across defence and advanced manufacturing, and contributed to profitable business growth.

Ready for a bigger challenge?

If you're a technically strong manufacturing engineer who enjoys solving problems, working with customers and taking ownership, this is an opportunity to put your experience to work in a broader, more influential role.

Bring your engineering expertise, commercial thinking and ambition - and help shape the next stage of a growing engineering business.

Equal opportunities are important to us. We believe that diversity and inclusion at Morgan Ryder Associates are critical to our success as DE&I positive company, so we want to recruit, develop, and keep the best talent. We encourage applications from everyone, regardless of background, gender identity, sexual orientation, disability status, ethnicity, belief, age, family or parental status, and any other characteristic.