Shift Team Leader - AIT

Expleo Group; Stevenage; On-site; GBP 40,000 - 60,000; Full time

Job summary

A leading aerospace technology firm in Stevenage is seeking a Shift Team Leader - AIT to oversee assembly, integration, and test activities. Responsibilities include managing team performance, ensuring compliance with safety standards, and driving continuous improvements. Ideal candidates will have experience in mechanical assembly, an HNC or HND in engineering, and familiarity with clean-room practices. This role offers competitive company benefits and opportunities for professional development.

Benefits

Collaborative working environment

ExpleoAcademy for skills development

Competitive company benefits

Qualifications

• Experience in a production environment related to mechanical assembly or electrical/RF test.
• High mechanical skills and relevant experience.
• Experience working in a clean-room environment.

Responsibilities

• Coordinate shop floor Assembly, Integration and Test activities.
• Ensure the shift team meets production tasks and quality.
• Monitor team performance and adherence to plans.

Skills

Mechanical assembly

Electrical/RF test

Lean manufacturing techniques

Good planning skills

Problem-solving

Teamwork

Education

HNC or HND in engineering/maintenance

Apprenticeship in Aerospace/Space

Job description

Join to apply for the Shift Team Leader - AIT role at Expleo Group

As part of our continued support to our customer in the space sector we are looking for a number of AIT Shift Team leads to join us on a permanent or contract basis. The salary/rate is negotiable based on experience, seniority, etc.

The Spacecraft Production Shift Team Leader is responsible for shop floor co-ordination of the Assembly, Integration and Test activities of Spacecraft Payloads and active antennas. Ensuring the shift team are focused on the correct priorities so that production tasks are completed to strict deadlines and of the highest quality.

This vacancy presents an exciting opportunity for ambitious individuals to develop and grow their skills and knowledge within a thriving organisation. The job holder will be engaged in a wide variety of mechanical operations/activities covering all areas of assembly and integration on spacecraft payloads. Although not essential, specific experience in RF and optical cable routing and assembly, as well as clean room experience, are highly sought after.

This is an area of significant growth within Expleo, an area where we are looking at growing future team leads from within. Demonstrating our commitment to continue to grow our space business.

Responsibilities

• Health and Safety - Comply with production area Health and Safety requirements and practices, including handling of hazardous substances in accordance with COSHH requirements. Ensure the team adheres to PPE requirements and monitor safe working practices. Conduct shop floor safety observations and raise FISH incidents when necessary. Support the H&S champions within the bay and ensure they carry out their daily duties.
• Team Output - Responsible for the output of the team related to Mechanical integration activities and electrical test activities. Challenge the team to perform to the expected standard/duration/quality. Provide technical support and resolve issues locally as the first point of technical expertise (utilising the manufacturing process engineers and test ops support engineers to fill in expertise gaps).
• Plan adherence - Monitor the performance of the team against the plan; accountable for operator efficiency within their span of control, contributing to efficiency loss/waste/CVAT/CNQ KPIs. Monitor burn down of hours in the plan and feed back to manufacturing engineering when durations are inaccurate.
• Work to list - Work with the Lead Engineers/Production Manager to agree and deliver the daily/weekly contract of work to be carried out and highlight any difficulties based on skill, resource, tools, and means. Ensure the order of priorities is clearly understood and communicated to the team. Allocate tasks based on skills and competence levels.
• Workplace standard - Ownership of local workspace standards including 5S policy, tool control and end-of-shift cleanup.
• Team performance management - Manage team performance activities including leading SQCDP meetings (maintaining KPIs and actions) and process confirmation activities. Ensure all tasks are carried out to the correct level of quality and production WOs traceability is maintained.
• Continuous improvement - Contribute to process improvement idea generation within the operations team and partake in MFTs as required.
• Leader and Role model - Looks after the team’s wellbeing and morale. Coaches new starters and supports the team. Responsible for the team’s discipline and enforcing cleanroom rules and standards. Monitors team arrival and break times to ensure adherence to company policy. Raise any performance issues with the production manager and provide constructive feedback to help with development.

Qualifications

• Experience in a production environment related to mechanical assembly or electrical/RF test
• HNC or HND in engineering/maintenance OR Apprenticeship in Aerospace/Space or other high quality production field with experience in mechanical engineering

Essential Skills

• Appreciation of satellite integration processes and project phases
• Satellite Appendage installation process (Solar Array, reflectors, antennas, deployable systems)
• Good understanding and detailed experience of complex mechanical systems
• Lean manufacturing techniques including 5S, root cause analysis and continuous improvement
• Knowledge and experience in the production of high quality documentation (test specs, test plans, test procedures, AIT Plans, DDV plans)
• High mechanical skills and relevant experience
• Writing Procedures and process control
• High self-motivation and ability to deal with changing priorities on a multi-project basis
• Good problem-solving skills (technical, logistics and organizational)
• Good planning skills and process competence, (MRP system experience an advantage)
• Good communication skills, both written and verbal
• Ability to work in a team

Experience

• Experience working in a high quality production environment relating to mechanical assembly
• Experience working in a clean-room environment including FOD/ESD practices
• Prior AIT experience
• Previous experience of payload builds is a distinct advantage

What Do I Need Before I Apply

• The role will be based at our customer’s facility in Stevenage and will require successful candidates to work from our customer site 5 days per week.

Benefits

• Collaborative working environment – we stand shoulder to shoulder with our clients and our peers through good times and challenges
• We empower all passionate technology loving professionals by allowing them to expand their skills and take part in inspiring projects
• ExpleoAcademy - enables you to acquire and develop the right skills by delivering a suite of accredited training courses
• Competitive company benefits
• Always working as one team, our people are not afraid to think big and challenge the status quo

We are an equal opportunities employer and welcome applications from all suitably qualified persons regardless of their race, sex, disability, religion/belief, sexual orientation or age.

We treat everyone fairly and equitably across the organisation, including providing any additional support and adjustments needed for everyone to thrive

Seniority level

• Mid-Senior level

Employment type

• Other

Job function

• Industries
• IT Services and IT Consulting