Design Engineer

Luton, England, United Kingdom

7/16/2025

Fantastic challenges. Amazing opportunities.

GKN Aerospace is reimagining air travel: going further, faster and greener! Fuelled by great people whose expertise and creativity sets the standards in our industry, we’re inspired by the opportunities to innovate and break boundaries. We’re proud to play a part in protecting the world’s democracies. And we’re committed to putting sustainability at the centre of everything we do, opening up and protecting our planet. With over 16,000 employees across 33 manufacturing sites in 12 countries we serve over 90% of the world’s aircraft and engine manufacturers and achieved sales of £3.35 bn.in 2023. There are no limits to where you can take your career.

Job Summary

“Together We Rise”

It’s great to know you’re making a difference to the future of aviation! Whatever part you play you’ll be helping us deliver operational excellence to our customers. Based at our Luton manufacturing plant you’ll do just that. Established in 1993, GKN Aerospace in Luton is a world leader in commercial and military ice protection systems and transparencies. Offering a full range of capabilities; design, analysis, testing, certification and manufacture of electro-thermal ice protection, military fast jet canopies and flight deck windows to over 20 programmes including: Boeing 787, Dreamliner, Airbus A320, AgustaWestland, AW101, Eurofighter Typhoon and Lockheed Martin F-22 Raptor. Our customers include Boeing, Airbus, Lockheed Martin, Bell Helicopters, Textron, BAE Systems, Pratt & Whitney, Leonardo. Our Luton site is home to 370+ employees and onsite facilities including onsite parking, food hub and vending machines.

The Luton Engineering & Technology team is focussed on developing product and manufacturing process technology related to aircraft ice protection systems, transparencies and coatings for both civil and defence applications. We are looking for a Design Engineer to join our Transparencies team to support new and existing programmes including Fast jet canopies, Helicopter Windscreens and Flight Deck Windows.

Requirements

This is more than a CAD role, as a Design Engineer you will be responsible for creating and maintaining product definition and ensuring ongoing product performance against requirements. Working across the product lifecycle you will be involved in:

• New product development activities including requirements management, geometric design, materials selection, specifications, product verification, qualification and certification testing.
• Product sustaining activities including MRB, customer concession management, manufacturing problem solving, engineering change management and in service technical support to our customers as a part of an Integrated Programme Team.
• Continuous improvement of products, processes, tools and design handbooks to ensure the highest standards of quality and compliance to evolving customer, regulatory, and airworthiness requirements.
  
  

This is a full time position of 37 hours per week, offering flexibility with working hours as arranged with the manager. There may be the opportunity to work from home one day a week, dependent on business need. You may be required to undertake occasional ad-hoc travel nationally and internationally, to meet suppliers, customers and visit other GKN Aerospace sites.

Job Responsibilities

• Develop design solutions compliant to customer, regulatory, and airworthiness requirements within assigned programmes/ projects budget and timescale.
• Create and maintain design definition documents including drawings, specifications and reports detailing dimensions, materials, manufacturing process requirements and tolerances needed to ensure functional design requirements are met.
• Understand the qualification process of products and prepare compliance documentation to internal, customer, and regulatory requirements where applicable.
• Represent Design Engineering function in Integrated Program Teams (IPT) and Material Review Board (MRB).
• Identify and resolve product non-compliances with drawing, specifications, or standards. Provide technical support by implementing solutions to address non-conforming products. Create supporting documents such as permits, concessions, rework schemes etc.
• Support internal and external technical reviews including formal gate reviews by creation and preparation of technical data and presentations of product design.
• Contribute to the development of GKN as a 'Great Place to Work', aligned with the core principles - safe, innovative, open & honest, care & respect, and ownership.
• Ensure EHS policy and process adherence for your activities, and you will contribute to a proactive EHS culture in the wider team.
• Take an active role in team engagement surveys, activities and in creating a personal development plan supported by your line manager
  
  

How You'll Contribute

Essential

To help us make a difference, you’ll bring your passion and talent for what you do along with the following skills, experience, qualifications and attributes:

• Bachelor’s degree in Mechanical, Aerospace, Electrical or any relevant Engineering field
• Good interpersonal and communication skills, able to create clear, concise and accurate technical content.
• Logical and methodical approach to task planning and be able to demonstrate an evidence-based approach to decision making and problem solving.
• Able to work independently and as part of a multi-disciplinary team.
• Working knowledge of MS Office suite.
  
  

Desirable

• Previous experience in Aerospace sector
• Experience of Configuration Control & Change Management
• Awareness of Aerospace certification requirements.
• Experience of using CAD software, preferably CATIA V5.
• Experience of using SAP
  
  

You should have an understanding of the product development lifecycle, design practices and manufacturing methods. This is a hands on role, and the work will entail a high level of collaboration with Manufacturing Engineering and Operations as part of an integrated programme team to ensure both technical and programme objectives are met. You should be adaptable in your approach to work, and be willing to understudy other team members in their areas of responsibility to ensure overall department objectives are met.

As a Design Engineer, you will be naturally detail oriented and appreciate the need for procedural compliance to meet both regulatory requirements and maintain product safety. Your proactive nature will enable you to understand and adapt to new technology areas quickly. Your good communication skills shall enable you to confidently engage with a wide variety of internal stakeholders. You should seek to increase/deepen own technical knowledge through study, training, collaborative working and continual professional development.

Please note: Some GKN Aerospace programmes are subject to regulatory restrictions which may impact certain Nationalities, as such part of the application process you are asked to declare.

The position requires UK National Security Vetting (UKNSV) Security clearance (SC) due to the nature and responsibilities of the work carried out. In order for us to obtain an SC you usually need to have been resident in the UK for a minimum of 5 years to current date (but we do assess each case individually).

What We'll Offer

Once you’re on board you’ll get the following perks and benefits:

• Competitive salary dependent on experience
• Industry Leading Pension Scheme = we’ll match your contributions up to 8% on a 1 : 1.5 basis
• Life Assurance 8 x salary
• 185 hours holiday + bank holidays
• Income protection
• Shopping discounts
• Cycle To Work Scheme
• Employee Assistance Programme
• Virtual GP Clinic for you and immediate family
• Free onsite parking
• Local gym discount
• 50% off local travel card
• Free airport Dart
• Free airport parking
• Discount with a local nursery and preschool childcare setting
• Enhanced family friendly leave
• A collaborative, dynamic working environment
  
  

Join us and keep the world moving … click on the link below to apply

We’ll offer you fantastic challenges and amazing opportunities. This is your chance to be part of an organisation that has proven itself to be at the cutting edge of our industry; and is committed to pushing the boundaries even further. And with some of the best training on offer in the industry, who knows how far you can go?

A Great Place to work needs a Great Way of Working

Everyone is welcome to apply to GKN. We believe that we can only achieve our ambitions through a coming together of diverse minds who enjoy collaborating in an inspirational environment. Through our commitment to diversity, inclusion and belonging and by living our five powerful principles we’ve created a culture where everyone feels welcome to contribute. It’s a culture that won us ‘The Best Workplace Culture Award’. By embracing and celebrating what makes us unique we encourage everyone to bring their full self to work.

We’re also committed to providing an accessible recruitment process, so if you require reasonable adjustments at any stage during our recruitment process please get in touch and let us know.

We are the place where human dreams, plus human endeavour, shape the future of aerospace innovation and technology.