About GKN Aerospace

A great place to work needs a great way of working; support us making GKN the trusted and most sustainable partner in the sky for our customers.
A Truly Global Business
Every day, around the world, we help aircrafts fly further, faster and greener. We’re the world’s leading tier one aerospace supplier of systems and components. With over 15,000 employees across 38 manufacturing sites in 12 countries serving over 90% of the world’s aircraft and engine manufacturers with sales of £2.8bn. Together as “one GKN” we’re moving our business and industry forward developing technologies that rapidly decarbonise aircraft, and innovating to help build a new generation of planes that produce zero emissions. We’re putting sustainability at the heart of what we do; driving our objective to becoming a net zero greenhouse gas emissions business before 2050!
Making a Difference
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 400+ employees and onsite facilities including onsite parking, canteen, vending machines and showers.

Job Summary

As the Research Engineer within Ice Protection Systems you’ll join the Ice Protection and Special Coatings team reporting to the Senior Research Engineer based at our Luton manufacturing operation. The team is focused on developing product and manufacturing process technology related to aircraft ice protection systems, transparencies and specialist structures for both civil and defence applications. The areas of activity cover but is not limited to: Electro-thermal systems and Electro-mechanical systems, Specialist materials and coating systems, Embedded and structural composites, Aircraft transparencies, Icing modelling and analysis, Sensing and data acquisition, Electrical and software control systems and digital engineering / manufacturing. The role of the Research Engineer within Ice Protection Systems is to support the development and demonstration of next generation Ice Protection System technology through robust product design, manufacturing process development and product testing. The role will require flexibility for occasional travel both National and Internationally.

Job Responsibilities

• Responsible for the technical delivery of allocated project deliverables, or project work packages, ensuring the research objectives have been satisfied.
• Support or lead any necessary 'hands on' development test work and development trials that are required to meet your Work Package/Work Stream delivery objectives.
• Support or lead the design of external work packages to be carried out by third parties in order to meet project research objectives.
• Responsible for raising and issuing high quality and detailed technical documentation.
• To understand the strategic direction of the target products or manufacturing process technologies being developed within your project(s).
• Contribute to Technology Development Plans and Technology Business Cases within your project(s).
• Take an active role in creating a personal development plan linked to GKN's TEF and will be responsible for delivering on agreed objectives supported by your line manager.
• Ensure EHS policy and process adherence for your activities, and you will contribute to a proactive EHS culture in the wider team.
• 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.
  

How You'll Contribute

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:
Essential:

• Engineering BSc/BEng degree or equivalent in a relevant subject
• Experience within Aerospace, Defence, Automotive or Motorsport industry
• An understanding of electrical, thermal or materials engineering principles
• Experience of materials properties and selection
• Experience of experimental design and practical execution in laboratory or test facility conditions to defined standards
• Experience of report writing and presentation at internal and external technical and project review meetings

Desirable:

• A higher Engineering degree or equivalent such as Masters/PhD in a relevant subject
• Experience of electrical design
• Experience of physics based modelling approaches for thermodynamic analysis
• Experience of design and modelling in 3D CAD – CATIA V5
• Product lifecycle experience including design, materials, manufacturing and end of life
• An understanding of aerospace certification requirements
• Developing network of companies and individuals who operate in the wider aerospace technology and engineering field

We are looking for people who want to make a difference, talented members with the skills and passions to become the best of the future in what they do. As this is a research role we are looking for a hands on innovative thinker, your work should push the boundaries of conventional Engineering approaches anticipating future technical and market requirements. The Research Engineer for Ice Protection Systems will be naturally curious, and show a strong interest in aviation and aerospace engineering technology. A self-starter and able to execute tasks according to plan. You will have a logical and methodical approach to task planning with good interpersonal and communication skills.

Ability to obtain UK Security Clearance Essential for this role.

What We'll Offer

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

• £30,800 to £38,500 per annum 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
• 25 days holiday + bank holidays
• Income protection
• Shopping discounts
• Cycle To Work Scheme
• Employee Assistance Programme
• A collaborative, dynamic working environment

As well as a competitive package we’ll offer you a world of opportunity. We want to see your career fly! We’ll support your career progression by providing you with learning and development opportunities. That’s the beauty of being part of a global business, once you’re on board you never know where you career journey may take you!

Why Join Us

A Great Place to work needs a Great Way of Working
Everyone is welcome to apply to GKN. 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’ 2021 and this year we have been named among the best places to work in the UK by job comparison website Breakroom. 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.

Join us and keep the world moving …

#LI-ONSITE