Senior Manufacturing Engineer - Valo

Our Mission

At Vertical Aerospace, we are pioneering the way for electric aviation. The Valo, our eVTOL (electric, vertical, take-off and landing), 'zero emissions' aircraft will set a new safety standard for how we will navigate the sky.

We won't realise our mission following the same legacy processes and traditions our predecessors followed, instead, we want to 'redefine' aerospace best practices. We are growing quickly from a prototype business to a scaling SME, and the next few years will be critical to our success and delivering on our ambitious goals. Valo is targeting airliner-level safety certification in 2028 ahead of entering service with our airline and operator customers.

As a Senior Aircraft Manufacturing Engineer, you’ll join the Manufacturing Engineering Industrialisation team at Vertical Aerospace, where we lead the transition of the Valo aircraft from prototype to full production. This team is responsible for defining, developing, and industrialising the manufacturing and assembly systems required to support New Product Introduction (NPI) and scalable production.

You can expect to work at the heart of Vertical’s journey into low-rate production, shaping manufacturing strategy, influencing product design, and embedding best practice across production facilities. The role offers high visibility, significant technical ownership, and the opportunity to directly impact how our aircraft are built as the business scales.

What You’ll Do

• Lead Manufacturing Engineering activities across APQP (AS9145) for aircraft and sub-assemblies

• Define and deliver aircraft assembly systems to support entry into low-rate production

• Industrialise production and sub-assembly lines, including propeller assembly, to meet volume targets

• Develop and embed Manufacturing Engineering best practices across the business

• Apply lean manufacturing principles to improve efficiency, quality, and flow within production facilities

• Create and manage industrial planning for current and future production capacity

• Lead capability acquisition to support manufacturing and assembly requirements

• Champion and embed Design for Manufacture and Assembly (DfM/A) within product development

What You’ll Bring

• 6+ years’ experience in Aerospace Manufacturing Engineering

• Proven experience in New Product Introduction (NPI) and industrialisation of aerospace products

• Strong background in final aircraft assembly and production operations

• Experience with materials and processes conversion for production

• Knowledge of EWIS or instrumentation installation and minor modifications

• Experience with propeller assembly and balancing

• Strong problem-solving, analytical, and communication skills

• Confidence working in ambiguous, fast-changing environments

What can you expect from us?

We're on a mission. Where others see limits, we see opportunity, and we work at pace. Working at Vertical isn't your average role but for those seeking a challenge, a flexible, supportive organisation and an incredible team; working here is an opportunity to do the best work of your career.

Our approach promotes ingenuity and courage, while our environment builds success through diligence in safety and being open in the way we work. The only way we're going to assure the next chapter of aviation history is by working as a team, relentlessly, towards our goal. 

Our benefits

Our people matter - we're not going anywhere without them. Which is why our company benefits go beyond the essentials.

• 26 days holiday, plus bank holiday

• 5 extra days per year to buy (or sell)

• 5 extra days holiday when you get married or enter a civil partnership

• Additional 4% of your salary to spend on extra benefits

• Award-winning digital health and wellbeing service (Help@Hand)

• Company performance based bonus - rewarding company and individual performance

• Company Share Scheme - open to every Vertical employee

• Company Pension Scheme - 5% and we match it

• Breakfast on us, every day

We may just be the hardest job you've ever had, but we're confident it will be the most rewarding. Join the team today and help us shape the future of Advanced Air Mobility.

Disclaimer Statement

We encourage you to apply even if you may not have all the experience listed in the advert. We recognise that talent comes in various forms and we are committed to providing opportunities that create an environment of growth, diversity, and inclusion for everyone. As part of our desire to review and make our processes fair, we may ask you questions related to these aspects during the application process. For more information on how we will use your data, see our Legal section.