R&D Engineering Lead

Astor Bannerman | Andoversford, Cheltenham About Us Astor Bannerman designs and manufactures specialist bathing and lifting equipment that improves the lives of disabled and elderly people. We are looking for an experienced R&D Engineering Lead to lead our engineering team, deliver product development projects and support our continued growth. The Role As R&D Engineering Lead, you will be responsible for the day-to-day leadership of the R&D team, managing engineering projects and ensuring the successful development and introduction of new products. Working closely with the General Manager, Technical Director, Production, Quality, Compliance and Commercial teams, you will provide engineering leadership from concept through to production. Key Responsibilities Lead, manage and develop the R&D Engineering team.Manage engineering resources, workload and project priorities.Deliver product development and improvement projects.Lead and support New Product Introduction (NPI).Work closely with the Technical Director on engineering standards and technical strategy.Ensure products are designed with manufacturing, safety, regulatory and compliance requirements in mind.Identify applicable current, emerging and new standards, regulations and certification requirements, particularly when developing new products or entering new markets.Work with the Compliance Engineer on product compliance, testing and certification.Promote Design for Manufacture (DFM) and Design for Assembly (DFA).Ensure engineering drawings, BOMs and technical documentation are maintained.Identify and manage technical and project risks.Work across Production, Quality, Procurement and Commercial teams to achieve business objectives.Drive continuous improvement within R&D and product development. About You You'll bring: Chartered Engineer (CEng) status. (Ideally, or 7+ years' experience).Strong mechanical engineering and product development experience.Proven experience leading or managing an engineering team.Experience managing multiple engineering projects.Proven experience of New Product Introduction (NPI).Practical experience of product compliance, testing and certification.Ability to research, interpret and apply relevant standards and regulatory requirements, including when requirements are new or unclear.Excellent communication and stakeholder management skills.A hands-on, practical approach to problem solving. Desirable Experience within a regulated manufacturing or medical-device environment.Experience working with product safety, regulatory or certification requirements.Experience of developing products for new markets or territories.Experience with engineering risk management, verification and validation.CAD and product design experience.Continuous improvement or Lean Manufacturing experience. Company benefits include: Competitive Compensation: A competitive salary, discretionary bonus scheme, and salary sacrifice pension.Generous Time Off: 28 days annual leave (increasing with service), plus your birthday off and a paid 3-day Christmas shutdown.Health & Family Support: Enhanced sick, maternity, and paternity pay, along with medical expense and eye care schemes.Green & Active Commuting: Save on travel with our Electric Vehicle and Cycle to Work schemes, plus free onsite parking.Great Culture & Everyday Perks: Enjoy casual dress, fully funded social events, daily free tea, coffee, and fresh fruit, plus recognition through our "Beyond Routine" rewards and colleague referral bonuses. Job Location: Andoversford, Cheltenham, GL54 Work Pattern: Primarily Office-Based (Hybrid) Hours: 37.5 per week Right to Work: Applicants must currently reside in the UK and have the right to work. We cannot offer visa sponsorship for this role.