Product Engineering Team Lead

Materials Analysis is an Oxford Instruments Business Unit that manages our Electron Microscopy and Mechanical Microscopy products, Atomic Force Microscopes, Raman Microscopes and Benchtop NMR Products. We are part of the wider Oxford Instruments Group that also includes Andor Technology, NanoScience, Plasma Technology and X-Ray Technology. With a sixty-year history, and fourteen Queen’s Awards for Enterprise, our world-class products and technologies are helping our customers to address the greatest challenges of the 21st century. The Role We are looking for a Team Lead of Project Engineering to lead our Product Engineering function and act as a key interface between R&D, Production, Operations and the wider business. This is a hands‑on leadership role combining product engineering, compliance and quality management, ensuring robust release processes and high‑quality, compliant products. You will be responsible for structuring and running the “back‑end” of R&D: establishing processes, managing documentation, guiding the team, and ensuring smooth transitions from development to production. This is a highly visible on‑site role within a collaborative R&D and production environment. Key Responsibilities Product Engineering Leadership Lead and develop the Product Engineering teamOwn and manage Product Engineering processes, including:Design freezesPilot seriesIterative improvement loopsProcess freezes and volume gatesCoordinate cross‑functionally with R&D, Operations, Supply Chain and Product Management to support smooth product launchesClarify technical issues, prioritise tasks and resources, and ensure delivery against timelines and cost targetsEnsure transparent communication on technical feasibility, risks, timelines and costsOwn BOM management and continuous improvementDrive continuous product improvements after process freezeIdentify and close process gaps between R&D and OperationsOversee realisation of SCS solutions, coordinating technical planning, construction and productionFacilitate lessons‑learned sessions after major SCS projects to determine future productisationContribute to strategic initiatives such as:ERP and PLM developmentModularisation and variant managementDigitalisation of technical processes and workflowsManage Product Engineering‑related change and improvement processes across multiple departments Compliance Coordinate compliance activities for all new products through pilot seriesManage compliance challenges and escalations (e.g. customer‑specific requirements)Organise and maintain compliance documentationSupport CE and EMC/EMV‑related activitiesCoordinate contributions from other departments where requiredAct as the internal interface to compliance experts (expert knowledge remains with the central compliance team)Support release processes requiring external compliance sign‑off Quality Management Take overall responsibility for internal production quality standardsEstablish systems to track, analyse and evaluate test and measurement dataEnsure quality processes support production rather than create additional burden (smart, pragmatic tooling and workflows)Coordinate and support production in case of quality issuesAct as R&D’s interface to the ISO responsible person, supporting:Process mapping and version controlIdentification and closure of R&D process gaps in line with ISO requirementsDrive the completion of documentation gaps within Product Engineering and coordinate closure across R&D What We’re Looking For Strong experience with high‑tech products in a product or project engineering environmentProven people leadership and team coordination experienceHighly organised, structured, and pragmatic problem‑solverStrong understanding of quality, compliance, release and industrialisation processesBackground or training in Six Sigma, quality management or similar methodologiesExperience working towards or within ISO‑compliant environmentsAbility to balance “what is required” with a focus on delivering a truly excellent productConfident communicator, comfortable operating at the interface between engineering and the wider organisationStrong project management skillsWillingness to attend training and further develop expertise in ISO, compliance and quality Note to candidate: Please submit applications in English, with your CV and covering letter and your Referenzen. Shortlisted candidates will be invited to an initial Teams call, with the opportunity to learn more about the role. Applicants must be proficient in both English and German, with the ability to communicate effectively in written and spoken formats in both languages.