Senior Manufacturing Engineer – Primary Metal Processes

Frazer-Nash Consultancy

10d•$65,000 - $80,000•Hybrid

About The Position

We’re growing a manufacturing capability focused on helping clients deliver high-value, complex assets where material pedigree, process control, and defensible substantiation are critical. This role sits at the front end of that challenge: translating casting/forging route, metallurgy, and test evidence into engineering decisions that stand up in highly regulated environments. The role As a Senior Manufacturing Engineer – Primary Metal Processes (Casting and Forging), you’ll provide technical leadership across the supply chain for heavy plant equipment (castings and/or forgings). You’ll work closely with design, integrity, quality, and suppliers to ensure that primary processing routes deliver the required microstructure and mechanical performance—supported by appropriate codes, standards, and testing evidence.

Requirements

Strong experience in casting and/or forging of heavy plant equipment (or equivalent large-scale, safety-significant components).
Solid understanding of metallurgy for steels and Ni-based alloys, and how primary processing drives microstructure/property outcomes.
Confidence working within highly regulated manufacturing environments (nuclear, pressure systems, defence, or similar).
Working knowledge of RCC-M and/or ASME/ASTM frameworks and how they translate into procurement specs, testing evidence, and compliance.
Familiarity with materials testing (tensile, impact, toughness) and the ability to interpret results in context (heat treatment, section size, sampling location, variability).
Ability to write clear, defensible technical documentation suitable for audits and safety cases.

Nice To Haves

Background in engineering consultancy (helpful, not required).
Exposure to manufacturing/qualification of nuclear or defence components, high-integrity welding interfaces, or formal qualification programmes.

Responsibilities

Provide engineering input on casting and/or forging routes for heavy plant components (from specification through supplier delivery).
Assess how primary processing choices (e.g., melt practice, solidification, reduction ratio, heat treatment) influence microstructure and mechanical properties of the end product.
Apply practical metallurgy across ferrous and non-ferrous alloys, including steels and nickel-based alloys.
Support manufacture and assurance of highly regulated equipment (e.g., nuclear-class components, pressure vessels, safety-significant plant).
Interpret and apply codes and standards, with particular focus on RCC-M and ASME/ASTM (plus associated material specs and testing standards).
Link degradation mechanisms (e.g., toughness loss, fatigue, creep, corrosion-assisted mechanisms) to starting microstructures and processing history.
Define, support, and review materials testing programmes and evidence packs, including tensile, impact, and toughness (and related acceptance criteria/traceability).
Prepare and review technical documentation: material and process specifications, supplier requirements, concession/deviation assessments, and compliance/substantiation reports.
Work with suppliers and stakeholders to resolve technical issues (e.g., non-conformances, test anomalies, property shortfalls) with clear, auditable engineering reasoning.
Capability development & mentoring: As part of our growing manufacturing capability, you’ll help shape and continually improve defined development pathways—upskilling junior mechanical/materials engineers (through on-the-job learning and formal qualifications) in manufacturing, primary metal processes, and welding technologies, while actively mentoring and coaching engineers as they develop.