Mechanical Manufacturing Engineer

Ready to make massive impact with microscopic magic? 

Are you a Mechanical Manufacturing Engineer who is ready to support our operational manufacturing development activity, with a focus on optical performance. This is a hands-on role responsible for championing continuous improvement of our complex opto-mechanical systems. 

Do you enjoy working at the intersection of mechanical engineering, optical alignment, and precision assembly whilst collaborating closely with key stakeholders to develop scalable build processes for high-precision opto-mechanical systems. 

If this sounds like you, read on…. 

Reward and Benefits:  

• £45,000 to 59,000 (depending on experience)  

• 25 days annual leave, death in service and private health care benefits, personal pension contributions of 4% with salary sacrifice and a generous EMI Share scheme 

Based in Abingdon, Oxford, UK, we are a high calibre team of 100 plus people and we are growing fast. We are backed by global financial and industry investors including Applied Ventures, the strategic venture arm of the industry leading equipment company. 

About the role:  

This role will focus on translating high-performance designs into robust, repeatable manufacturing processes while maintaining the precision, stability, and reliability required for Atomic Force Microscopy (AFM) systems. 

A typical day for a Mechanical Manufacturing Engineer could look like this: 

 Manufacturing Process Development 

• Developing and implementing reliable manufacturing processes for complex optomechanical assemblies used in AFM systems 

• Translating prototype builds into scalable production workflows while protecting precision and repeatability 

• Designing supportive assembly procedures, tooling, fixtures and clear work instructions 

• Establishing process capability and building manufacturing readiness for new product introductions 

Opto-Mechanical Assembly & Alignment 

• Leading the development of precise assembly and alignment processes for optical and mechanical subsystems 

• Collaborating with Engineering to ensure mechanical designs align with Design For Manufacturing (DFM) principles 

• Creating intuitive procedures for optomechanical alignment, calibration and verification in production environments 

New Product Introduction (NPI) 

• Partnering closely with Engineering to guide smooth design transfer into production 

• Providing practical DFM feedback throughout development 

• Supporting pilot builds, validation builds and early production ramps with a steady, collaborative approach 

• Identifying and resolving mechanical manufacturing challenges early and constructively 

Production Scaling 

• Working hand in hand with Quality to lift throughput, yield and consistency 

• Spotting opportunities for automation, modularisation and improved assembly flow 

• Supporting planning for production ramps as manufacturing capacity grows 

Tooling, Fixtures & Test Systems 

• Designing and implementing precision tooling and fixtures that empower repeatable optomechanical assembly 

• Developing test and calibration setups to validate system performance during production 

Cross Functional Collaboration 

• Working closely with Engineering, NPI, Quality, Supply Chain and Customer Support to keep everyone aligned 

• Supporting supplier development for precision components and optomechanical assemblies 

• Contributing to root cause investigations for manufacturing or field performance issues 

• Offering hands on technical support to production technicians and manufacturing teams 

Who we are looking for: 

To succeed as a Mechanical Manufacturing Engineer, we do need you to have experience of: 

• Working in high precision opto-mechanical equipment manufacturing environments 

• Has operated in a low volume, high value, complex opto-mechanical manufacturing scale-up environment 

• Familiarity with systems involving vibration isolation and precision motion control 

• Proven experience working in a fast-paced environment where good judgement needs to be exercised 

• Familiarity with manufacturing techniques for tight tolerance systems 

• Experience with NPI – transferring new designs to production 

• Strong knowledge of DFM, operational excellence and process capability methods 

• Ownership mindset – drives accountability for outcomes 

• Leadership mindset – solves for business need, not just departmental 

• Hands-on problem solver who thrives in highly technical environments 

  

Nice to have: 

• Semiconductor equipment and/or laser manufacturing  

• Proficiency with CAD tools and engineering documentation 

Education / Qualifications:  

Either a Mechanical Engineering Degree or similar, or a clear equivalent path through relevant apprenticeship or accumulated experience.  

We look for these attributes for our team: 

• Self-management: Able to work independently, setting priorities for own work based upon the company goals and targets. 

• Teamwork: Engages with other members of the company to bring the best solutions to the problem. Recognise the value that fellow company members bring to enhance own abilities. Supports colleagues with their tasks when critical to the company goals. 

• Impact and Influence: Establishes themselves as the knowledge centre in their own field. 

• Ownership & Initiative: React and address both short- and medium-term issues and proactively takes action to solve them. 

• Results Orientation: Focus on the company goal, avoid distraction, making timely decisions to achieve the target. 

 A bit about us:  

Infinitesima is a privately owned company founded in 2001, as a spin-out of the University of Bristol, by CTO Professor Andrew Humphris. Our dynamic team of scientists and engineers is focussed on enabling the next generation of semiconductor devices through delivery of innovative products to customers around the world.  

Our strength lies in the varied perspectives that come from different cultures, experiences, and identities. We believe that true innovation is fuelled by collaboration, locally and globally. We strive to foster an environment where everyone can contribute meaningfully and thrive. If you require adjustments to take part in the recruitment process, please let us know, we’ll do our best to support you. 

Note to recruitment agencies: Infinitesima Ltd only works with approved agencies and does not accept unsolicited agency CVs. Please do not submit candidate details in response to this advert, or to any Infinitesima Ltd employees. Infinitesima Ltd is not responsible for any fees related to unsolicited CVs. 

A note on how we run interviews: 
We use AI only to transcribe our interviews so we can focus fully on you instead of scribbling notes. The AI does not take part in any decision making at any stage. All hiring decisions are made by real humans based on the conversation we have with you.