St. Helens, UK
Company: INNOVA SEARCH
Job Type: Permanent, FullTime
Salary: £40,000 - £65,000 per annum
Product Design Engineer
Haydock
£40,000 – £65,000
We’re working with a well-established, privately owned manufacturer of thermoformed plastic food packaging, supplying a select portfolio of UK and global food customers.
It offers the opportunity to take ownership of product design and tooling within a busy, growing SME environment.
The Role
- Design and develop thermoformed plastic packaging products
- Create detailed 3D models and 2D drawings using SolidWorks (or similar)
- Apply key thermoforming principles (draft angles, shrinkage, de-nest features etc.)
- Support and manage in-house tooling manufacture
- Programme and optimise CNC/CAM processes (advantageous)
- Work directly with customers to translate requirements into manufacturable designs
- Collaborate closely with Directors, Production and Engineering teams
- Support continuous improvement across tooling, materials and efficiency
- Products are designed, tooled and manufactured on-site in Haydock before being shipped globally.
What We’re Looking For
- Strong 3D CAD capability (SolidWorks essential)
- Experience within thermoforming, plastics or packaging manufacturing
- Practical understanding of tooling and manufacturing processes
- CNC/CAM programming experience desirable
- Comfortable working directly with customers
- Suited to a fast-paced, hands-on SME environment
- Food packaging experience is advantageous but not essential if you have strong thermoforming/plastics exposure.
The Opportunity
- Direct reporting line to the Directors
- Real influence over NPD and tooling direction
- Flat structure, quick decision-making
- 40-hour week (Mon–Fri)
- Paid overtime
- 30 days holiday incl. bank holidays
- Salary £40,000 – £65,000 depending on experience