Wind Tunnel and R&D Technician Woking, England
Job description
Purpose of the Role:
The core focus of this role is to operate the MTC Wind Tunnel and look after maintenance of its equipment, together with regular operation of other rigs and dynos, and to support for model technology and R&D projects, in close cooperation with the R&D engineering team and Aerodynamics department.
Role Dimensions:
The key responsibilities of this role are the operation and maintenance of the MTC Wind Tunnel and the other rigs and dynos in the R&D department. When on shift, the WT and R&D Technician is responsible for operational safety and to ensure a reliable and successful experiment. Besides covering shifts in the WT and on rigs and dynos, the role holder will work on various model technology and R&D projects and support experiments at external facilities and trackside. Hence, the workload will be a mixture of clearly planned tasks (shift work and projects) as well as spontaneous jobs enabling the team to react quickly to new requests or opportunities.
Required training will be provided for plant and equipment (rolling road, lasers, robotics, rigs etc.) to enable regular inspection, servicing and maintenance as well as setup and calibration. This also includes introduction and continuous learning on WT and test facility systems to allow health monitoring and fault resolution using software and data analysis. Regular safety training will be scheduled as well.
The ideal person for this role must have an open approach to learn new systems and adapt to varying requirements for ever changing projects. This also covers software, electronics and different metrology systems. However continuous training on new and existing systems will ensure all aspects are covered to provide confidence and enable the WT and R&D technician to sign off WT system and rig installations, provide wind tunnel and rig operation and maintenance and train other staff.
Principal Accountabilities:
- Operate and maintain the MTC Wind Tunnel and R&D rigs and dynos with responsibility for ensuring established safe working practices are followed
- Regularly cover shifts in the wind tunnel and on rigs and dynos, which includes work out of office hours and on weekends
- Conduct experiments successfully with signal health check monitoring and basic data processing as well as end of shift reporting and test documentation in close liaison with the engineering team
- Assistance in setup and calibration of WT systems like PIV (incl. seeding), wind tunnel model systems (incl. sign off) and rig installations (e.g. pitot calibration or model tyre testing)
- Regular project work on WT and model technology incl. harnessing, manage stock of equipment like sensors and ensure everything is serviced and in calibration
- Responsible for scheduled test facility and equipment inspection, servicing and maintenance incl. belt changes of WT rolling road and model tyre rig
- Receive regular training on machine and equipment operation within the department
- Health & safety training, including incl. laser safety, working at height, crane operation, lifting & slinging, manual handling and opportunity for training as a first aider and fire warden
- Proactively lead technical fault logging and troubleshooting applying a methodical approach and utilising available tools and data analysis to continuously improve processes
- Storage and tools management incl. spares in the wind tunnel area, on rigs and dynos, and in the lab
- Close collaboration with engineers in R&D, Aerodynamics, Vehicle Performance, Race Team, Control Systems, Electronics, and the Design Office on projects and experiments
- Assist with preparation of reports and guidelines and training of other staff
- Occasional support trackside and at external test facilities which may involve travel and work outside UK
Knowledge, Skills and Experience:
- Experience in operation of test installations, machinery, and safety critical equipment
- Hands-on experience in assembly of systems for wind tunnel, rig and dyno testing
- Familiarity with GUI based control software for plant and test rig installations
- Ability to create and repair electric wiring would be beneficial
- Sound knowledge of computers and basic applications (MS Office)
- Maintaining a basic understanding of CAD software for assembly interrogation (training provided)
- Experience in control systems, data processing and analysis is desirable
Personal Attributes:
- A team player who can support others whilst also getting involved in day-to-day tasks as necessary.
- Methodical approach to solve problems while keeping a cool head in stressful situations.
- Able to promote ‘best practice’ working standards and contribute to documentation.
- Flexibility in responding to critical deadlines.
- A drive and commitment to continuous improvement and high attention to detail
- Curiosity and eagerness to learn new things.
- Self-motivated with high levels of initiative and can-do attitude.
- Good interpersonal and communication skills.
What can McLaren offer?
We strive to provide a fun, innovative, collaborative and open culture where everyone’s input is welcome, and everyone feels part of our achievements. We work hard to create a culture of continuous improvement and support this with a proactive approach to management and personal development.
McLaren Racing is based at the iconic McLaren Technology Centre on the edge of Woking. Our large campus includes a gym, swimming pool, restaurant and indoor and outdoor break-out areas, as well as direct access to park land. MTC is connected to Woking mainline station via regular shuttle buses, from which London Waterloo is a 32min train ride.
We encourage hybrid working patterns to give you options to balance your home life and hobbies with your work, and offer a comprehensive package of benefits including private healthcare, car schemes, life insurance and generous pension contributions.
