Cartridge & Rocket Motor Technician

Cartridge & Rocket Motor Technician

Chalgrove | £28,500–£29,000 | Permanent

A globally recognised aerospace manufacturer in Chalgrove is looking for a Cartridge & Rocket Motor Technician to join its pyrotechnic manufacturing operation. You’ll be assembling, inspecting, testing, and packing cartridges and rocket motors in a precision, safety-critical environment — working with advanced radiography equipment, mass spectrometers, and proof firing chambers on live energetic components.

What you’ll be doing:

• Performing radiography using DR and CT equipment to detect anomalies and verify correct assembly of cartridge and rocket assemblies
• Proof firing of cartridges and rocket motors including assembly and setup of chambers and analysis of firing data
• Measuring helium escapement rates using a mass spectrometer to agreed test limits
• Visual inspection of cartridges and rocket motors to engineering drawings, company requirements, and specifications
• Assembly of category 1 cartridges following company build plans, process work instructions, and engineering drawings
• Inkjet marking, packing into licensed packaging, and labelling for customer shipment
• Transportation of cartridges and rocket motors between stores, magazines, and process rooms
• Contributing to risk assessments, safe systems of work, explosive safety, and 5S audits
• Recording all work in progress, batch tracking, component locations, and non-conformances accurately in SAP

What you need:

• Experience in an NDT or testing environment
• Ability to read and interpret engineering drawings, route cards, and relevant documentation
• Level 1 Radiographer certification (ASNT or PCN) — essential
• Solid data analysis and PC skills
• Good verbal communication skills
• Experience using digital X-ray systems desirable
• SAP experience desirable

What’s on offer:

• £28,500–£29,000 base salary
• Initial 6-month days period to learn the role thoroughly
• Moving to 4 on 4 off (07:00–16:30) after 6 months, with a 22.6% shift allowance — bringing total package to approximately £34,930–£35,540
• Early finish Fridays on day shift (08:00–12:00)
• Strong benefits package
• Long-term stability with over a decade of secured contracts

This is a specialist role working with live pyrotechnic components in a tightly regulated environment. If you have an NDT or radiography background and are looking for something genuinely different, this is a rare opportunity.

Data Protection Notice: By applying for this position, you consent to Recruit Engineering processing and storing your personal data, including your CV, contact details, and any other relevant information, for the purpose of providing work-finding services. This consent includes forwarding your details to our clients and storing your information on our recruitment software database. Your consent will last for two years, and you can withdraw it at any time by contacting us in writing or via email.