Phil Whitehead
About Phil Whitehead
Phil Whitehead is a Senior Manufacturing Engineer with extensive experience in the aerospace sector, currently working at Rocket Lab in Auckland, New Zealand. He has held various engineering roles at prominent companies such as Airbus and Rolls-Royce, focusing on design, project management, and team leadership.
Current Role at Rocket Lab
Phil Whitehead serves as a Senior Manufacturing Engineer at Rocket Lab in Auckland, New Zealand. He has held this position since 2021, contributing to the company's manufacturing processes and engineering solutions. His role involves collaboration with various teams to ensure that manufacturing meets the required standards and customer expectations.
Previous Experience at Airbus
Phil Whitehead has extensive experience at Airbus, where he worked in various roles. He served as a Lead Structure Design Engineer and Team Leader from 2012 to 2016, focusing on structural design in the Toulouse area. He also played a significant role in the A380 wing rib modification, addressing design, troubleshooting, production processes, and non-conformance management. Earlier, he worked as a Project Manager for the A400M Maintenance Data System for eight months in 2011.
Experience at Rolls-Royce
Phil Whitehead has held multiple positions at Rolls-Royce. He worked as a Repair Engineer in 2004 and later as an In Service Engineer Cost Reduction - Project Manager in 2011. His responsibilities included managing cost reduction projects. From 2016 to 2021, he served as a Manufacture Engineer for Purchasing and as Cost Lead for Program Management in New Product Introduction, gaining valuable experience in project management and engineering.
Educational Background
Phil Whitehead studied at Brunel University London from 1993 to 1995, where he completed an Engineering Foundation course. He then attended the University of Derby from 1995 to 1998, earning a degree in Product Design and Innovation. His educational background has provided him with a strong foundation in engineering principles and design.
Aerospace Sector Expertise
Phil Whitehead has extensive experience in the aerospace sector, particularly in managing design engineers. He worked on the Airbus A380 Final Assembly Line for seven years, gaining expertise in wing and fuselage structure design and stress analysis. His roles have involved significant collaboration and leadership within engineering teams, contributing to various aerospace projects.