Phil Whitehead
About Phil Whitehead
Phil Whitehead is a Senior Manufacturing Engineer currently working at Rocket Lab in Auckland, New Zealand. He has extensive experience in aerospace engineering, having held various roles at Airbus and Rolls-Royce, including significant contributions to the Airbus A380 project.
Work at Rocket Lab
Phil Whitehead has been employed at Rocket Lab as a Senior Manufacturing Engineer since 2021. In this role, he applies his extensive experience in aerospace engineering to enhance manufacturing processes. His responsibilities include overseeing production efficiency and ensuring quality standards are met. His background in structural design and engineering contributes to Rocket Lab's mission of advancing space technology.
Experience at Airbus
Phil Whitehead worked at Airbus for several years, holding multiple positions that contributed to his expertise in aerospace engineering. He served as a Lead Structure Design Engineer from 2012 to 2016, where he led a team in the Toulouse Area, France. Prior to that, he was a Structural Engineer - Liaison Engineer from 2005 to 2010. His tenure at Airbus included significant involvement in the A380 Final Assembly Line, where he focused on wing and fuselage structure design and stress.
Experience at Rolls-Royce
Phil Whitehead's career at Rolls-Royce spanned various roles from 2004 to 2021. He began as a Repair Engineer in 2004 and later transitioned to positions such as Manufacture Engineer for Purchasing and Cost Lead – Program Management for New Product Introduction. His role as In Service Engineer Cost Reduction - Project Manager in 2011 involved managing cost reduction initiatives. Throughout his time at Rolls-Royce, he was involved in customer liaison and project management.
Education and Expertise
Phil Whitehead studied at Brunel University London, where he completed an Engineering Foundation from 1993 to 1995. He furthered his education at the University of Derby, achieving a degree in Product Design and Innovation from 1995 to 1998. His educational background laid the foundation for his extensive career in aerospace engineering, particularly in structural design and manufacturing processes.
Key Contributions to Aerospace Engineering
Throughout his career, Phil Whitehead has made significant contributions to aerospace engineering projects. Notably, he played a critical role in the A380 wing rib modification, where he was involved in design, troubleshooting, production processes, and non-conformance management. His experience in managing teams of design engineers has been instrumental in meeting project goals and customer expectations in the aerospace sector.