Metal Components Engineer

Overview

Chanel is an iconic French luxury house renowned for its haute couture, ready-to-wear, leather goods, accessories, fragrance and beauty lines. The company combines artisanal savoir‑faire with technical innovation across design and production; as an employer it emphasises craftsmanship, discretion and high standards while operating on a global luxury stage.

Role & Responsibilities

• Analyse, specify and validate metal hardware and components (buckles, clasps, chains, fittings) across leather goods, accessories and ready‑to‑wear collections.
• Define material selection, geometric tolerances and surface‑treatment requirements to meet aesthetic, functional and durability criteria.
• Perform engineering analyses and testing programs (mechanical testing, fatigue, corrosion, wear) to qualify components for prototyping and production.
• Develop and execute industrialisation plans in collaboration with design, product development and manufacturing teams to ensure producibility and scalability.
• Liaise with external suppliers and internal sourcing to drive supplier selection, capability assessments, sample reviews and corrective actions.
• Conduct root‑cause analysis for quality failures and implement CAPA, continuous improvement and cost‑optimisation initiatives.
• Prepare technical documentation: specifications, control plans, inspection criteria, test reports and production follow‑ups.
• Support cross‑functional project teams during launches, ensuring compliance with regulatory and internal quality standards.

Qualifications

• Degree in Materials Science, Mechanical Engineering, Metallurgy or equivalent (Bachelor’s or Master’s level).
• 3+ years of hands‑on experience in metal components development, materials engineering, or hardware industrialisation, preferably within luxury goods, jewelry, watchmaking or high‑precision manufacturing.
• Strong knowledge of metallurgy, surface treatments and coating technologies used for luxury hardware.
• Proven experience in supplier qualification, sample validation and production industrialisation.
• Demonstrated ability to write clear technical specifications and to manage product quality and testing protocols.
• Fluent technical communication skills and capacity to work within multidisciplinary teams.

Skills

Experience

Minimum of three years of relevant experience in metal component engineering, industrialisation or materials development, ideally in luxury goods, jewelry, watchmaking or precision manufacturing environments.

Education

Bachelor’s or Master’s degree in Materials Science, Mechanical Engineering, Metallurgy, Industrial Engineering or a closely related discipline.

Culture

Chanel fosters a culture of meticulous craftsmanship and refined technical excellence, where creative teams collaborate closely with engineering and production to realise high‑quality luxury products. The workplace values discretion, pride in artisanal work and cross‑disciplinary problem solving within an internationally oriented organisation.