Sayer applied for an engineering position at Jaguar. He was interviewed by William Heynes Chief Engineer (1935) and Technical Director (1946). Heynes who had a mathematics honours degree recognised Sayers' aerodynamic mathematical approach and also importantly Heynes had been involved during wartime with aircraft production and was familiar with aircraft fuselage alloy construction. Sayer started work at Jaguar Cars Engineering drawing office in early 1951. He described himself as an industrial designer and artist. He loathed the term 'stylist', saying he was not a hairdresser.