Principal Mechanical Design Engineer

Job title Principal Mechanical Design Engineer  Division Asset Operations & Capital Delivery Location Hybrid - Clearwater Court - RG1 8DB
Contract type Permanent Full/Part-time Full-time Salary Offering between £65,000 to £80,000 per annum, depending on the skills and experience of the successful candidate plus £5.8k car allowance Job grade C Closing date 01/10/2025

Lead the Future of Water Engineering – Become Our Principal Mechanical Design Engineer

Are you ready to shape the future of water and wastewater infrastructure? As ourPrincipal Mechanical Design Engineer, you’ll take the lead in driving innovation, setting engineering standards, and mentoring a talented team of professionals. This is more than a technical role — it’s a strategic opportunity to become the ‘Intelligent Client’ at the heart of our AMP8 ambitions and beyond. Your expertise will be pivotal in delivering sustainable, high-performing assets that make a real difference to communities and the environment.

What you’ll be doing as a Principal Mechanical Design Engineer

• Set precise technical requirements with Project Definition Briefs for strong project foundations.
• Refine Technical Asset Standards to enhance process efficiency and effectiveness.
• Uphold engineering standards in Mechanical Engineering to optimise asset performance.
• Lead the development of innovative designs for the water and wastewater sectors.
• Inspire teams on mechanically focused projects, driving meaningful change.
• Achieve technical sign-off and assurance for seamless project handover.
• Support the advancement of innovative technologies through research.

Hybrid – Clearwater Court, Reading, you will be required to attend the office or site 3-4 days a week.

36 hours a week.

This position requires the candidate to have access to a vehicle and a valid driver's license. Additionally, there is a car allowance of £5,800 included.

What you should bring to the role

To thrive in this role, the essential criteria you’ll need are:

• Be degree qualified or equivalent in mechanical engineering with a charter through a relevant awarding body.
• A Mechanical Engineering background in one or more sludge digestion and treatment, biogas and CHP systems, water and wastewater treatment, pumps/piping systems, orprocess equipment is essential.
• Understand the regulatory environment to comply with our engineering regulatory requirements.
• Had exposure to lead design engineering roles.

Additional skills and experiences would be excellent to have/bring:

• Previous experience in the water industry.

What’s in it for you?

• Offering between £65,000 to £80,000 per annum, depending on the skills and experience of the successful candidate, plus £5.8k car allowance.
• 26 days holiday per year, increasing to 30 with the length of service. (plus bank holidays)
• Annual Bonus.
• Private Medical Health Care.
• Access to lots of benefits to help you take care of your and your family’s health and well-being, and your finances – from annual health MOTs and access to physiotherapy and counselling to Cycle to Work schemes, shopping vouchers and life assurance.

We’re the UK’s largest water and wastewater company, with more than 16 million customers relying on us every day to supply water for their taps and toilets. We want to build a better future for all, helping our customers, communities, people, and the planet to thrive. It’s a big job and we’ve got a long way to go, so we need help from passionate and skilled people, committed to making a difference and getting us to where we want to be in the years and decades to come.

Thames Water is a unique, rewarding, and diverse place to work, where every day you can make a difference, yet no day is the same. As part of our family, you’ll enjoy meaningful career opportunities, flexible working arrangements and excellent benefits.

If you’re looking for a sustainable and successful career where you can make a daily difference to millions of people’s lives while helping to protect the world of water for future generations, we’ll be here to support you every step of the way. Together, we can build a better future for our customers, our region, and our planet.

Real purpose, real support, real…