Lead Mechanical Engineer

Job Title: Lead Mechanical Engineer

Location: Salisbury

WFH: 3 days onsite per week - Occasional travel to other sites when required

Term: 6 months

Hourly Rate: £Competitive

IR35: Inside IR35

Security Clearance: Active SC clearance required

This is a senior, hands‑on engineering role for someone who can take ownership of challenging hardware design tasks from concept through to manufacture and verification. You will lead technical problem‑solving, guide other engineers, coordinate design reviews and ensure solutions meet customer requirements, safety standards, quality expectations and commercial constraints.

You will act as a technical authority within the design team, bringing together engineering specialists, customers, suppliers and manufacturers to deliver innovative, practical and manufacturable solutions.

• Mechanical Design: Lead the concept development, design and delivery of complex mechanical hardware solutions, producing accurate 3D models and detailed engineering drawings.
• Technical Leadership: Guide engineers and subject matter experts, challenge design approaches and drive effective problem‑solving.
• Design Reviews: Prepare, coordinate and chair design reviews, presenting technical solutions and recommendations to customers and stakeholders.
• Manufacturing & DFM: Ensure designs are suitable for manufacture, considering materials, coatings, corrosion, tolerances, mechanisms and production methods.
• Verification & Validation: Define requirements, verification approaches and acceptance criteria to ensure designs meet technical and customer expectations.
• Safety & Compliance: Support hazard identification, design safety assessments, safety cases and compliance with relevant regulations and engineering governance.
• Risk & Delivery: Identify technical and commercial risks, develop mitigation plans and support delivery to agreed time, cost and quality targets.
• Customer & Supplier Engagement: Work closely with customers, manufacturers, suppliers and multidisciplinary engineering teams to resolve technical issues and agree design solutions.
• Continuous Improvement: Identify opportunities to improve design processes, reduce waste, optimise workflows and maximise value for the customer.

• Significant experience in mechanical design engineering, delivering complex physical hardware solutions.
• Strong practical experience creating 3D CAD models and detailed engineering drawings.
• In‑depth understanding of engineering drawings, tolerancing, precision fits and dimensional standards.
• Experience taking designs from concept through development, manufacture, testing and verification.
• Strong knowledge of materials selection, coatings, corrosion, mechanisms and manufacturing processes.
• Experience working in a regulated, safety‑critical or technically demanding engineering environment.
• Understanding of design for manufacture (DFM), technical risk management and design verification.
• Experience leading or contributing to design reviews, technical assessments and multidisciplinary problem‑solving.
• Ability to interpret customer requirements and balance technical performance, safety, cost and delivery.
• Excellent communication skills, with the confidence to present and defend engineering decisions.
• Ability to work independently, provide technical guidance and manage complex engineering tasks.

• Defence, aerospace, maritime, land systems, nuclear or other safety‑critical engineering experience.
• Experience with engineering analysis tools, including FEA, CFD or thermal analysis.
• Knowledge of hazard identification (HAZID), design safety and safety case development.
• Experience with technical documentation, configuration control and formal design approval processes.
• Chartered Engineer status (CEng) and membership of a recognised engineering institution.
• Experience with formal engineering governance and drawing approval/release procedures.

Current and active Security Clearance (SC) is required to be considered for this vacancy