Associate Mechanical Engineer

Hoare Lea; Bournemouth; Hybrid; GBP 55,000 - 75,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Private medical cover

EV salary sacrifice

Stock options

25 days leave

Hybrid working

9-day fortnight

Community groups

Networking events

Development schemes

Job summary

Hoare Lea is a human-centric engineering consultancy in the built environment, delivering sustainable mechanical design across projects from hospitality to commercial sectors.

The Associate Mechanical Engineer will lead client relationships and deliver technically excellent, commercially sound mechanical design across building services projects from our Bournemouth or Reading offices. You will guide integrated design teams within a collaborative, flexible culture.

Qualifications

• Degree in Mechanical/Building Services Engineering or equivalent.
• Chartered status desirable or working towards.
• Extensive project and client leadership experience.
• Strong technical competence in mechanical building services.
• Lead integrated design teams and coordinate with disciplines.
• Excellent client-facing communication; manage difficult situations.
• Commercial awareness; monitor costs and mitigate risks.
• Proven people leadership; develop team members and lead projects.
• Highly organised with planning skills and drive to deadlines.
• IT literate with BIM workflows.
• Committed to CPD and knowledge sharing.

Responsibilities

• Act as primary client contact; define briefs and represent Hoare Lea at meetings.
• Promote services to create opportunities and support client objectives.
• Lead and coordinate project teams; chair internal project meetings.
• Deliver profitable, high-quality schemes; monitor costs and resources.
• Delegate and review work from junior staff; contribute to staff development.
• Maintain awareness of procurement routes and commercial risks.
• Contribute to technical knowledge sharing and ensure design accuracy.
• Build and maintain relationships with clients, consultants and contractors.

Skills

Project leadership

Client leadership

Communication

IT literacy

BIM workflows

Team leadership

Planning & organisation

Commercial awareness

Education

Degree in Mechanical/Building Services Engineering

Chartered status desirable

Tools

BIM workflows

Job description

Important: the job title "Associate" at Hoare Lea refers to a senior-level position (not an entry-level role); please check the role description for responsibilities and seniority.

Hoare Lea is a human-centric and planet-conscious engineering consultancy. We offer intelligent and sustainable solutions to complex design challenges for the built environment throughout the UK and further afield.

We provide a wide range of engineering and consultancy services, including acoustics, air quality, building services (MEP), fire, lighting, security and sustainability to name but a few. Together, our highly skilled teams use technical expertise and problem-solving skills to bring buildings to life. We ensure that whatever the building, its design is outstanding, and its operations meet the needs of the communities it serves.

We are as committed to providing an environment where everyone can realise their unique potential. So, in joining Hoare Lea, you will experience a business that enriches your knowledge, supports your wellbeing, and welcomes your individuality.

We also offer an extensive benefits package, including:

• private medical cover
• an electric vehicle salary sacrifice scheme
• stock options
• 25 days of annual leave (increasing with service)
• flexible and hybrid working
• 9-day fortnight scheme
• thriving community groups
• varied social and networking events
• extensive professional and technical development schemes

About the role

We have an opportunity for an Associate Mechanical Engineer to play a key role in delivering high-quality, sustainable mechanical engineering solutions across multiple projects in the built environment.

You will join our Mechanical team based in either our Bournemouth or Reading office.

With more than 45 years’ presence on the south coast —beginning in Bournemouth—we’ve developed deep commercial-sector expertise and long-standing relationships locally and beyond.

Reading is a thriving town experiencing rapid growth across many sectors, and our teams are delivering transformational, sustainable projects—including Station Hill and other major schemes that are shaping the region.

We’re actively connecting with likeminded businesses and professionals in the area; if this sounds like you, we’d love to hear from you. Please get in touch or join us for a coffee and a conversation.

We are a recognised leader in the built environment, shaping some of the most ambitious and technically demanding projects across the residential, hospitality, leisure, commercial, and complex engineering sectors.

Our work spans cutting edge healthcare and research facilities, high-performance data centres, critical infrastructure and state-of-the-art manufacturing and technology environments projects that push boundaries and deliver real-world impact.

Driven by a commitment to excellence, we combine innovation, technical expertise, and practical delivery to create solutions that are not only robust and reliable, but forward-thinking and sustainable. Our teams work at the forefront of the industry, collaborating with leading clients across the public and private sectors, locally and internationally.

Working alongside a range of specialist engineers and consultants, you will be joining a collaborative, knowledgeable, highly engaged team who love what they do, and offer a supportive, flexible, and high-performing work culture.

We are seeking an Associate Mechanical Engineer to lead client relationships and deliver technically excellent, commercially sound mechanical design across building services projects. This vacancy will suit an experienced Associate who manages project delivery and client engagement.

In this key and varied role, you can expect to:

• Act as primary client contact for projects; define and agree briefs and represent Hoare Lea professionally at project meetings.
• Promote Hoare Lea’s services to create opportunities and support client objectives.
• Lead and coordinate project teams (including specialist groups), prioritise workloads and host/ chair internal project meetings.
• Deliver profitable, high-quality schemes; monitor project expenditure, report costs and resource needs to line managers/partners.
• Delegate, review and check work from junior staff; contribute to staff development and performance objectives.
• Maintain awareness of consultant appointment conditions, procurement routes and commercial risks; identify and mitigate business risks.
• Contribute to technical knowledge sharing across the firm and ensure technical accuracy and compliance with relevant standards.
• Build and maintain effective relationships with clients, consultants and contractors to support repeat business and growth.

About you

To be successful in this role you’ll need:

• Degree in Mechanical/Building Services Engineering or equivalent.
• Chartered status desirable or working towards.
• Extensive project & client leadership experience.
• Strong technical competence in mechanical building services, working to applicable regulations and design guides.
• Ability to lead integrated design teams, coordinate with other disciplines and deliver technically accurate designs.
• Excellent client‑facing, written and verbal communication skills; able to manage difficult situations.
• Demonstrable commercial awareness: monitor project costs, identify/mitigate risks and contribute to profitable delivery.
• Proven people leadership: motivate, delegate and develop team members — leads projects.
• Highly organised with strong planning skills; able to work under own initiative and deliver to demanding timescales.
• IT literate with proficiency in industry software and BIM workflows.
• Committed to continuous professional development and knowledge‑sharing.

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