Lead Design Engineer

Kodu; Droitwich Spa; On-site; GBP 65,000 - 95,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Up to 10% bonus

Private medical cover after six months

Protection cover

Job summary

Vax is rebuilding its product development function and seeks a Lead Design Engineer, Advanced Development, based in Droitwich. You'll lead concept generation for dry products from day one, hands-on, building demonstrators and shaping the technical direction for vacuum and related systems.

You will mentor engineers, collaborate with suppliers, and present trade-offs and risk summaries to senior stakeholders as the team defines architectures and advances next-generation dry product concepts.

Qualifications

• BEng or MEng in Mechanical or Product Design Engineering.
• Proven track record of concept development and prototyping.
• Strong CAD skills: Creo, NX, SolidWorks or CATIA.
• Hands-on design-build-test mindset.
• Extensive experience leading and mentoring engineers while staying hands on.

Responsibilities

• Lead concept generation and rapid prototyping for dry products, hands on from idea to demonstrator.
• Mentor and develop junior Advanced Development engineers as the team grows.
• Define product and technology architectures and solve the hardest technical problems.
• Work with external suppliers to bring concepts to life.
• Present trade offs, risk and technical summaries to senior stakeholders across the business.

Skills

Concept development

Prototyping

Mentoring engineers

CAD proficiency

Education

BEng or MEng in Mechanical or Product Design Engineering

Tools

Creo

NX

SolidWorks

CATIA

Job description

A heritage floor care brand is rebuilding its product development function from a blank sheet, and you would help lead it. This Lead Design Engineer, Advanced Development role at Vax is based in Droitwich, Worcestershire, four days a week on site, with up to 10% bonus and real ownership of concept and prototype work for dry products from day one.

Scope of the Role

As a Lead Design Engineer in Vax's new Advanced Development team, you will lead concept generation for dry products, from vacuums and cordless vacs to air movement, filtration, motor and battery systems. You will build working demonstrators fast, mentor junior engineers, and set the technical direction for what Vax builds next.

• Drive concept generation and rapid prototyping for dry products, hands on from idea to demonstrator.
• Mentor and develop junior Advanced Development engineers as the team grows.
• Define product and technology architectures and solve the hardest technical problems.
• Work with external suppliers to bring concepts to life.
• Present trade offs, risk and technical summaries to senior stakeholders across the business.

Key Skills and Experience Required

• A BEng or MEng in Mechanical or Product Design Engineering, with extensive product development experience.
• A proven track record of concept development and prototyping, not detailed design or sustaining work.
• Strong CAD skills, CREO, NX, SolidWorks or CATIA are all welcome for this Lead Design Engineer role.
• A fast paced, design build test mindset, comfortable turning a loose brief into a working demonstrator.
• Extensive experience leading and mentoring engineers while staying hands on with the work.

Salary and Benefits

• Up to 10% annual bonus
• Private medical cover after six months
• Protection cover

As a Lead Design Engineer at Vax, you join a brand new Advanced Development team backed by the reach of the TTI Group. The team is being shaped around a design-build-test culture, led by a Head of Advanced Development. You get real ownership of dry product concepts, from vacuums to filtration and motor systems, with high visibility to senior stakeholders across the group. It is a hands-on lead role, and you still build the demonstrators yourself.