Lead Design Engineer

W Talent; Huddersfield; On-site; GBP 45,000 - 60,000; Full time

Job summary

W Talent in Huddersfield, West Yorkshire, seeks a Lead Design Engineer to own the design and development of bespoke machinery, taking concepts through to installation and commissioning.

You will lead a small design team, provide technical leadership, ensure designs meet requirements, and collaborate with manufacturing and customers on site and remotely. This fast-paced, hands-on role requires occasional travel and flexibility to support installations.

Qualifications

• Applies to senior mechanical design; requires experience designing bespoke machinery.
• Proven track record delivering from concept to manufacture.
• Strong knowledge of manufacturing processes.
• Experience integrating electrical/electronic components into mechanical designs.
• Experience with carbon fibre/composites desirable.
• Leadership or mentoring experience.
• Excellent problem-solving and hands-on approach.

Responsibilities

• Lead design and development of bespoke machinery and systems.
• Mentor design team and coordinate with planning to drive the design effort.
• Take ownership from concept through to manufacture, installation and commissioning.
• Produce and review detailed drawings and layouts using 3D CAD.
• Work on mechanical design, pneumatics and rotary systems.
• Develop practical, cost-efficient design solutions to meet requirements.
• Collaborate with manufacturing to ensure design for manufacture.
• Provide technical guidance to other engineers within the team.
• Identify and resolve design issues throughout the project lifecycle.
• Liaise with customers, suppliers and internal teams as needed.
• Support installation and commissioning activities on site and remotely.
• Help improve design processes and standards across engineering.

Skills

Bespoke machinery design

Project leadership

Mechanical engineering principles

Electronics integration knowledge

Carbon fibre/composites experience

Mentoring engineers

Multitasking across projects

Problem solving

Autodesk Inventor

Education

Degree/HNC/HND in Mechanical Engineering or apprenticeship

Tools

Autodesk Inventor

Job description

Lead Design Engineer | £45,000 - £60,000 | Location: Huddersfield, West Yorkshire

W Talent are looking for an experienced Lead Design Engineer or Design Team Leader to join a growing industrial engineering and manufacturing business located in Huddersfield, West Yorkshire. The Lead Design Engineer will be responsible for the design and development of bespoke machinery and advanced engineering solutions.

This is a fast-paced hands-on position where you will take ownership of projects from initial concept and customer requirements through to detailed design, manufacture, installation and commissioning. You will also provide technical leadership to the wider design team, helping to develop designs, solve engineering challenges and ensure projects are delivered to a high standard. This is not a management only role, and as lead of a small team, the successful candidate must want to carry out a good level of design work on an ongoing basis.

Key Responsibilities

• Lead the design and development of bespoke machinery, components and engineering systems.
• Working on scheduling alongside the Head of Projects & Operational Planning, and maintaining internal engineering controls to support, mentor, and drive the design team.
• Take ownership of projects from initial concept through to manufacture, installation and commissioning.
• Produce and review detailed engineering drawings, layouts and design documentation using 3D CAD.
• Working on mechanical design, pneumatics, and rotary systems.
• Develop practical, cost-effective design solutions to meet customer and project requirements.
• Work closely with manufacturing and production teams to ensure designs are suitable for manufacture and assembly.
• Provide technical guidance and support to other Design Engineers within the team.
• Identify and resolve design and engineering issues throughout the project lifecycle.
• Liaise with customers, suppliers and internal teams where required.
• Support installation and commissioning activities, providing engineering input and resolving issues on site and remotely.
• Help improve design processes, standards and ways of working across the engineering function.
• Carry out design work to help improve capacity.

What's Required

Located in Huddersfield, West Yorkshire this will require outside of normal working hours evening support via video call one to two times per month, plus some support on weekend installations on average once per month. Hours can be flexible to suit required support. On-site measure up visits in UK, Europe, and ROW areas will be required on average around 8 - 12. Some instances of travel with require overnight stays.

The Ideal Candidate

• Senior Mechanical Design Engineer looking to step into, or already operating at, a Lead Design Engineer/Design Manager.
• Time-served, apprenticeship-trained or degree/HNC/HND qualified in Mechanical Engineering or a related discipline.
• Strong experience designing bespoke machinery, equipment or complex mechanical systems.
• Proven experience in a fast-paced design and manufacturing environment.
• Proven experience taking engineering projects from concept through to manufacture.
• Strong understanding of mechanical engineering principles and manufacturing processes.
• Experience of integrating electrical/electronic systems into mechanical designs would be advantageous.
• Experience working with carbon fibre or composite materials would be desirable.
• Previous experience of leading, mentoring or supporting other engineers.
• Confident working across multiple projects and managing competing priorities.
• Strong problem-solving skills with a practical, hands-on approach.
• Experience using Autodesk Inventor is essential.

What's on Offer

• Salary of £50,000 - £60,000, depending on experience.
• Opportunity to take a lead role within an established and growing engineering team.
• Varied and technically interesting bespoke engineering projects.
• The opportunity to have genuine input into the design and development of new machinery and solutions.
• A role offering both hands-on design responsibility and technical leadership.
• Standard working hours are 08:00 - 17:00 Monday - Thursday, and 08:00 - 14:30 Friday.
• Hours can flex to support installs and measures.
• Must share in working rota for Friday cover up until 17:00 once monthly