Lead Design Engineer - Rolling Stock

GTS Group Ltd; Chesterfield; On-site; GBP 70,000 - 100,000; Full time

Job summary

GTS Group Ltd. is seeking a Lead Design Engineer for rolling stock and rail engineering. The role focuses on leadership, governance, and delivery across diverse rolling stock projects.

The successful candidate will oversee design activities, mentor engineers, and ensure high-quality outputs while coordinating with customers and suppliers. Primarily office-based with leadership responsibilities and strategic project delivery.

Qualifications

• Proven experience leading rail/rolling stock design projects.
• Strong governance, technical assurance and design review skills.
• Experience coordinating multidisciplinary engineering teams.
• Ability to manage deliverables, risks and stakeholder expectations.

Responsibilities

• Lead delivery of engineering design work packages across rolling stock projects.
• Coordinate multidisciplinary design activities across mechanical and electrical disciplines.
• Allocate and manage engineering tasks based on team capability and project requirements.
• Monitor progress, identify risks, and drive projects through to successful completion.
• Manage design documentation, drawing registers, design changes, and technical deliverables.
• Act as the key interface between engineering teams, project stakeholders, customers, and suppliers.
• Lead internal and external design reviews and technical assurance activities.
• Oversee drawing reviews, technical checking, and design quality standards.
• Support design verification activities and engineering governance processes.

Skills

Design leadership

Rail design

Multidisciplinary coordination

Stakeholder management

Drawing review

CAD - Solid Edge

Education

Engineering qualification (HNC/HND/Degree)

Tools

Solid Edge

Job description

Lead Design Engineer - Rolling Stock

Location: Derby

Salary: Negotiable + Bonus & Benefits

Type: Permanent | Full-Time | Office-Based

Lead Design Engineer – Rolling Stock & Rail Engineering

An established engineering consultancy operating within the UK rail sector is seeking a Lead Design Engineer to join its growing Design Engineering team.

This is an excellent opportunity for an experienced Design Engineer, Senior Design Engineer, Project Engineer, or Design Team Lead looking to take ownership of project delivery and play a key role in leading multidisciplinary design activities across a diverse portfolio of rolling stock projects.

The position offers a blend of technical leadership, project coordination, stakeholder management, and design governance, making it ideal for someone who enjoys overseeing the complete design process while mentoring and supporting engineering teams.

The Opportunity

As Lead Design Engineer, you will act as the focal point between design teams, project engineering, project management, customers, and suppliers. You will be responsible for coordinating the delivery of design work packages, ensuring quality, compliance, and programme objectives are achieved.

Working across a variety of rolling stock modification and engineering projects, you will lead multidisciplinary teams, drive technical excellence, and ensure design outputs are delivered safely, efficiently, and to the highest standards.

This is primarily a leadership and project delivery role, with limited hands-on design work. The focus is on governance, technical oversight, stakeholder engagement, design reviews, and supporting engineers to successfully deliver project objectives.

Key Responsibilities

Project & Design Delivery

• Lead the delivery of engineering design work packages across rolling stock projects.
• Coordinate multidisciplinary design activities across mechanical and electrical disciplines.
• Allocate and manage engineering tasks based on team capability and project requirements.
• Monitor progress, identify risks, and drive projects through to successful completion.
• Manage design documentation, drawing registers, design changes, and technical deliverables.
• Act as the key interface between engineering teams, project stakeholders, customers, and suppliers.

Technical Leadership

• Ensure designs meet customer, safety, regulatory, operational, and project requirements.
• Lead internal and external design reviews and technical assurance activities.
• Oversee drawing reviews, technical checking, and design quality standards.
• Support design verification activities and engineering governance processes.
• Promote robust, compliant, and maintainable engineering solutions.

Team Leadership & Development

• Provide day-to-day leadership and technical guidance to design engineers.
• Mentor and support engineers at varying levels of experience.
• Encourage collaboration across engineering disciplines and wider project teams.
• Foster a culture of continuous improvement, accountability, and technical excellence.

Commercial & Business Support

• Support project planning, resource allocation, and budget management activities.
• Contribute to bid support and project estimating when required.
• Drive improvements in engineering processes, systems, and ways of working.

About You

We are looking for an experienced engineering professional with strong design delivery and leadership capabilities.

Essential Experience

• Proven experience leading engineering design activities within the rail or rolling stock sector.
• Strong understanding of design governance, technical assurance, and design review processes.
• Experience coordinating multidisciplinary engineering teams.
• Ability to manage project deliverables, technical risks, and stakeholder expectations.
• Experience reviewing and approving engineering drawings and technical documentation.
• Strong communication and leadership skills.
• Engineering qualification (HNC, HND, Degree, or equivalent industry experience).

Desirable Experience

• Electrical engineering bias or experience working on electrical rolling stock systems.
• Experience within engineering consultancies or project-based environments.
• Familiarity with engineering change management processes.
• Experience using CAD systems such as Solid Edge or similar platforms.
• Knowledge of rolling stock modifications and vehicle integration projects.

Why Apply?

• Work on technically challenging and varied rolling stock projects.
• Join a respected engineering consultancy with a strong industry reputation.
• Be part of a collaborative and highly experienced engineering team.
• Influence project delivery and shape engineering best practice.
• Clear opportunity to contribute to the future development of the engineering function.
• Competitive salary, annual bonus, and comprehensive benefits package.

This role would suit a Senior Design Engineer, Lead Engineer, Project Engineer, Technical Lead, or Engineering Team Leader looking to take the next step in their career within a dynamic and growing rail engineering environment.