Lead Mechanical Design Engineer

MBDA UK; West of England; On-site; GBP 52,000 - 60,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Company bonus up to £2,500

Pension up to 14%

Overtime opportunities

Flexi leave up to 15 days

Flexible working arrangements

Enhanced parental leave up to 26 weeks

Site facilities including subsidised/—

Healthcare cash plan

Job summary

MBDA UK is seeking a Mechanical Design Engineer to lead mechanical design across missile projects within a multidisciplinary team. You will contribute to early-stage development, shaping direction and rapid prototyping of concepts.

The role requires strong mechanical engineering fundamentals, experience with 3D CAD/CAE, and the ability to communicate effectively with stakeholders. BPSS security checks apply; hybrid on-site work is expected.

Qualifications

• Strong understanding of Mechanical Design, including structural and thermal aspects.
• Ability to develop concept designs with limited information and changing requirements.
• Awareness of Electronic Packaging and Low Observability would be beneficial.
• Relevant 3D CAD/CAE experience (training on our tools provided).
• Excellent written and verbal communication for stakeholder engagement.

Responsibilities

• Act as Mechanical Lead for assigned projects within a multidisciplinary team.
• Develop and prototype mechanical designs for early-stage development.
• Contribute ideas for future research topics and help secure funding within the Function.
• Provide structured skills development and mentorship to the team.

Skills

Mechanical design

3D CAD/CAE

Concept design

Communication skills

Tools

CAE tools

Job description

Exciting opportunity to join the Mechanical Future Concepts team as a Mechanical Design Engineer within the Sparkworks area. This role involves working on novel and disruptive technologies, contributing to innovative projects that shape the future.

Salary: Circa £55,000 depending on experience

Dynamic (hybrid) working: 5 days per week on-site due to workload classification

Security Clearance: British Citizen

Restrictions and/or limitations relating to nationality and/or rights to work may apply. As a minimum and after offer stage, all successful candidates will need to undergo HMG Basic Personnel Security Standard checks (BPSS), which are managed by the MBDA Personnel Security Team.

What we can offer you:

• Company bonus: Up to £2,500 (based on company performance and will vary year to year)
• Pension: maximum total (employer and employee) contribution of up to 14%
• Overtime: opportunity for paid overtime
• Flexi Leave: Up to 15 additional days
• Flexible working: We welcome applicants who are looking for flexible working arrangements
• Enhanced parental leave: offers up to 26 weeks for maternity, adoption and shared parental leave -enhancements are available for paternity leave, neonatal leave and fertility testing and treatments
• Facilities: Fantastic site facilities including subsidised meals, free car parking and much more…
• Healthcare Cash Plan: The Healthcare Cash Plan benefit provides the option to claim cash back on everyday healthcare expenses such as optical, dental, health and wellbeing and more.

The opportunity:

This role will see you working within a multidisciplinary team which engages across many areas of missile design over a mixture of research and mainstream project work. You'll be the Mechanical Lead for assigned projects, providing Mechanical Engineering expertise into the team. You will work on Projects that are in the first stages of development providing the opportunity to shape their direction into development and rapidly prototype designs. You will have the opportunity to propose ideas for future research topics and obtain funding to develop these ideas within the Function. You will be working on challenging engineering problems and will receive structured skills development.

What we’re looking for from you:

• A good understanding of Mechanical Design, including an appreciation of the Structural and Thermal considerations of Mechanical Design
• An ability to develop concept design solutions with limited information and changing requirements
• Wider awareness of other disciplines such as Electronic Packaging and Low Observability, would be beneficial
• Relevant 3D CAD/CAE experience (training on our preferred CAE tools will be given)
• Strong communication skills, both written and verbal with the ability to work with, influence and negotiate with stakeholders across the business.

Our company:

Peace is not a given, Freedom is not a given, Sovereignty is not a given. MBDA is a leading defence organisation. We are proud of the role we play in supporting the Armed Forces who protect our nations. We partner with governments to work together towards a common goal, defending our freedom.

We are proud of our employee‑led networks, examples include: Gender Equality, Pride, Menopause Matters, Parents and Carers, Armed Forces, Ethnic Diversity, Neurodiversity, Disability and more… We recognise that everyone is unique, and we encourage you to speak to us should you require any advice, support or adjustments throughout our recruitment process. Follow us on LinkedIn (MBDA), X (@MBDA_UK), Instagram (MBDA_UK) and Glassdoor or visit our MBDA Careers website for more information.

What we do matters. Because defence matters. As a leading company in the defence industry we support our nations by delivering essential military capabilities, both for today and the future. We are proud to be an award‑winning employer and are proud of the growing diversity of our workforce. Our people are the ones who drive our constant innovation and deliver against challenging targets.

Whatever your background, we welcome your application to MBDA UK and look forward to speaking with you soon.