Lead Mechanical Design Engineer – Aerospace Propulsion

Stark Defence; Swindon; Hybrid; GBP 70,000 - 95,000; Full time

Job summary

Stark Defence in Swindon, England, United Kingdom invites a Lead Mechanical Design Engineer to own propulsion hardware from concept to production. You will work with mechanical and aerothermal analysts to ensure robust designs that withstand extreme thermal and mechanical loads while remaining manufacturable and cost‑effective.

Located near Oxford with on-site work four days a week, the team is small and growing, offering opportunities to contribute to design infrastructure and possibly lead a

Qualifications

• Extensive experience of designing complex mechanical hardware with manufacturing and test
• Experience designing components for high-temperature, high-load environments (gas turbines, rocket engines, ramjets, etc.)
• Experience designing flight-weight hardware for the aerospace industry
• Ability to design from first principles, including selection of COTS components and sizing components using both first principles and FEA
• Advanced 3D CAD proficiency; SolidWorks preferred
• Skilled at producing part and assembly drawings for production with GD&T and tolerance stack-up analysis
• Engineering degree or equivalent experience

Responsibilities

• Own the mechanical design of propulsion hardware from concept through to manufactured, tested parts
• Collaborate with mechanical and aerothermal analysis engineers to ensure designs withstand extreme loads
• Support creation of design infrastructure: drawing standards, data management, design review processes
• As the project grows, build and potentially lead a mechanical design engineering team

Skills

Extensive mechanical design

High-temp / high-load design

Flight-weight aerospace hardware

First principles sizing & FEA

3D CAD (SolidWorks)

GD&T and tolerance stack-up

Production drawings & detailing

Education

Engineering degree or equivalent experience

Tools

SolidWorks

FEA software

Job description

Stark Defence in Swindon, England, United Kingdom invites a Lead Mechanical Design Engineer to own propulsion hardware from concept to production. You will work with mechanical and aerothermal analysts to ensure robust designs that withstand extreme thermal and mechanical loads while remaining manufacturable and cost‑effective.

Located near Oxford with on-site work four days a week, the team is small and growing, offering opportunities to contribute to design infrastructure and possibly lead a