Lead Mechanical Engineer – Hydraulics

BAE Systems; United Kingdom; Hybrid; GBP 51,000 - 60,000; Full time

Job summary

A leading technology and defense company is seeking a Lead Mechanical Engineer - Hydraulics to design hydraulic systems for submarines. This role involves leading design efforts, engaging with suppliers, and providing technical leadership. Candidates should have experience in complex environments and be familiar with hydraulic power units. The position offers hybrid working arrangements and a competitive benefits package.

Benefits

Competitive pension scheme

Employee share plans

Flexible discounted health benefits

Qualifications

• Experience in complex, safety-critical environments like maritime or aerospace.
• Familiar with hydraulic power units and control systems.
• Proven ability to deliver from concept through to commissioning.

Responsibilities

• Lead design of hydraulic systems for Royal Navy submarines.
• Support qualification and procurement of components.
• Engage with cross-functional project team stakeholders.

Skills

Design of hydraulic systems

Systems and equipment familiarity

System lifecycle delivery

Demonstrated leadership

Chartered engineer or working towards accreditation

Job description

Lead Mechanical Engineer - Hydraulics

Location: Barrow-in-Furness or Coventry. We offer a range of hybrid and flexible working arrangements – please speak to your recruiter about the options for this particular role.

Salary: Up to £60,000

What you’ll be doing

• Lead the design of hydraulic systems, sub‑systems and equipment for the next generation Royal Navy submarines
• Undertake functional design activities, modelling and analysis
• Produce design documentation, Verification & Validation evidence and safety justifications
• Support specification qualification and procurement of components, working collaboratively with suppliers
• Engage with stakeholders across the cross‑functional project team
• Drive engineering governance through peer reviews and design reviews

Your skills and experiences

Essential:

• Experience in the design of hydraulic systems – ideally in complex, safety‑critical environments (e.g. maritime, aerospace, defence, nuclear, oil & gas and sub‑sea)
• Familiarity with systems and equipment involving hydraulic power units (HPUs), variable frequency drives (VFDs), control cabinets, pumps, electric motors, hydraulic actuators, hydro‑static transmissions and fluid mechanics.
• Proven capability in system lifecycle delivery – from concept through to commissioning
• Demonstrated leadership – either through technical direction, mentoring, or project ownership
• Chartered engineer or working towards professional accreditation

Desirable:

• Knowledge of platform‑level constraints such as noise, shock, or survivability
• Previous engagement with suppliers or stakeholders on hydraulic systems (inclusion of hydraulic control logic is desirable, e.g. Variable Frequency Drive solutions)

Benefits

As well as a competitive pension scheme, BAE Systems also offers employee share plans, an extensive range of flexible discounted health, wellbeing and lifestyle benefits, including a green car scheme, private health plans and shopping discounts – you may also be eligible for an annual incentive.

The Hydraulics team

As a Lead Mechanical Engineer, you will play a pivotal role in the design and development of submarine hydraulic and actuation systems. This includes system‑level design, technical leadership, supplier engagement, and the opportunity to steer design architecture across a major submarine programme. We offer relocation support packages across all Submarines roles, subject to meeting eligibility criteria.

Why BAE Systems?

This is a place where you’ll be able to make a real difference. You’ll be part of an inclusive culture that values diversity of thought, rewards integrity, and merit, and where you’ll be empowered to fulfil your potential. We welcome people from all backgrounds and want to make sure that our recruitment processes are as inclusive as possible. If you have a disability or health condition that may affect your performance in certain assessment types, please speak to your recruiter about potential reasonable adjustments.

Please be aware that many roles at BAE Systems are subject to both security and export control restrictions. These restrictions mean that factors such as your nationality, any nationalities you may have previously held, and your place of birth can restrict the roles you are eligible to perform within the organisation. All applicants must as a minimum achieve Baseline Personnel Security Standard. Many roles also require higher levels of National Security Vetting where applicants must typically have 5 to 10 years of continuous residency in the UK depending on the vetting level required for the role, to allow for meaningful security vetting checks.

Closing Date

28th November 2025

We reserve the right to close this vacancy early if we receive sufficient applications for the role. Therefore, if you are interested, please submit your application as early as possible.

When applying for this role you will be redirected to BAE Systems careers site where you will be required to:

• Register an account (optional, you can apply as a guest)
• Provide contact information
• Upload your CV
• Complete a short diversity & inclusion questionnaire

When asked for source type, please select “job board advertisement” then “the IET / E+T Jobs”.