Mechanical Design Engineer

Sustainable Infrastructure Ltd; Exeter; On-site; GBP 49,500 - 60,500; Full time

Job summary

Sustainable Infrastructure Ltd is seeking a Mechanical Design Engineer to lead the design of a new product variant. This is an exciting opportunity to work on innovative projects in a start-up environment, where you will have ownership over the entire design process from concept to manufacturing.

The ideal candidate will have over 5 years of experience in electromechanical design and strong skills in SolidWorks. The role is based on site in Exeter and offers a competitive salary package of around £55,000, depending on experience.

Qualifications

• 5+ years of experience designing electromechanical or precision-motion products.
• Proven ability to take products from concept to manufacture.
• Strong experience with FEA analysis and technical documentation.

Responsibilities

• Lead design of new product from concept to manufacturing handover.
• Drive precision motion improvements.
• Produce engineering documentation for compliance.

Skills

SolidWorks

SolidWorks Simulation

Electromechanical design

Prototyping

Excellent communication

Education

Degree in mechanical engineering or related discipline

Job description

We are looking for a Mechanical Design Engineer to lead the mechanical design of our next-generation variant and to take a leading role in mechanical engineering across our wider product portfolio. The headline project is a new form-factor variant of using the same core technology. You will own this design end-to-end: concept, detailed design, prototyping, validation, and handover to manufacture. Alongside this you will improve the existing product line and contribute to the technical direction of the company as it grows. You will report to the CTO and be the senior mechanical engineer on the team. A graduate mechanical engineer is already in post and will work alongside you on smaller projects and as design support.

My client is a technically rigorous start-up at the point where engineering decisions still move the company. As the mechanical design engineer on the team, you will own the design of the next product and have a direct hand in how the discipline grows. You will see your work installed in real buildings with measurable customer outcomes.

About the Role

What you will do

• Lead the design of the new product variant from concept through to manufacturing handover, owning the mechanical design decisions and trade-offs throughout.
• Drive precision motion improvements - investigate linear bearing solutions that reduce acoustic noise while preserving precision and low friction; design and integrate the motor / bearing / mass assembly.
• Run finite element analyses - modal, structural, fatigue, etc as required using SolidWorks Simulation to validate designs before prototyping.
• Produce engineering documentation - design reports, drawings, simulation reports, test plans, and the technical documentation needed for compliance and for the wider team.
• Improve the existing product - cost, manufacturability, reliability, and noise performance.
• Support and mentor our other team members on day-to-day design work.

Qualifications

We expect at least 5 years of post-degree experience designing electromechanical or precision-motion products that have made it into production. The specific domain matters less than the discipline; strong candidates from robotics, industrial automation, semiconductor precision motion, medical devices, aerospace mechanisms or similar fields are very welcome. Prior vibration or dynamics experience is not required.

Required Skills

• Degree in mechanical engineering or a closely related discipline.
• Proven track record taking electromechanical products from concept to manufacture, with examples you can talk through.
• Strong SolidWorks and SolidWorks Simulation skills, including FEA for structural, modal and fatigue analysis.
• Comfortable owning design decisions, trade-offs, and the technical documentation that goes with them.
• Hands‑on instincts - happy to prototype, test, measure, and iterate, not only design at the screen.
• Excellent written and verbal communication; the role involves producing reports and working closely with the team and external stakeholders.
• Existing right to work in the UK. Visa sponsorship will be considered only on an exceptional basis.

Preferred Skills

• Experience designing for linear motors, voice coils, or other direct‑drive actuators.
• Working knowledge of linear bearings, flexures, or other precision guidance systems, particularly where acoustic noise is a constraint.
• Experience driving products through CE / UKCA marking and mechanical safety standards.
• Familiarity with DFM, supplier qualification and the transition from prototype to volume production.
• Chartered status (CEng) or working towards it.

Pay range and compensation package

Salary: Around £55,000 depending on experience, plus benefits to be discussed.

Practicalities

• Location: On-site at our office Devon.
• Hours: Permanent, full-time.
• Reports to: Chief Technology Officer (CTO).