Mechanical Design Engineer - 1465

React Recruitment Ltd; Maidstone; On-site; GBP 70,000 - 90,000; Full time

Job summary

React Recruitment Ltd is seeking a Chartered Mechanical Design Engineer to lead projects from concept to fabrication. Based in Maidstone, this role is office-based with UK travel to client sites and occasional overseas engagements.

You will apply your 3D plant layout, FEA, and piping-stress expertise to multi-million-pound industrial portfolios across the UK. The position requires Chartered status, strong engineering judgement, and a track record of delivering robust mechanical designs.

Qualifications

• BEng (Hons), MEng or MSc in Mechanical Engineering.
• Chartered Engineer (CEng) status via a recognised institution.
• Minimum 5 years of post-graduate mechanical design experience in industry.
• Autodesk: AutoCAD 2D, Inventor and Plant 3D proficiency.
• Piping stress analysis experience (ROHR2/CAESAR II).
• FEA experience (Nastran/ANSYS).
• Full UK driving licence and willingness to travel to client sites.

Responsibilities

• Lead mechanical designs from feasibility to detailed fabrication and installation.
• Create high-quality 2D/3D layouts, equipment arrangements, skid and piping drawings.
• Perform FEA and piping stress analyses to validate performance.
• Conduct site surveys and 3D laser scanning for project accuracy.
• Coordinate with clients, suppliers and multidisciplinary teams to ensure delivery.
• Mentor junior engineers with technical guidance and design reviews.

Skills

FEA

Piping stress

Site surveys

Client liaison

Team leadership

Education

BEng/MEng/MSc Mechanical Engineering

Chartered Engineer (CEng)

Tools

AutoCAD 2D

Inventor

AutoCAD Plant 3D

ROHR2

CAESAR II

Nastran

ANSYS

Navisworks

Revit

Trimble / ReCap

Job description

Job Title: Chartered Mechanical Design Engineer

Location: Maidstone, Kent - Office based with UK and occasional overseas travel

Salary: Competitive (Dependent on experience)

Job Type: Full time, Permanent

Chartered Mechanical Design Engineer

Are you a Chartered Mechanical Engineer looking for a technically challenging role where you can lead projects from concept to reality? Do you thrive on diversity, designing complex systems across industries like pharmaceuticals, chemicals, energy, and food & beverage?

This is an exceptional opportunity to utilize your advanced mechanical engineering expertise, 3D plant layout skills, and analytical capabilities on a wide range of multi-million-pound industrial portfolios across the UK and overseas.

Essential Requirements:

• BEng (Hons), MEng, or MSc in Mechanical Engineering (or a closely related discipline).
• Chartered Engineer (CEng) status via a recognized professional institution.
• Minimum 5 years of post-graduate mechanical design experience within an industrial, manufacturing, or process engineering environment.
• Advanced proficiency with Autodesk packages (AutoCAD 2D, Inventor, AutoCAD Plant 3D).
• Demonstrated capability in piping stress analysis (ROHR2, CAESAR II, or equivalent) and FEA (Nastran, ANSYS, or equivalent).
• Full UK driving license and willingness to travel to UK client sites with occasional overseas travel.
• Full, unrestricted right to work in the UK (Visa sponsorship is not available for this role).

Desirable (But Not Essential):

• Experience with Computational Fluid Dynamics (CFD) using ANSYS Fluent.
• Familiarity with Autodesk Navisworks for clash detection or Autodesk Revit.
• Hands-on experience processing point-cloud data via Trimble tools or Autodesk ReCap.
• Familiarity with international engineering standards such as ASME B31.3 and EN 13480.

Key Responsibilities:

Full Lifecycle Design: Lead mechanical engineering designs from early feasibility and concept development through to detailed fabrication and site installation.

• Advanced Modelling: Produce high-quality 2D/3D engineering layouts, equipment arrangements, structural access skids, and piping isometric drawings.
• Technical Analysis: Perform finite element analysis (FEA) and piping stress analysis to validate structural and system performance.
• Site Surveying & Scanning: Conduct site surveys and inspections using advanced 3D laser scanning and point-cloud technology.
• Stakeholder Coordination: Liaise directly with clients, suppliers, fabricators, and internal multidisciplinary teams to ensure flawless project delivery.
• Team Guidance: Provide mentorship, technical guidance, and quality design reviews for junior engineers within the team.