Mechanical Design Engineer – Innovative High-Speed Air Vehicles

Dstl; Fareham; Hybrid; GBP 46,000 - 65,000; Full time

Job summary

An established industry player is seeking a skilled Mechanical Design Engineer to join a pioneering team focused on developing next-generation high-speed air vehicles. This role offers a unique opportunity to engage in groundbreaking aerospace projects, contributing to the UK's competitive edge in the industry. You'll be at the forefront of innovation, leading design efforts and collaborating with multi-disciplinary teams to push the boundaries of aerospace technology. If you're passionate about practical design and eager to make a significant impact, this is the perfect opportunity for you.

Benefits

Excellent pension scheme

Flexible working hours

Annual leave of 25 days

Maternity and parental leave

Learning and Development support

Onsite parking

EV Charging points

Access to gyms

Cycle to work scheme

Qualifications

• Experienced Mechanical Design Engineer with expertise in CAD and thermal design.
• Adept in mechanical analysis and product definition.

Responsibilities

• Lead design of ground and flight test hardware using advanced CAD tools.
• Support FEA and CFD studies for aerospace vehicle hardware.

Skills

Mechanical Design

CAD

Finite Element Analysis (FEA)

Computational Fluid Dynamics (CFD)

Thermal Design

Cross-discipline Engineering

Education

Degree in Mechanical Engineering

Degree in Manufacturing Engineering

Tools

Advanced CAD Tools

Job description

Dstl Portsdown West, Fareham, Hampshire, PO17 6AD

At Dstl, our vision is to have a modern way of working efficiently, accommodating and enabling our people to create, collaborate and deliver. To do this successfully in this job will require attendance at a Dstl location; Government Departments including wider MoD or Delivery and Mission Partner’s premises for 60% of your working time. Where business needs allow, and with the agreement of your line manager, there may be the option for a combination of workplace and home-based working.This is a non-contractual arrangement.

Job Summary

Are you ready to redefine the future of aerospace?

We are looking for a seasoned Mechanical Design Engineer to join our multi-disciplinary team developing next-generation high-speed air vehicles. Our project, culminating in a full-scale flight test, is at the cutting edge of aerospace innovation and is designed to give the UK a competitive advantage. If you have a passion for practical design, breakthrough technology, and working collaboratively across disciplines, this is the opportunity to make your mark.

Dstl recognises the importance of diversity and inclusion as people from diverse backgrounds bring fresh ideas. We are committed to building an inclusive working environment in which each employee fulfils their potential and maximises their contribution.

Job Description

Key Responsibilities:

• Mechanical Design & CAD Excellence: Lead and support the design of ground and flight test hardware using advanced CAD tools. Develop product definitions, set tolerances, and release detailed drawings to ensure flawless integration with manufacturing processes.
• Technical Analysis: Support mechanical Finite Element Analysis (FEA), heat transfer, and Computational Fluid Dynamics (CFD) studies to evaluate aerospace vehicle hardware during typical flight operations.
• Design Validation & Optimization: Work closely with our aerospace structure team, validating design tools, setting up, and optimising assembly procedures while ensuring effective interfacing with all major systems.
• Collaboration & Innovation: Act as a key interface between multi-disciplinary teams and external collaborative partners. Participate actively in design loops, prototype development, and manufacturing activities to push the boundaries of what’s possible in high-speed aerospace engineering.
  
  

Key Responsibilities

• Mechanical Design & CAD Excellence: Lead and support the design of ground and flight test hardware using advanced CAD tools. Develop product definitions, set tolerances, and release detailed drawings to ensure flawless integration with manufacturing processes.
• Technical Analysis: Support mechanical Finite Element Analysis (FEA), heat transfer, and Computational Fluid Dynamics (CFD) studies to evaluate aerospace vehicle hardware during typical flight operations.
• Design Validation & Optimization: Work closely with our aerospace structure team, validating design tools, setting up, and optimising assembly procedures while ensuring effective interfacing with all major systems.
• Collaboration & Innovation: Act as a key interface between multi-disciplinary teams and external collaborative partners. Participate actively in design loops, prototype development, and manufacturing activities to push the boundaries of what’s possible in high-speed aerospace engineering.
  
  

Person specification

Who You Are

• An experienced Mechanical Design Engineer with proven expertise in CAD, complemented by strong skills in thermal and mechanical design methodologies.
• Adept in cross-discipline engineering concepts including manufacturing, mechanical analysis, and product definition, you bring both technical rigour and creative solutions to the table.
• A collaborative innovator passionate about developing and demonstrating new technologies within research and development environments.
  
  

What We Offer

• Innovation at the Forefront: Join a forward-thinking team working on breakthrough aerospace vehicle designs that challenge conventional boundaries and impact national defence capabilities.
• Career Growth: Be part of a stimulating environment that values creativity, initiative, and proficiency, with opportunities to shape and influence emerging aerospace technologies.
  
  

If you’re ready for the challenge of driving aerospace innovation and contributing to a project that will redefine high-speed air vehicle design, we invite you to apply and take your career to the next level.

Important Information

Our work in defence, security and intelligence requires our employees to be UK Nationals who are able to gain a high level of security clearance to undertake the projects we are involved in to protect us from security threats. For this reason, only UK Nationals will be able to apply for this role. If you are an international or dual-national candidate, and you think you have the skills we need, please consider applying to any of our government, security or defence partners.

This role will require full UK security clearance and you should have resided in the UK for the past 5 years. For some roles Developed Vetting will also be required, in this case you should have resided in the UK for the past 10 years.

Qualifications

Degree level in an engineering discipline either mechanical or manufacturing engineering

Behaviours

We'll assess you against these behaviours during the selection process:

• Making Effective Decisions
• Delivering at Pace
• Communicating and Influencing
• Working Together
  
  

Technical skills

We'll assess you against these technical skills during the selection process:

• Describe how you have approached the mechanical design of a manufacturable complex part or assembly, ideally working with technical specialists
  
  

Alongside your salary of £46,900, Defence Science and Technology Laboratory contributes £13,586 towards you being a member of the Civil Service Defined Benefit Pension scheme. Find out what benefits a Civil Service Pension provides.

Benefits

Dstl’s full range of great benefits can be found in the information pack which includes:

• Financial: An excellent pension scheme starting from 26% employer contribution (find out more here). In Year Rewarding Achievement bonuses and thank you vouchers. Rental deposit scheme and cycle to work scheme.
• Flexible working: Options include alternative working patterns such as; compressed hours (e.g. working a 4 day week/ 9 day fortnight), job shares and annualised hours (agreed number of hours per annum paid monthly i.e. working term-time only).
• Working hours: Flexibility around your working day (e.g. start time, finish time). Ability to bank hours in a 12 month reference period including the ability to accrue and use 3 days per calendar month.
• Where you work: Depending on your role, blended working may be available including remote working to suit you and your team. This can be discussed at interview.
• Annual leave: 25 days pro rata (rising to 30 after 5 years) plus 8 public holidays with the ability to buy/sell 5 additional days per annum.
• Family: Maternity, adoption or shared parental leave of up to 26 weeks with full pay, an additional 13 weeks statutory pay and a further 13 weeks unpaid
• Learning and Development: Dstl encourages and supports charterships, accreditations and provides employees access to fully funded apprenticeships up to level 7 (Masters Degree). Dstl will pay for 2 memberships with relevant bodies/institutions. Employees also have access to Civil Service Learning.
• Facilities: Onsite parking, EV Charging points, restaurants, cafés and gyms.
  
  

Selection process details

This vacancy is using Success Profiles (opens in a new window), and will assess your Behaviours, Experience and Technical skills.

We want you to have your best chance of success in our recruitment process, so If at any stage of the application process you would like help or assistance please contact the Dstl Recruitment Team [e-mail] and we will do all we can to support you.

Sifting will take place week commencing the 2nd June 2025 with interviews to be arranged from the 23rd June 2025

Feedback will only be provided if you attend an interview or assessment.

This vacancy is using Success Profiles (opens in a new window), and will assess your Behaviours, Experience and Technical skills.

Security

Successful candidates must undergo a criminal record check.

Successful candidates must meet the security requirements before they can be appointed. The level of security needed is security check (opens in a new window).See our vetting charter (opens in a new window).

People working with government assets must complete baseline personnel security standard (opens in new window) checks.

Successful candidates must undergo a criminal record check.

Successful candidates must meet the security requirements before they can be appointed. The level of security needed is security check (opens in a new window).See our vetting charter (opens in a new window).

People working with government assets must complete baseline personnel security standard (opens in new window) checks.

Nationality requirements

Open to UK nationals only.

This job is not open to candidates who hold a dual nationality.

Working for the Civil Service

The Civil Service Code (opens in a new window) sets out the standards of behaviour expected of civil servants.

We recruit by merit on the basis of fair and open competition, as outlined in the Civil Service Commission's recruitment principles (opens in a new window).

The Civil Service embraces diversity and promotes equal opportunities. As such, we run a Disability Confident Scheme (DCS) for candidates with disabilities who meet the minimum selection criteria.

The Civil Service also offers a Redeployment Interview Scheme to civil servants who are at risk of redundancy, and who meet the minimum requirements for the advertised vacancy.

The Civil Service Code (opens in a new window) sets out the standards of behaviour expected of civil servants.

We recruit by merit on the basis of fair and open competition, as outlined in the Civil Service Commission's recruitment principles (opens in a new window).

The Civil Service embraces diversity and promotes equal opportunities. As such, we run a Disability Confident Scheme (DCS) for candidates with disabilities who meet the minimum selection criteria.

The Civil Service also offers a Redeployment Interview Scheme to civil servants who are at risk of redundancy, and who meet the minimum requirements for the advertised vacancy.

Diversity and Inclusion

The Civil Service is committed to attract, retain and invest in talent wherever it is found. To learn more please see the Civil Service People Plan (opens in a new window) and the Civil Service Diversity and Inclusion Strategy (opens in a new window).

This vacancy is part of the Great Place to Work for Veterans (opens in a new window) initiative.

Once this job has closed, the job advert will no longer be available. You may want to save a copy for your records.

Contact point for applicants

Job Contact

• Name : Dstl Recruitment Team
• Email : [e-mail]
  
  

Recruitment team

• Email : [e-mail]
  
  

Further information

Should you wish to raise a formal complaint about the Dstl recruitment process you should email [e-mail] stating the nature of the issue. We will respond within 5 working days.