Mechanical Engineer Manager - Senior Workshop and Airfield Support Equipment

Defence Equipment & Support; Bristol; Hybrid; GBP 39,000 - 47,000; Full time

Job summary

A defence organization in Bristol seeks a Mechanical Engineering Manager to lead complex engineering systems management and deliver essential support to the Royal Navy and British Army. The ideal candidate will have experience in mechanical or airfield support, hold an IEng certification, and possess strong leadership skills. Responsibilities include overseeing engineering teams and ensuring compliance with statutory requirements. The role offers flexible working options and various benefits including a competitive pension contribution.

Benefits

25+ days annual leave

Flexible working options

Employer pension contribution of 28.97%

Annual performance-based bonus

Access to specialist training

Qualifications

• Experience in delivering Mechanical or Airfield Support outcomes.
• Registered as IEng or equivalent experience expected within 12 months.
• Ability to work in a highly regulated area.

Responsibilities

• Lead management of engineering systems across Airfield workshops.
• Supervise multi-disciplinary teams delivering equipment support.
• Authorize technical documentation and changes.

Skills

Technical advice

Leadership

Stakeholder Management

Education

Incorporated Engineer (IEng) certification

Job description

Organisation: Defence Equipment & Support
Salary: £46,400 (plus generous benefits)
Grade: Professional II (PII)
Working Pattern: Full time, Part time, Job Share, Flexible Working
Contract Type: Permanent

At Defence Equipment & Support (DE&S), we supply and maintain vital equipment and services for the Royal Navy, British Army, and Royal Air Force. Together, we deliver a vast range of essential defence programmes and strive for what's next. Because it helps keep our military at the top of their game and our nation safe – for today, and tomorrow.

We offer 25+ days’ holiday, flexible and hybrid working, enhanced parental leave schemes, shopping discounts, and an exceptional employer pension contribution of 28.97%, to help make work work for you.

Nationality, Visas, and Vetting: We're unable to offer Visa sponsorship.

This role requires you to have lived in the UK for the last 5 years and obtain Security Check (SC) security clearance. Clearance must be obtained without any caveats that prevent you from carrying out the role for which you’ve been recruited. If it isn’t obtained or is obtained but with caveats that prevent you from carrying out the role, any conditional offer made to you will be withdrawn. Obtaining SC security clearance can be a lengthy process, and we reserve the right to withdraw any conditional offer made if the necessary security clearance isn’t obtained within 12 months.

Job Description

As the Mechanical Engineering Manager, you will lead on the safe, compliant, and effective management of complex engineering systems across Airfield workshops, Airfield Support Equipment (ASE), Working at Height equipment, Gases/Cryogenics systems, and deployed support environments. This role provides technical authority, leadership, and assurance within Defence engineering, ensuring that all equipment, facilities, and processes meet statutory, military and air safety requirements.

You’ll lead multi‑disciplinary teams of Subject Matter Experts, technicians, and contractors, delivering engineering governance and through‑life equipment support. Your focal points include producing and maintaining Safety Assessment Reports (SARs), chairing Hazard Review Boards and Local Technical Committees, and providing authoritative engineering decisions.

You’ll have oversight of engineering defects trend analysis and root cause investigations using formal quality systems and directing corrective or preventive actions. The Engineering Lead produces and approves Special Technical Instructions in collaboration with Original Equipment Manufacturers and fleet managers, ensuring the Defence user community receives clear and actionable guidance.

You’ll also provide specialist support to tri‑service airfield operations, offering SME advice on ASE configuration, modification control, asset management and deployed operational support. It includes planning and delivering engineering solutions to austere or operational environments, such as deployable workshops, Temporary Working Environments, and portable aircraft arrestor systems.

As a leader and trainer, you will manage workshop and training facility staff, oversee instruction in advanced workshop, sheet metal, and welding skills, and ensure training delivery meets regulatory and quality assurance standards. This extends to personnel development, welfare oversight, data protection compliance, and performance management across military and civilian teams.

We champion flexible working, with regular on‑site attendance (around 60%) to foster collaboration, alongside flexibility to support work‑life balance. Initially, you may be expected to attend more frequently to familiarise yourselves with the site, the team, and your role. Occasional travel to operational bases or manufacturer sites may be required.

Ready to take your career to new heights? Apply today and help shape the future of aerospace innovation.

What you’ll be doing

• Owning the generation of technical requirements, defining technical deliverables/artifacts, and updating other documentation for systems, including the considerations to in‑service support and associated costs.
• Authorising technical data input and changes to support the management and maturity of engineering documentation, focusing on successful technical outcomes.
• Working in a highly regulated area, educating others with relevant legislation, regulation, policy, processes, and standards to deliver technical documentation for a system. This includes the essential relation to quality, safety, security, and sustainability of the system, and the interoperability with other sub‑systems.
• Stakeholder Management, collaborating and managing trade‑offs with other sub‑system teams and specialists, over technical requirements, and design compromises, to maximise successful system implementation and delivery.
• Authorising recommendations in relation to your technical area of knowledge.
• Assisting in the management of internal staff, through tasking and assisting in mentoring Entry Talent and lower grades.

Person specification

To be successful with your application, you’ll need to show that you meet the following essential criteria:

• Demonstrable, wide ranging depth and breadth experience of providing technical advice and delivery of successful Mechanical or Airfield Support outcomes (Lead criterion)
• Professionally registered as an Incorporated Engineer (IEng) as a minimum or demonstrate equivalent experience with an expectation that IEng (or alternative) will be achieved within 12 months of joining permanently. This will be monitored via objectives & capability-based pay pilots as appropriate.

In addition to the responsibilities above, the following technical competences and behaviours will be assessed at interview:

• Making Effective Decisions- CSBC 3
• Leadership - CSBC 3
• ECF_02 Safety Management – Awareness Level
• ECF_03 Supportable Technical Solutions - Practitioner Level

Offered benefits

• 25 days’ annual leave +1 day a year up to 30 days, 8 bank holidays and a day off for the King’s birthday
• Flexible and hybrid working options
• Market-leading average employer pension contribution of 28.97%
• Annual performance-based bonus and recognition awards
• Access to specialist training and funded qualifications
• Support for progression
• Huge range of discounts
• Volunteering days
• Enhanced parental leave schemes

Improving innovation and enriching our culture, diversity of thought is vital to our success. So, whether you’re looking for a new opportunity, a next step, or a helping hand as you return from a career break, bring your experiences and help deliver for the defence of tomorrow. Here you’ll find a supportive, family-friendly organisation to be a part of - and if you need any assistance with your application, just let us know.

#LI-Hybrid

Further Information

• Civil Service Recruitment Principles: Recruitment Principles - Civil Service Commission
• Candidate Information Pack: https://bit.ly/DES-Candidate-Information-Pack
• Terms and Conditions: https://bit.ly/DES-Terms-and-Conditions
• Civil Service Code: The Code - Civil Service Commission

Any personal data that you provide during the Recruitment process will be treated in accordance with the MOD Privacy Notice which can be accessed here.

Disability Confident

Please note as a Disability Confident Leader we want to ensure you receive any reasonable adjustments that you need throughout the recruitment process. If you do require any reasonable adjustments, you can let us know on your online application under the section ‘Please indicate and give details of any reasonable adjustments you may require during the recruitment process.’

Conflicts of Interest

The Ministry of Defence requires all candidates who are successful at interview to declare any outside interests. These declarations will be discussed with successful candidates following the interview process and before a formal offer of employment is made, as some outside interests may not be compatible with MOD civilian roles. This will not, in the majority of cases, prevent employment in MOD, but it is a measure that must be taken to ensure that appropriate mitigations can be put in place to manage any potential, perceived or actual conflicts of interest from the first day of employment.

Selection Process Details

Your application will go through the following stages of assessment:

1. Pre-sift - we will check that you meet any essential or eligibility criteria that are listed in the Person Specification section of this advert. On your CV, please clearly show how you meet the essential criteria.
2. Sift - Your CV will be assessed against the following categories, using a simple numerical scoring system: Key Achievements; Relevant Experience; Applied Knowledge and Skills. Please follow our guidance on CV writing for best chance of success.
3. Interview - If you're invited to interview, you’ll be assessed against the Sift categories listed above, as well as the Technical Competences and Behaviours listed in the Person Specification section of this advert.

Please Note: In the event of a tied score at interview, the Order of Merit will be distinguished based on the ranking of the assessed behaviours and competencies below:

• 1st: Core Behaviour 1
• 2nd: Core Behaviour 2
• 3rd: Technical Competencies
• 4th: CV Review

In the event of a further tie using the method above, we reserve the right to use the Lead criterion, and/or an additional assessment.

Feedback will only be provided if you attend an interview.

If you feel that your application has not been treated in accordance with the Recruitment Principles and you wish to make a complaint, in the first instance you should contact department via email: [e-mail]. If you are not satisfied with the response you receive from the Department, you can contact the Civil Service Commission: Recruitment Complaints - Civil Service Commission