Mechanical Project Engineer (Rail)

Tatton Recruitment; Shirebrook; On-site; GBP 55,000 - 70,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Bonus

Company Benefits

Support towards Chartership

Job summary

Tatton Recruitment is working with a well-established rail engineering and manufacturing business based in Mansfield to recruit a Senior Project Engineer. You will lead freight wagon and rolling stock projects from concept to handover, coordinating across design, manufacture and customer outcomes.

This permanent role offers £55,000–£70,000 plus a bonus and company benefits, with support towards Chartered status and a clear path to influence engineering decisions in a long‑standing manufacturing

Qualifications

• Strong mechanical engineering background.
• Experience in rail or heavy manufacturing.
• Proven project management capability.
• Excellent communication and commercial awareness.
• Ability to influence senior stakeholders and cross-functional teams.

Responsibilities

• Lead the engineering lifecycle of freight wagon and rolling stock projects from initial concept through to manufacture, verification, validation, and customer handover.
• Own technical deliverables and engineering priorities, driving project plans to hit programme milestones.
• Manage engineering change, configuration control, and technical risk, assessing impact on compliance and manufacturability.
• Collaborate closely across departments and support technical approvals with evidence packs.
• Provide hands-on support to manufacturing teams on the shop floor and mentor junior engineers.

Skills

Mechanical engineering

Rail freight experience

Project management

Communication

Job description

Senior Project Engineer (Rolling Stock / Rail Freight)

£55,000 - £70,000 + Bonus + Company Benefits + Support towards Chartership

Mansfield

We are hiring for a Senior Project Engineer based Mansfield. This role is on a permanent basis.

Are you a Project Engineer with a strong mechanical engineering background and practical experience in rail or heavy manufacturing, looking to join a well-established manufacturer where you will lead high-impact projects and shape key engineering decisions?

Are you looking to take full ownership of project delivery from concept to handover, with a high degree of influence across design, manufacture, and customer outcomes?

This is an excellent opportunity to join a reputable business, established for over 100 years, and play a critical role in delivering complex, business-critical work streams, during an exciting growth period.

The Company:

We are working with a well-established rail engineering and manufacturing business, currently experiencing rapid and sustained growth after securing a large export deal. The company provides a complete service across concept design, manufacture, approval, and life-extension projects. Alongside rail wagons, they design and manufacture bespoke containers and specialist engineered products, varied and technically interesting work.

The Role:

This role is for a Senior Project Engineer who can integrate technical, commercial, schedule, and stakeholder requirements to successfully drive engineering projects forward.

Day to Day:

• Lead the engineering lifecycle of freight wagon and rolling stock projects from initial concept through to manufacture, verification, validation, and customer handover.


• Own technical deliverables and engineering priorities, driving project plans to hit programme milestones.


• Manage engineering change, configuration control, and technical risk, assessing any impact on compliance, manufacturability, and in-service performance.


• Collaborate closely across departments


• Support technical approvals, compiling the necessary evidence packs and engineering records for vehicle compliance.


• Provide hands‑on support to manufacturing teams on the shop floor, resolving technical issues and implementing controlled changes efficiently.


• Mentor and guide internal engineers and designers, promoting robust engineering governance and continuous process improvement.

The Individual:

• Senior Project Engineer with a solid mechanical engineering background.


• Proven experience within rail freight, rolling stock, or a comparable heavy engineering environment.


• Strong project management capability, with a track record of coordinating resources, managing budgets, and driving delivery against deadlines.


• Excellent communication and commercial awareness, with the confidence to influence senior stakeholders and lead cross-functional decision‑making.


• Proactive, structured, and delivery-focused mindset with strong attention to detail.