Principal Engineer

Orion Electrotech; Bedford; Hybrid; GBP 85,000 - 120,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Hybrid working after probation

Senior leadership role

Job summary

Orion Electrotech is seeking a Principal Engineer to provide technical leadership in rotating machinery, pumps and mechanical systems. Reporting to the General Manager, you will influence product strategy, engineering standards, and technology roadmaps.

You will lead R&D initiatives, validate designs, and drive DFx and value engineering to improve performance and competitiveness. This senior role offers hybrid working after probation and a significant strategic impact.

Qualifications

• Extensive experience in mechanical engineering design and analysis within industrial rotating machinery, pumps, motors, or related equipment.
• Strong commercial awareness with the ability to align engineering solutions to market demands and business objectives.
• Comprehensive understanding of centrifugal pump design, operation, and performance.
• Broad knowledge across hydraulics, material science, structural integrity, thermodynamics, electromechanical systems, rotor dynamics, vibration analysis, and failure diagnostics.
• Experience in technical validation, product testing, and engineering analysis methodologies.
• Demonstrated experience reviewing and approving technical reports and engineering calculations.

Responsibilities

• Lead research and development initiatives to drive innovation, integrate emerging technologies, and support strategic business growth.
• Enhance project governance and stage-gate processes, including bid/no-bid reviews, lessons learned activities, and continuous improvement programmes.
• Translate customer specifications and technical requirements into effective product designs, testing procedures, and engineering solutions.
• Develop and drive product strategy in collaboration with commercial and sales teams to ensure market-led decision-making.
• Lead the integration of applicable technologies and product modules from wider group engineering portfolios.
• Act as the technical authority for hydraulic design, structural integrity, and engineering compliance of pump systems and associated equipment.
• Drive Design for Manufacture (DFM) and value engineering initiatives to enhance product performance and commercial competitiveness.

Skills

Rotating machinery design

Pumps and motors

Mechanical design analysis

Commercial awareness

Technical leadership

Job description

Principal Engineer

Our client is a well-established engineering and manufacturing organisation specialising in the design, development, and delivery of high-performance solutions for critical infrastructure and industrial applications. As part of its ongoing growth strategy, the company is seeking an experienced Principal Engineer to provide technical leadership, drive innovation, and shape the future direction of its engineering capability.

This is a senior leadership position for a highly experienced engineer with extensive expertise in rotating machinery, pumps, and mechanical systems. Reporting to the General Manager, the Principal Engineer will act as a key technical authority within the organisation, influencing product strategy, engineering standards, and technology roadmaps.

Responsibilities of the Principal Engineer

• Lead research and development initiatives to drive innovation, integrate emerging technologies, and support strategic business growth.
• Enhance project governance and stage-gate processes, including bid/no-bid reviews, lessons learned activities, and continuous improvement programmes.
• Translate customer specifications and technical requirements into effective product designs, testing procedures, and engineering solutions.
• Develop and drive product strategy in collaboration with commercial and sales teams to ensure market-led decision-making.
• Lead the integration of applicable technologies and product modules from wider group engineering portfolios.
• Act as the technical authority for hydraulic design, structural integrity, and engineering compliance of pump systems and associated equipment.
• Drive Design for Manufacture (DFM) and value engineering initiatives to enhance product performance and commercial competitiveness.

Requirements for the Principal Engineer

• Extensive experience in mechanical engineering design and analysis within industrial rotating machinery, pumps, motors, or related equipment.
• Strong commercial awareness with the ability to align engineering solutions to market demands and business objectives.
• Comprehensive understanding of centrifugal pump design, operation, and performance.
• Broad knowledge across hydraulics, material science, structural integrity, thermodynamics, electromechanical systems, rotor dynamics, vibration analysis, and failure diagnostics.
• Experience in technical validation, product testing, and engineering analysis methodologies.
• Demonstrated experience reviewing and approving technical reports and engineering calculations.

Benefits for the Principal Engineer

• Opportunity to influence the technical direction of an established engineering business.
• Hybrid working after probation.
• Senior leadership position with significant strategic impact.
• Involvement in innovative product development and R&D programmes.
• Competitive salary and benefits package.