Principal HVAC Design Engineer

BAE Systems; Barrow-in-Furness; Hybrid; GBP 46,000 - 55,000; Full time

Job summary

A leading defence engineering company is seeking a Principal HVAC Design Engineer in Barrow-in-Furness. This role involves leading the development of advanced HVAC systems, ensuring compliance with safety standards, and collaborating across multiple disciplines. The ideal candidate should have strong expertise in HVAC design, relevant industry experience, and a STEM degree. The position offers a competitive salary and a range of additional benefits, including flexible working arrangements and a generous pension scheme.

Benefits

Competitive pension scheme

Flexible health and wellbeing benefits

Employee share plans

Qualifications

• Strong technical expertise in HVAC and mechanical system design.
• Proven experience in regulated industries and knowledge of relevant standards.
• Excellent technical communication and reporting abilities.

Responsibilities

• Lead the development of HVAC systems meeting safety and performance standards.
• Create and review engineering documents such as specifications and models.
• Guide multidisciplinary teams in HVAC system integration.

Skills

HVAC design

Mechanical system design

Thermal analysis

System performance assessment

Technical communication

Education

STEM degree or equivalent experience

Job description

Job Title:

Principal HVAC Design Engineer

Location:

Barrow-in-Furness. We offer a range of hybrid and flexible working arrangements - please speak to your recruiter about the options for this role

Salary:

Circa £55,000

What you’ll be doing:

• Lead the end-to-end development of cutting‑edge HVAC systems, ensuring they meet demanding performance, safety, and environmental standards


• Create and review high‑impact engineering artefacts - from specifications and P&IDs to calculations and 3D models


• Drive advanced thermal, airflow, and pressure analyses to validate system performance in challenging conditions


• Transform complex requirements into robust, innovative, and verifiable design solutions that set the benchmark for excellence


• Guide and influence engineers, suppliers, and design partners, shaping best‑in‑class HVAC integration across the platform


• Enhance design standards and evaluate specialist equipment, contributing to reviews, hazard assessments, and lifecycle verification

Your skills and experiences:

• Strong technical expertise in HVAC and mechanical system design, including psychometrics, thermal analysis, equipment specification, schematics and system balancing


• Proven experience working in complex or regulated industries, with knowledge of standards such as ISO 15138, BS EN 378, ASHRAE, or CIBSE


• Skilled in system performance assessment, design validation, modelling, and failure analysis


• Awareness of multi‑disciplinary system integration challenges across structures, electrical, controls, safety, and installation


• Excellent technical communication and reporting abilities, engaging both internal and external stakeholders


• STEM degree (or equivalent experience), ideally working toward or holding professional registration (CEng preferred)

Benefits:

As well as a competitive pension scheme, BAE Systems also offers employee share plans, an extensive range of flexible discounted health, wellbeing and lifestyle benefits, including a green car scheme, private health plans and shopping discounts – you may also be eligible for an annual incentive.

The Platform Mechanical Integrated Delivery Team:

As a Principal HVAC Design Engineer, you’ll be at the forefront of one of the UK’s most advanced engineering programmes – leading the delivery of complex HVAC systems that shape the future of submarine platforms. You’ll take ownership of high‑impact systems, provide trusted technical authority, and work across multiple disciplines to drive innovative solutions into reality.

You’ll be part of the Platform Mechanical Integrated Delivery Team – a fast‑moving, highly collaborative group of specialists pushing the boundaries of submarine engineering. This is a unique opportunity to work alongside experts from diverse backgrounds and partner organisations, contributing to mechanical capabilities that are critical to the success of the entire platform. We offer relocation support across all Submarine roles, subject to meeting eligibility criteria.

Why BAE Systems?

This is a place where you’ll be able to make a real difference. You’ll be part of an inclusive culture that values diversity of thought, rewards integrity, and merit, and where you’ll be empowered to fulfil your potential. We welcome people from all backgrounds and want to make sure that our recruitment processes are as inclusive as possible. If you have a disability or health condition (for example dyslexia, autism, an anxiety disorder etc.) that may affect your performance in certain assessment types, please speak to your recruiter about potential reasonable adjustments.

Please be aware that many roles at BAE Systems are subject to both security and export control restrictions. These restrictions mean that factors such as your nationality, any nationalities you may have previously held, and your place of birth can restrict the roles you are eligible to perform within the organisation. All applicants must achieve a minimum of Baseline Personnel Security Standard. Many roles also require higher levels of National Security Vetting where applicants must typically have 5 to 10 years of continuous residency in the UK depending on the vetting level required for the role, to allow for meaningful security vetting checks.

Closing Date:

18th December 2025

We reserve the right to close this vacancy early if we receive sufficient applications for the role. Therefore, if you are interested, please submit your application as early as possible.

When applying for this role you will be redirected to BAE Systems careers site where you will be required to:

• Register an account (optional, you can apply as a guest)


• Provide contact information


• Upload your CV


• Complete a short diversity & inclusion questionnaire

When asked source type, please select "job board advertisement" then "the IET / E+T Jobs".