Principal Mechanical Design Engineer

Quest Global; Huddersfield; On-site; GBP 70,000 - 100,000; Full time

Job summary

Quest Global is seeking a Principal Mechanical Design Engineer in the UK aerospace and defence sector. You will lead a design team, coordinate with simulation and delivery, and apply first principles to develop innovative mechanical systems, gears, and transmissions while ensuring cost, timing and quality requirements.

You will drive design reviews, mentor engineers, and deliver high‑quality solutions across multi‑discipline projects, maintaining regulatory compliance and championing continuous

Qualifications

• Bachelor's or Master's degree in engineering or related field.
• Chartered Engineer status is preferred.
• Experience in Aerospace and Defence is required.

Responsibilities

• Provide leadership and line management to the team, coordinating and overseeing their workloads, providing support to ensure that the team delivers, monitoring any issues, and ensuring timescales, KPIs and deadlines are met to meet the requirements of the customer.
• Develop the team by focusing on individual performance and support requirements to achieve high standards.
• Works on multiple major projects of the highest complexity requiring forefront-of-field, innovative solutions.
• Acts independently at the organisational level, being self-supervising, within guidance and expectations of customers.
• Lead non-conformance support and improvements.
• Champion quality deliverables for simulation as well as continuous improvements included within your owned delivery stream.
• Contribute to the creation and implementation of best practice engineering vision, strategy, policies, processes and procedures to aid and improve operational performance.
• Ability to capture and specify the design requirements General and Task Management.
• Lead on complex major projects requiring forefront-of-the-field, innovative, original solutions, provide technical expertise to the team.
• You will participate in internal and external design reviews and you are responsible for the design acceptance by the client.
• Make independent decisions on issues, providing expert technical support within Mechanical Engineering.
• You shall be able to lead projects in a multi-discipline environment and be capable or coordinating all Mechanical engineering and design, with the other disciplines, Process, transmission systems, Gears, Gear box and Marine engineering.
• Strive for continuous improvement and drive your area of delivery autonomously, with particular focus on non-conformance process improvements and preventive measures.

Skills

Transmission systems

Gears and gear box

Marine engineering

Design review leadership

Teaching and coaching

Core design principles

Education

Bachelor's or Master's in Engineering

Chartered Engineer (preferred)

Tools

Solid Edge

Siemens NX

AutoCAD

Job description

At Quest Global, it’s not just what we do but how and why we do it that makes us different. With over 25 years as an engineering services provider, we believe in the power of doing things differently to make the impossible possible. Our people are driven by the desire to make the world a better place—to make a positive difference that contributes to a brighter future. We bring together technologies and industries, alongside the contributions of diverse individuals who are empowered by an intentional workplace culture, to solve problems better and faster.

A Principal Design Engineer plays a crucial role in the Aerospace and Defence industry, designing mechanical systems, processes, methodologies as well as component designs to enhance the overall performance. Transforming concepts into prototypes for testing, validating and improvement for ultimately. This includes designing to meet costs, timing and quality requirements. At Quest Global we are seeking a highly experienced engineer to join our team.

As a Principal Mechanical Engineer, you will lead a design team ensuring effective handover from simulation to design and technical leadership of continuous improvement initiatives for non-conformance. Manage the team to produce high quality solutions for projects and be able to apply engineering knowledge and first principles to devise innovative solutions to unique design problems. Manage design processes, coordinate with team members, partners and clients, ensuring regulatory compliance, implementing technical standards, finding solutions for technical issues and provide expert advice on mechanical systems to team.

Key Responsibilities

• Provide leadership and line management to the team, coordinating and overseeing their workloads, providing support to ensure that the team delivers, monitoring any issues, and ensuring timescales, KPIs and deadlines are met to meet the requirements of the customer.
• Develop the team by focusing on individual performance and support requirements to achieve high standards.
• Works on multiple major projects of the highest complexity requiring forefront-of-field, innovative solutions.
• Acts independently at the organisational level, being self-supervising, within guidance and expectations of customers.
• Lead non-conformance support and improvements.
• Champion quality deliverables for simulation as well as continuous improvements included within your owned delivery stream.
• Contribute to the creation and implementation of best practice engineering vision, strategy, policies, processes and procedures to aid and improve operational performance.
• Ability to capture and specify the design requirements General and Task Management.
• Lead on complex major projects requiring forefront-of-the-field, innovative, original solutions, provide technical expertise to the team.
• You will participate in internal and external design reviews and you are responsible for the design acceptance by the client.
• Make independent decisions on issues, providing expert technical support within Mechanical Engineering.
• You shall be able to lead projects in a multi-discipline environment and be capable or coordinating all Mechanical engineering and design, with the other disciplines, Process, transmission systems, Gears, Gear box and Marine engineering.
• Strive for continuous improvement and drive your area of delivery autonomously, with particular focus on non-conformance process improvements and preventive measures.

We are known for our extraordinary people who make the impossible possible every day. Questians are driven by hunger, humility, and aspiration. We believe that our company culture is the key to our ability to make a true difference in every industry we reach. Our teams regularly invest time and dedicated effort into internal culture work, ensuring that all voices are heard.

We wholeheartedly believe in the diversity of thought that comes with fostering a culture rooted in respect, where everyone belongs, is valued, and feels inspired to share their ideas. We know embracing our unique differences makes us better, and that solving the worlds hardest engineering problems requires diverse ideas, perspectives, and backgrounds. We shine the brightest when we tap into the many dimensions that thrive across over 21,000 difference-makers in our workplace.

Required Skills (Technical Competency)

• Design Proficiency in Transmission systems, Gears, Gear box and Marine engineering
• Experienced with in the production of mechanical specifications, scopes of work, calculations, drawings and schedules
• Analyse and manage multiple design related issues to identify root cause
• Modify designs based on the analysis to re-test and analyse until design meets specification requirements
• Make design changes on existing products and track them
• Write reports and present progress at project meetings and to clients
• Have an appreciation with the main design packages including, Solid Edge, Siemens NX, AutoCAD etc.
• Result oriented. You are only satisfied after your engineering and design is accepted by the client, you delivered top quality and the client is very satisfied with the performance of you and your team
• You can chair design review meetings
• You have pleasure in teaching and coaching the young generation Mechanical engineers and designers

Requirements

• Bachelor's/master’s degree in engineering or a related field.
• Previous experience in a similar role within the Aerospace and Defence industry.
• Preferably a Chartered Engineer.
• Experience in heavy engineering industry, power transmission systems, gears and gear box
• Strong knowledge of quality management systems and industry standards (e.g., AS9100, ISO 9001)
• Strong knowledge of quality management systems and standards.
• Proficient in root cause analysis and failure mode analysis techniques.
• Excellent problem-solving and analytical skills.
• Detail-oriented with a strong focus on team, quality and continuous improvement.
• Effective communication and interpersonal skills.

Due to security requirements these posts are open to SOLE UK NATIONALS ONLY

If you are a dedicated and proactive professional with a passion for ensuring quality and driving continuous improvement, we would love to hear from you. Join our team at Quest Global as a Principal Mechanical Design Engineer and contribute to the success of our Aerospace and Defense projects.