Principal Mechanical Design Engineer

Pertemps; Old Warren; On-site; GBP 65,000 - 80,000; Full time

Job summary

A leading water company in the UK is seeking a Principal Mechanical Design Engineer to lead innovative projects in water and wastewater infrastructure. The ideal candidate will have a degree in mechanical engineering and relevant experience in design roles. This position offers a salary range of £65,000 to £80,000 plus benefits, including a car allowance and bonus.

Benefits

£5.8k car allowance

26 days holiday, increasing to 30

Annual bonus

Private medical health care

Access to health and wellness benefits

Qualifications

• Degree qualified or equivalent in mechanical engineering.
• Experience in sludge digestion and treatment or process equipment.
• Exposure to lead design engineering roles.

Responsibilities

• Lead development of innovative designs for water and wastewater.
• Set technical requirements for projects.
• Uphold engineering standards to optimize asset performance.

Skills

Mechanical Engineering

Design Engineering

Project Management

Regulatory Compliance

Education

Degree in Mechanical Engineering

Job description

Overview

Lead the Future of Water Engineering – Become Our Principal Mechanical Design Engineer

Are you ready to shape the future of water and wastewater infrastructure? As our Principal Mechanical Design Engineer, you’ll take the lead in driving innovation, setting engineering standards, and mentoring a talented team of professionals. This is more than a technical role — it’s a strategic opportunity to become the ‘Intelligent Client’ at the heart of our AMP8 ambitions and beyond. Your expertise will be pivotal in delivering sustainable, high-performing assets that make a real difference to communities and the environment.

What you’ll be doing as a Principal Mechanical Design Engineer

• Set precise technical requirements with Project Definition Briefs for strong project foundations.
• Refine Technical Asset Standards to enhance process efficiency and effectiveness.
• Uphold engineering standards in Mechanical Engineering to optimise asset performance.
• Lead the development of innovative designs for the water and wastewater sectors.
• Inspire teams on mechanically focused projects, driving meaningful change.
• Achieve technical sign-off and assurance for seamless project handover.
• Support the advancement of innovative technologies through research.

What you should bring to the role

Essential criteria

• Be degree qualified or equivalent in mechanical engineering with a charter through a relevant awarding body.
• A Mechanical Engineering background in one or more sludge digestion and treatment, biogas and CHP systems, water and wastewater treatment, pumps/piping systems, or process equipment is essential.
• Understand the regulatory environment to comply with our engineering regulatory requirements.
• Had exposure to lead design engineering roles.

Additional skills and experiences would be excellent to have/bring

• Previous experience in the water industry.

What’s in it for you?

• Offering between £65,000 to £80,000 per annum, depending on the skills and experience of the successful candidate, plus £5.8k car allowance.
• 26 days holiday per year, increasing to 30 with the length of service. (plus bank holidays)
• Car Allowance.
• Annual Bonus.
• Private Medical Health Care.
• Access to lots of benefits to help you take care of your and your family’s health and well-being, and your finances – from annual health MOTs and access to physiotherapy and counselling to Cycle to Work schemes, shopping vouchers and life assurance.

Who are we?

We’re the UK’s largest water and wastewater company, with more than 16 million customers relying on us every day to supply water for their taps and toilets. We want to build a better future for all, helping our customers, communities, people, and the planet to thrive. It’s a big job and we’ve got a long way to go, so we need help from passionate and skilled people, committed to making a difference and getting us to where we want to be in the years and decades to come.

Learn more about our purpose and values

Working at Thames Water

Thames Water is a unique, rewarding, and diverse place to work, where every day you can make a difference, yet no day is the same. As part of our family, you’ll enjoy meaningful career opportunities, flexible working arrangements and excellent benefits.

If you’re looking for a sustainable and successful career where you can make a daily difference to millions of people’s lives while helping to protect the world of water for future generations, we’ll be here to support you every step of the way. Together, we can build a better future for our customers, our region, and our planet.

Real purpose, real support, real opportunities. Come and join the Thames Water family. Why choose us? Learn more.

We’re committed to being a great, diverse, and inclusive place to work. We welcome applications from everyone and want to ensure you feel supported throughout the recruitment process. If you need any adjustments, whether that’s extra time, accessible formats, or anything else just let us know, we’re here to help and support.

When a crisis happens, we all rally around to support our customers. As part of Team Thames, you’ll have the opportunity to sign up to support our customers on the frontline as an ambassador. Full training will be given for what is undoubtedly an incredibly rewarding experience. It’s also a great opportunity to learn more about our business and meet colleagues.

Disclaimer: due to the high volume of applications we receive, we may close the advert earlier than the advertised date, so we encourage you to apply as soon as possible to avoid disappointment.