Principal Mechanical Development Engineer

Ricardo; Royal Leamington Spa; Hybrid; GBP 75,000 - 100,000; Full time

Job summary

Ricardo is seeking a Principal Mechanical Development Engineer to lead powertrain and transmission development across automotive, industrial, and marine applications. Based at Shoreham or Leamington Spa, you will coordinate with test, design, analysis, and supplier teams to drive design validation and optimize components and systems.

The role involves team management, project planning, and delivering rigorous validation across multiple sites, with opportunities to work at customer locations as

Qualifications

• A good Engineering degree is preferential but not essential.

Responsibilities

• Team management.
• Proposal preparation.
• Understanding of the product development process for powertrains & transmissions.
• System and component specifications.
• Rig and System validation testing.
• Instrumentation and data capture.
• FMEAs.
• DVP’s (Design Validation Plans)
• Structured problem solving (8D, DAMAIC).
• Test procedure preparation and release.
• Post test teardown and inspection.
• Metrology skills.
• Preparation and execution of component, system, engine and vehicle testing.

Education

Engineering degree

Job description

Overview

Role: Principal Mechanical Development Engineer

Location: Shoreham-by-Sea or Leamington Spa - Onsite / Hybrid

Role ID: 2026-3335

Pushing Boundaries: a World leader in propulsion engineering from concept to production Ricardo is a trusted engineering partner specialising in complex propulsion, driveline, and energy systems. We work with customers globally to deliver end-to-end solutions from initial design through to full production. For over 110 years, we have been at the forefront of world changing engineering innovation, partnering with many of the world’s most ambitious organisations to improve performance, push boundaries, and accelerate progress.

Headquartered in Shoreham by Sea (UK), Ricardo brings together more than 1,000 experts and delivers in excess of 200 major programmes globally at any given time. For more information, visit www.ricardo.com

The Role

Due to the expansion of business within the Ricardo Development Department we are actively searching for Principal Development Engineer to work on powertrain, transmission, industrial focused projects across a wide spectrum of applications and their associated systems and sub-systems. The successful candidate will be based at our Shoreham or Leamington Spa office but also be flexible to work at other Ricardo sites and at customer locations in the U.K. (for a pre-agreed period of time if the project requires it).

The role will require a qualified and experienced mechanical engineer, with a good understanding in automotive, industrial and marine components, systems and associated vehicle parts. Understanding of transmission design would also be beneficial. The job will require close co-operation with stakeholder areas such as test, design, analysis, attributes, business development, metallurgical and chemical laboratories as well as suppliers to facilitate FMEAs and define appropriate design validation plans (DVPs). The role will require an element of team management, analysis of test and analysis results and make recommendations for design changes on either new powertrain designs, vehicle interface systems or lead failure investigation projects. Projects may involve working alone or part of a cross-functional and possibly international team.

The ideal candidate will be a commercially aware professional engineer, degree educated with an acceptable level of man management skills

Key Responsibilities

• Team management.
• Proposal preparation.
• Understanding of the product development process for powertrains & transmissions.
• System and component specifications.
• Rig and System validation testing.
• Instrumentation and data capture.
• FMEAs.
• DVP’s (Design Validation Plans)
• Structured problem solving i.e 8D, DAMAIC process etc.
• Test procedure preparation and release.
• Post test teardown and inspection.
• Metrology skills.
• An understanding of component manufacture, supplier liaison and design release process are also beneficial.
• Preparation and execution of component, system, engine and vehicle testing either at Ricardo or on off site with the customer.
• Specialist instrumentation.
• Prototype component manufacture.
• Component and system functional and durability test rigs.
• Functionality and durability engine dynamometer tests.
• Functionality and durability vehicle tests.
• Investigations and technical reporting to respond to customer powertrain enquiries on current and advanced technology on component or engine systems.
• Preparation of work proposals and project planning activities.
• Interfacing with engineering teams and specialists.

Qualification Requirements

• A good Engineering degree is preferential but not essential.

Key Skills And Experience

• As well as a strong ability to apply of fundamental engineering principles. Relevant experience in the automotive engineering industry and in the field of mechanical development is essential. Initiative and interpersonal skills are essential, as are strong written communication, PC and presentation skills.
• Technical task management of projects and engineers.
• Broad engineering knowledge of powertrain systems.
• Supplier management.
• Can work on client’s site / willing to travel.
• Ability to coordinate and understand information from multiple engineering departments.
• Understand engineering drawings.
• Experience of fault finding techniques used in the Automotive industry.
• Good project management skills.
• Understanding of CAE and CFD techniques.
• Understanding of engine component and system design gasoline and Diesel engines with a basic knowledge of transmission operation.
• Good presentation and reporting skills.

Working here

You will be warmly welcomed into our workplace where every voice matters. We are diverse thinkers and doers, coming together to create a culture of inclusion. We will support you to find your place.

We will encourage you to use your passion and expertise to make a positive impact through the projects you work on. Your knowledge and desire to bring about change will be invaluable in helping deliver innovative solutions that support communities across the globe in becoming safer and more sustainable.

Work life balance

We offer flexible approaches to work, whether that is working from home, being in the office, or as a hybrid worker. We’re happy to discuss flexible working arrangements. Wellbeing is at the core to our culture, allowing employees to flourish and to achieve their full potential.

Diversity, Equality, and Inclusion statement

We are an Equal Opportunity Employer, we believe in each person's potential, and we'll help you reach yours. We have an ambitious diversity, equality, and inclusion approach as explained here. We value diversity; recognising that a more diverse workforce creates a richer and more varied working environment. Diversity also drives innovation, by allowing us to offer our clients the best consultancy service that we can. As part of our commitment to engage positively and pro-actively with all our employees and to ensure an inclusive culture, we are a recognised as a 'disability confident' employer.