Principal Mechanical Engineer

Babcock International; Leicester; Hybrid; GBP 125,000 - 150,000; Full time

Job summary

A leading engineering firm seeks a Principal Mechanical Engineer to manage multidisciplinary teams for a civil nuclear decommissioning project. The role involves overseeing technical solutions, mentoring engineers, and ensuring compliance with engineering standards. This full-time position offers hybrid working arrangements and is focused on delivering high-quality engineering outputs while promoting safety and environmental standards. Ideal candidates will have extensive experience in engineering leadership and customer engagement.

Benefits

Generous holiday allowance

Matched contribution pension scheme

Access to Digital GP and health consultations

Employee share scheme

Professional fees payment

Volunteering leave ('Be Kind Day')

Development opportunities

Qualifications

• Extensive experience leading multidisciplinary engineering teams.
• Proven ability to supervise and mentor engineers.
• Strong background in producing technical outputs like calculations and specifications.
• Expertise in applying engineering codes and standards.
• Track record of effective customer engagement.

Responsibilities

• Lead and manage engineering teams to deliver project solutions.
• Supervise and mentor engineers, ensuring performance standards.
• Act as key liaison with customers for project delivery.
• Oversee production and review of engineering outputs.
• Promote health, safety, and environmental standards.

Skills

Leadership of multidisciplinary teams

Mentoring engineers

Technical report production

Customer engagement

Engineering standards compliance

Education

Engineering degree or equivalent

Job description

As a Principal Mechanical Engineer, you'll play a pivotal role in a major civil nuclear decommissioning initiative. This project is part of a broader effort to safely dismantle and remediate legacy nuclear infrastructure, with a strong emphasis on sustainability, regulatory compliance, and environmental stewardship. You'll be working on the integration of complex mechanical systems within a multidisciplinary team, developing innovative engineering solutions to support the safe deconstruction and long‑term management of nuclear facilities. Day‑to‑day, you'll lead multidisciplinary engineering teams, oversee the delivery of complex technical solutions, and act as a key point of contact for customers, ensuring high standards of safety, quality, and performance while mentoring others and driving continuous improvement across projects.

• Lead and manage multidisciplinary engineering teams to deliver high‑quality technical solutions aligned with customer requirements and project scope.
• Supervise and mentor engineers and technical specialists, ensuring effective performance, development, and adherence to engineering standards.
• Act as a key liaison with customers, fostering strong relationships and ensuring transparent communication on technical progress and delivery.
• Oversee the production, review, and approval of engineering outputs, including calculations, specifications, and reports, ensuring compliance with relevant codes and standards.
• Champion health, safety, and environmental standards across engineering activities, promoting a culture of best practice and continuous improvement.

This role is full time, 37 hours per week provides hybrid working arrangements with 3 days in the office, at one of our key locations: Warrington (Cheshire), Hessle (East Riding of Yorkshire), or Preston (Lancashire).

Essential Experience

• Extensive experience leading multidisciplinary engineering teams and delivering complex technical projects within agreed scope, timeframes, and quality standards.
• Proven ability to supervise and mentor engineers and technical specialists, fostering professional development and ensuring high performance.
• Strong background in producing, reviewing, and approving detailed engineering outputs, including calculations, specifications, and technical reports.
• Demonstrated expertise in applying relevant procedures, codes, and standards to ensure compliance and technical integrity across engineering activities.
• Track record of effective customer engagement, including managing relationships, resolving technical issues, and supporting business development initiatives.
• Engineering degree (or equivalent qualification) in relevant engineering discipline, with significant demonstrable experience.
• Must be able to achieve and maintain Standard (BPSS) / Security Check (SC) security clearance for this role. Further details are available at United Kingdom Security Vetting: clearance levels - GOV.UK (www.gov.uk).

Benefits

• Generous holiday allowance
• Matched contribution pension scheme, with life assurance
• Access to a Digital GP, annual health check, and nutritional consultations through Aviva DigiCare+
• Employee share scheme
• Employee shopping savings portal
• Payment of Professional Fees
• Reservists in the armed forces receive 10‑days special paid leave
• Holiday Trading is a benefit that allows UK Cavendish employees to buy additional leave or to sell up to one working week of annual leave from their annual entitlement. This Window opens February through to March annually.
• 'Be Kind Day' enables employees to take one working day's paid leave a year (or equivalent hours) to undertake volunteering work with their chosen organisation or registered charity
• Excellent development opportunities and benefits package including an employee assistance programme supporting physical, mental and financial wellbeing.