Principal Mechanical Engineer

Manpower UK Limited; Plymouth; Hybrid; GBP 125,000 - 150,000; Full time

Job summary

A global aerospace and defense company located in Plymouth is seeking a Principal Mechanical Engineer. The role involves supporting engineering capabilities through the design lifecycle, ensuring compliance with specifications and regulations. Candidates must have a mechanical engineering background, ideally within highly regulated sectors such as Defence or Nuclear. This hybrid position offers the opportunity to work on mission-critical solutions in a dynamic environment.

Qualifications

• Experience in Defence, Nuclear, Oil & Gas, or regulated industry.
• Familiarity with mechanical process systems and building services.
• Understanding of Principal Designer responsibilities under CDM.

Responsibilities

• Develop and validate design requirements through a systems engineering approach.
• Ensure compliance with client specifications and technical regulations.
• Collaborate across engineering functions to manage interfaces.

Skills

Mechanical engineering background

Engineering principles for mechanical systems

Knowledge of regulations and standards

Computer literate

Experience with nuclear safety

Tools

MS Office

Engineering Document Management Systems

BIM environments

Job description

Role: Principal Mechanical Engineer

Location: Plymouth(Hybrid)

Duration: 2 years

Inside IR35: Umbrella

About our client:

Our client is a leading global aerospace, defence, and security company specializing in delivering complex, mission-critical solutions. With a strong heritage in engineering and innovation, they provide essential services across aviation, marine, land, and nuclear sectors, supporting governments, armed forces, and commercial clients worldwide. Renowned for their commitment to safety, sustainability, and technological advancement, our client plays a vital role in ensuring operational excellence for their customers. Join them and be part of a team that drives innovation and delivers cutting-edge solutions in some of the world's most demanding environments.

Main Purpose of Role

Day-to-day, you'll be supporting the engineering capability of the new systems through the design lifecycle in accordance with the design process:

• Applying systems engineering approach to develop and validate design requirements
• Ensuring compliance with client specifications, technical regulations and standards
• Collaboration across engineering functions and stakeholders to integrate designs within the overall facility layout and manage interfaces
• Technical management of specialist sub-contract designers
• Maintaining the engineering configuration of the design intent (change control)

Required Knowledge, Skills, Experience and Competences

• The candidate must have experience in;
• Mechanical engineering background preferably within Defence, Nuclear, Oil & Gas, or other highly regulated industry
• Engineering principles for the design of mechanical process systems and building services (eg water services, industrial gases)
• Regulations, legislation and standards that are applicable to mechanical system design and construction (including Principal Designer responsibilities under CDM)
• Experience of substantiation of process equipment for justification of Nuclear Safety Functions (desirable)
• Computer literate (preferably MS Office, Engineering Document Management Systems and BIM environments)
• Experience of the design support to construction, operation, refit/repair of conventional and nuclear submarines and/or facilities (desirable)

Please apply if you want to be part of a leading global defence, and security company that delivers complex, mission-critical solutions!