Principal Mechanical Engineer - PNED

ZipRecruiter; Ulverston; Hybrid; GBP 65,000 - 80,000; Full time

Job summary

A leading engineering firm in the UK is seeking a Principal Mechanical Engineer to provide comprehensive engineering support during the design and construction of the Naval Reactor Plant. The role requires a degree in engineering, proficiency in mechanical drawings, and strong technical writing skills. The company offers competitive benefits including a pension scheme and flexible employee plans.

Benefits

Competitive pension scheme

Employee share plans

Discounted health and wellbeing benefits

Qualifications

• Proficient in interpreting mechanical drawings with a solid understanding of GD&T.
• Strong report writing skills with experience in producing design change justifications.
• Familiarity with welding engineering principles and NDE techniques.

Responsibilities

• Collaborate with the build organisation to ensure product aligns with design intent.
• Lead assessment and implementation of design changes impacting structural elements.
• Provide technical recommendations to stakeholders.

Skills

Interpreting mechanical drawings

Technical report writing

Welding engineering principles

Education

Degree-level qualification in Engineering

Job description

Job title: Principal Mechanical Engineer – PNED
Location: Barrow-in-Furness.
We offer a range of hybrid and flexible working arrangements.

What you’ll be doing:

• Collaborate closely with the build organisation, providing engineering support to ensure the final product aligns with original design intent
• Demonstrate a strong understanding of key requirements and critical dimensions related to major structural components
• Lead the assessment and implementation of design changes impacting primary structural elements
• Support, or where appropriate, serve as the engineering representative within test and authorisation groups
• Develop specialised knowledge of the unique build sequence of the Reactor Compartment Unit and deliver ongoing engineering support throughout construction
• Represent the engineering function during the planning and execution of major construction milestones within the Reactor Compartment Unit’s scope
• Investigate and present robust technical solutions to challenges encountered during the construction of the Naval Reactor Plant
• Provide well-reasoned technical recommendations to key stakeholders

Your skills and experiences:
Essential:

• Degree-level qualification in Engineering, preferably with a focus on Mechanical or Structural disciplines
• Proficient in interpreting mechanical drawings, with a solid understanding of geometric dimensioning and tolerancing (GD&T)
• Familiarity with welding engineering principles and non-destructive examination (NDE) techniques
• Strong technical report writing skills, with experience in producing clear justifications for design changes

Desirable:

• Understanding of stress, fatigue, and thermal analysis principles in engineering applications
• Awareness of nuclear radiation shielding requirements and best practices
• Prior experience working within a nuclear plant environment
• Knowledge of the nuclear industry, including familiarity with regulatory bodies and compliance standards

Benefits:
We offer a competitive pension scheme, employee share plans, an extensive range of flexible discounted health, wellbeing and lifestyle benefits.

The Platform Nuclear Engineering Department team:
As a Principal Mechanical Engineer – PNED, you will play a critical role in supporting the design, build, and test phases of the Naval Reactor Plant (NRP) across multiple programmes.

We welcome people from all backgrounds and want to make sure that our recruitment processes are as inclusive as possible.

Closing Date: 23rd October 2025