Principal Mechanical Engineer (Water)

Sweco; Cambridgeshire and Peterborough; Hybride; GBP 90 000 - 120 000; Plein temps

Avantages offerts par ce poste

Flexible and hybrid working (Flexworks

Private Medical Insurance

Company car or car allowance

Discretionary Annual Bonus Scheme

Two relevant professional memberships

25 days holiday plus bank holidays (up

Cycle2Work Scheme

Employee Assistance Programme

Discretionary Salary Sacrifice EV

Résumé du poste

Sweco is seeking a Principal Mechanical Engineer to lead mechanical design and delivery of innovative water solutions. You will guide junior engineers, review safety and performance, and drive sustainable design decisions across projects.

The role emphasizes leadership, collaboration with stakeholders, and adherence to industry standards in a dynamic AMP8 programme. Hybrid working is offered to support work-life balance.

Qualifications

• A degree in Mechanical Engineering is required.
• Preferably chartered, or working towards chartered status.
• Proven experience in mechanical design—ideally in the water sector or similar infrastructure.
• Strong understanding of industry standards, health and safety legislation, and construction principles.
• Leadership experience with coaching, mentoring and developing others.
• Proficiency in CAD and engineering software.
• Confident decision-maker with a collaborative mindset and strong communication skills.

Responsabilités

• Lead and review mechanical designs to ensure compliance, safety, and performance excellence.
• Collaborate with stakeholders to deliver projects on time, within budget, and to high quality standards.
• Promote the use of digital tools and modular construction techniques.
• Drive Health & Safety by design, identifying improvements and reducing whole-life costs.
• Champion sustainability, carbon reduction, and innovation across the design lifecycle.
• Mentor junior engineers and create a culture of technical excellence and continuous learning.
• Work closely with project and engineering leaders, contributing to strategic decisions.

Connaissances

Mechanical design

Leadership

CAD

Formation

Bachelor's degree in Mechanical Engineering

Chartered status (or towards)

Outils

CAD software

Engineering software

Description du poste

Job Description

We are gearing up for our most exciting and challenging Asset Management Period yet, known as AMP8, this will see us deliver a programme of work larger than we’ve ever delivered before. We’ll be embarking on a new kind of project delivery focusing on nature-based solutions like wetlands and urban drainage schemes.

We are driving change, empowering us to set global benchmarks and build a better environment, with the opportunity to offer enhanced growth and development to our workforce. We’re looking to build on our existing teams with an environment built for career progression.

With such an exciting portfolio of projects planned for AMP8 to keep the water flowing across the region, our ability to manage our work and outperform against our customer’s expectations will come under greater scrutiny.

We need aspiring driven talent to help us achieve our ambitious targets, are you ready to join us as we prepare to deliver the most creative and innovative AMP we have ever seen?

About Sweco

Transforming society together, we're planning and designing sustainable communities and cities of the future.

Solving the great societal challenges of our time is more relevant, demanding and inspiring than ever before. At Sweco, we bring together experts with different perspectives and skills to develop solutions that address the challenges of urbanisation, harness the positive power of digitalisation and make societies more sustainable.

We offer our clients a combination of global expertise and local presence, adapted to their business and reality. Our ambition is to be our clients’ most relevant partner, working together to help them solve their challenges, today and into the future.

To ensure we support our objectives of collaboration across the business whilst providing our workforce with the agility to achieve a healthy work/ life balance, we are asking our employees to have office or site presence on an average of three days a week.

As a Principal Mechanical Engineer, you’ll be at the forefront of designing and delivering innovative water solutions. You’ll lead technical delivery, drive sustainable and cost-effective design decisions, and guide junior engineers to deliver work that’s safe, future-proof, and built to last.

What You’ll Be Doing

• Lead and review mechanical designs to ensure compliance, safety, and performance excellence.


• Collaborate with stakeholders to deliver projects on time, within budget, and to high quality standards.


• Promote the use of digital tools and modular construction techniques.


• Drive Health & Safety by design, identifying improvements and reducing whole-life costs.


• Champion sustainability, carbon reduction, and innovation across the design lifecycle.


• Mentor junior engineers and create a culture of technical excellence and continuous learning.


• Work closely with project and engineering leaders, contributing to strategic decisions.

About You

You will ideally have:

• A degree in Mechanical Engineering (or related discipline).


• Preferably chartered, or working towards chartered status.


• Proven experience in mechanical design—ideally in the water sector or similar complex infrastructure environment.


• Strong understanding of industry standards, health and safety legislation, and construction principles.


• Leadership experience with a passion for coaching, mentoring and developing others.


• Proficiency in CAD and engineering software.


• Confident decision-maker, with a collaborative mindset and strong communication skills.

Employee Benefits

• Flexible and hybrid working (Flexworks Policy)


• Competitive pension contribution


• Life Assurance


• Private Medical Insurance


• Company car or car allowance


• Discretionary Annual Bonus Scheme


• Payment of two relevant professional subscriptions


• 25 days holiday plus bank holidays (with the option to purchase up to 5 additional days per year)


• Cycle2Work Scheme


• Employee Assistance Programme (wellbeing, mental health, financial and work advice)


• Employee discounts via Sweco Benefit Select (Faircare)


• Salary Sacrifice Electric Vehicle Scheme


• We plant a tree for all new starters!

A collaborative alliance, driving change. Empowering us to set global benchmarks and building a better environment for our customers. We strive to:

Empower our people; Delight our Customers; Embrace digital transformation; Deliver brilliance.

To bring environmental and social prosperity to the region we serve through our commitment to Love Every Drop we:

Build trust; Do the right thing; Are always exploring

Let’s transform society together at Sweco.

Equality, Diversity & Inclusion

It’s important to us that that all our colleagues thrive at work - we strive to have a friendly and inclusive culture which respects the contribution individuals can bring to Sweco. We aim to promote equality, inclusivity and diversity for everyone.

Here at Sweco we positively encourage applications from suitably qualified and eligible candidates regardless of sex, race, disability, age, sexual orientation, gender reassignment, religion or belief, marital status, pregnancy or maternity/paternity.

We have signed the Armed Forces Covenant to ensure those who serve or have served, and their families, are treated fairly. To find out more .

We are an accredited Real Living Wage Employer which reflects our commitment to fair pay and support for all colleagues.

We are also proud to be a Disability Confident Committed employer, and will interview applicants covered by the Equality Act 2010 that opt into the guaranteed interview scheme on the application form and meet the minimum criteria for the role.

If I have a disability, can I get help (e.g. “reasonable adjustments”) with the application process?

In order to address your request the following information is needed:

Name

The best method for contacting you (Phone or email)

The position title

Requisition/vacancy number

Upon receipt of this information, we’ll respond to you promptly to obtain more information about your request.

Please note: we reserve the right to close vacancies before the advertised closing date.

Sweco UK&I have an internal resourcing team who are responsible for all recruiting activity. We have a Preferred Supplier List of trusted agencies who we work with on those “hard to fill” roles.

We have defined processes for recruitment applications and it is company policy not to accept speculative CVs. Any speculative CVs received into the business (whether to a manager or member of the resourcing team) will become the property of Sweco and the agency will not be eligible for an introductory fee.

Our Preferred Supplier List was reviewed in November 2025 and we are not looking to add any additional agencies. We’ll be reviewing the PSL again at the end of 2026 and non-compliance with the above statements could be detrimental to you having the opportunity to be included.

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