Project Design Engineer

Senior plc; Macclesfield; On-site; GBP 42,000 - 64,000; Full time

Job summary

Senior Aerospace BWT in Macclesfield is seeking a Project Design Engineer to join our Engineering team. You will lead design and development activities for customer projects, focusing on low-pressure, low-temperature aircraft air-conditioning ducting and insulation panels.

In this hands-on role, you will translate customer requirements into practical design solutions, prepare technical documentation, support production and testing, and help achieve project certification across the full

Qualifications

• Aerospace, mechanical, manufacturing, or related engineering background.
• Experience in design review activities and technical project support.
• Ability to read and produce technical drawings and BOMs.
• Strong technical aptitude with practical design solution skills.
• Understanding of mechanical assembly in a manual manufacturing environment.
• Strong problem-solving and structured approach.
• Excellent communication to explain technical information clearly.
• Attention to detail and strict document control.
• Good IT skills: Word, Excel, Outlook, PowerPoint.
• Ability to work with customers and internal teams professionally.
• Willingness to travel when required.

Responsibilities

• Lead and support engineering activities on customer projects to ensure successful completion and certification.
• Review customer requirements and translate them into suitable design and technical solutions.
• Prepare and issue technical documentation, including estimates, BOMs, design reviews, drawings, and reports.
• Approve drawings and documentation in line with procedures and standards.
• Support design reviews to ensure products meet requirements.
• Act as key technical contact between customer and business.
• Collaborate with production, technical, quality, sales and operations to deliver projects.
• Support product and material testing per customer specs.
• Arrange or support manufacture of samples and initial production runs.
• Provide engineering support during design phases and development.
• Identify opportunities to improve designs, methods, and delivery processes.
• Maintain project records, documentation, and contact data.
• Communicate progress, issues, risks, and achievements clearly with stakeholders.
• Occasionally support off-site activities and overseas travel.

Skills

Aerospace engineering

Design review

Technical drawings

Practical design solutions

Mechanical assembly

Problem solving

Communication

Documentation control

Travel readiness

Tools

CATIA V5

Job description

Senior Aerospace BWT is an established aerospace engineering and manufacturing business supporting customers with specialist aircraft systems and components. The business is focused on delivering high-quality technical solutions for aerospace applications, with particular expertise in design, development, manufacturing support, and customer-focused project delivery.

Our Engineering team plays a key role in supporting new and existing customer programmes, ensuring that design solutions meet technical, quality, manufacturing, and regulatory requirements. We work closely with customers, production, quality, sales, operations, and other internal teams to deliver practical and reliable engineering outcomes.

At Senior Aerospace BWT, we value safety, professionalism, teamwork, continuous improvement, and high standards of workmanship. This is a business where engineers can be involved in the full project lifecycle, from technical proposals and design reviews through to production support, testing, documentation, and customer communication.

We are looking for a Project Design Engineer to join our Engineering team in Macclesfield. This role will support design and development activities for customer projects, with a focus on low-pressure, low-temperature aircraft air-conditioning ducting and insulation panel applications.

The Project Design Engineer will take responsibility for the technical aspects of assigned projects, ensuring that customer, business, manufacturing, quality, and regulatory requirements are understood and achieved. The role will involve working closely with internal departments and external customers to develop design solutions, prepare technical documentation, support production, and help ensure successful completion and certification of customer projects.

Key responsibilities include:

• - Lead and support engineering activities on customer projects to ensure successful project completion and certification.
• - Review customer requirements and translate them into suitable design and technical solutions.
• - Prepare and issue technical documentation, including estimates, Bills of Materials, design reviews, technical proposals, drawings, and technical reports.
• - Approve drawings and technical documentation in line with company procedures and standards.
• - Support design reviews to ensure products meet customer, organisational, quality, and aviation authority requirements.
• - Act as a key technical contact between the customer and the business, helping to align project requirements with internal capability.
• - Work closely with production, technical, quality, sales, and operations teams to support project delivery.
• - Support product and material testing in line with customer specifications.
• - Arrange or support the manufacture of samples, test components, and initial production runs where required.
• - Provide practical engineering support during project design phases, including production and development support.
• - Identify opportunities to improve existing designs, manufacturing methods, and project delivery processes.
• - Maintain accurate project records, technical documentation, product information, and contact data.
• - Communicate project progress, technical issues, risks, and achievements clearly with stakeholders.
• - Support off-site activities where required, which may include customer visits or overseas travel.

Essential:

• - Aerospace, mechanical, manufacturing, or similar engineering background.
• - Experience in design review activities and technical project support.
• - Ability to read, understand, and produce technical drawings, Bills of Materials, and engineering documentation.
• - Strong technical aptitude with the ability to develop practical design solutions.
• - Good understanding of mechanical assembly processes within a manual manufacturing environment.
• - Strong problem-solving skills and the ability to work through technical challenges in a practical and structured way.
• - Excellent communication skills, with the ability to explain technical information clearly to customers, colleagues, and management.
• - Strong attention to detail, accuracy, and document control discipline.
• - Good general IT skills, including Microsoft Word, Excel, Outlook, and PowerPoint.
• - Ability to work with customers and internal teams professionally and collaboratively.
• - Willingness to travel when required to support project or customer activities.

Desirable:

• - Experience within aerospace systems, air-conditioning systems, ducting, insulation panels, or similar technical products.
• - Knowledge of CATIA V5, particularly surfaces and solids for piping or similar design applications.
• - Experience supporting manufacturing, testing, samples, prototypes, or initial production runs.
• - Experience with project management techniques or working as part of dedicated project teams.
• - Experience maintaining technical databases, product data, or contact information.
• - Experience with document management and formal engineering administration processes.
• - Ability to prepare and deliver technical presentations.

This is a varied and hands-on engineering role that offers involvement across the full project lifecycle. The successful candidate will work on both desk-based design and project development activities, as well as practical support within development and production environments.

The role would suit someone who enjoys solving technical problems, working with customers, supporting manufacturing teams, and taking ownership of engineering deliverables. The position requires a balance of technical capability, communication skills, accuracy, self-motivation, and a pragmatic approach to engineering challenges.

The successful candidate will be expected to follow company procedures and standards, support safe working practices, contribute to continuous improvement, and maintain high standards of professionalism. They will also be expected to work collaboratively with colleagues across the business and build strong working relationships with customers, suppliers, and internal stakeholders.

Training can be provided where required, particularly in relation to specific tools or business processes. However, the successful candidate should bring a strong engineering foundation, a willingness to learn, and the confidence to take responsibility for technical project activities.