Senior Design Engineer

Molex; Greater London; Hybrid; GBP 65,000 - 90,000; Full time

Job summary

Molex in the UK is seeking a Senior Design Engineer to lead the development of advanced interconnect solutions for aerospace and defence. You will own new product development from concept to production, blending mechanical, electrical, and materials disciplines.

You will design connectors, cables and related components using SolidWorks, perform design reviews, DFMEA, testing and qualification, and collaborate across teams and suppliers in a hybrid working environment.

Qualifications

• Degree in Mechanical Engineering; Master’s preferred.
• 5–7 years in aerospace/defense or high-reliability industries.
• Experience bringing products from concept to market.
• Strong CAD experience, preferably SolidWorks.
• Knowledge of FEA tools (ANSYS, Mold Flow).
• Understanding materials, coatings, and manufacturing processes.
• Knowledge of electrical principles for connectors and cable systems.
• Excellent analytical, problem-solving, and communication skills.

Responsibilities

• Lead technical development of interconnect products from concept to production.
• Create 3D/2D CAD designs using SolidWorks.
• Design contacts, insulators, connectors, cables, and interconnect parts.
• Conduct design reviews with calculations, simulation, testing, and research.
• Coordinate prototype builds with internal teams and external suppliers.
• Support New Product Introduction (NPI) activities and manufacturing scale‑up.
• Develop test procedures and oversee qualification testing.
• Perform DFMEA and risk assessments per AS9100 requirements.
• Provide technical support for existing product ranges and root cause investigations.
• Collaborate with customers, suppliers and cross‑functional teams.

Skills

SolidWorks

Ansys

Materials engineering

Electrical connectors

Analytical thinking

Communication skills

Product development

Education

Master's degree in Mechanical Engineering

Bachelor's degree in Mechanical Engineering

Tools

SolidWorks

Job description

Location: UK (Hybrid Working)

Industry: Aerospace, Defence & High-Reliability Interconnect Solutions

Design the connections that power the world's most demanding applications.

Are you an experienced Design Engineer with a passion for innovation and product development? Do you enjoy solving complex engineering challenges and bringing cutting‑edge products from concept to production?

We are looking for a Senior Design Engineer to join our growing engineering team, leading the development of advanced interconnect solutions for aerospace, defence, and other high‑reliability applications. This is an exciting opportunity to work on technically challenging projects, combining mechanical, electrical, and materials engineering disciplines to create industry‑leading connector and cable technologies.

What You'll Do

As a Senior Design Engineer, you will take technical ownership of new product development projects, designing innovative connector, contact, cable, and interconnect solutions for demanding customer applications.

Key responsibilities include:

• Leading the technical development of new interconnect products from concept through to production.
• Creating detailed 3D and 2D CAD designs using SolidWorks.
• Designing contacts, insulators, connectors, cables, latching mechanisms and other critical interconnect components.
• Conducting design reviews supported by engineering calculations, simulation, testing and research.
• Coordinating prototype builds with internal teams and external suppliers.
• Supporting New Product Introduction (NPI) activities and manufacturing scale‑up.
• Developing test procedures and overseeing qualification testing.
• Performing DFMEA and risk assessments in accordance with AS9100 requirements.
• Providing technical support for existing product ranges and leading root cause investigations.
• Working closely with customers, suppliers and cross‑functional teams to deliver innovative engineering solutions.

What We're Looking For

Essential

• Degree qualified in Mechanical Engineering (Master's degree preferred).
• Minimum 5–7 years' experience within Aerospace, Defence, Military or other high‑reliability industries.
• Proven experience successfully bringing products from concept to market.
• Strong CAD experience, preferably SolidWorks.
• Knowledge of FEA tools such as ANSYS and Mold Flow analysis.
• Understanding of metallic and polymeric materials, coatings and manufacturing processes.
• Knowledge of electrical engineering principles relating to connectors, contacts and cable systems.
• Excellent analytical, problem‑solving and communication skills.

Desirable

• Experience with coaxial, fibre optic and high‑speed connector technologies.
• Understanding of RF design and signal transmission up to 40GHz.
• Hands‑on rapid prototyping and product validation experience.
• Familiarity with PCB assembly, SMT processes and BGA applications.
• Knowledge of ISO9001 and AS9100 quality systems.
• Experience of DFMEA, Root Cause Analysis and risk management methodologies.
• Exposure to ESA, NASA or Defence product development programmes.
• Project management experience and the ability to manage multiple development activities simultaneously.

Why Join Us?

• Work on innovative technologies used in mission‑critical applications.
• Be part of a collaborative international engineering team.
• Influence the development of next‑generation aerospace and defence products.
• Hybrid and flexible working arrangements.
• Competitive salary and benefits package.
• Excellent opportunities for personal and professional development.