Senior Design Engineer

Collins Aerospace; Leighton Buzzard; Hybrid; GBP 65,000 - 90,000; Full time

Job summary

Collins Aerospace in Leighton Buzzard is seeking a Senior Design Engineer to lead complex mechanical design activities across aerospace galley products. You will drive design for manufacture, tolerancing, and cost improvements while collaborating with teams in the UK and Philippines to deliver designs from concept through release.

The role requires strong engineering fundamentals, experience in regulated environments, and a proactive approach to problem solving.

Qualifications

• Degree in engineering or equivalent with design/engineering experience.
• Experience in aerospace or regulated engineering environment.
• Knowledge of machining, sheet metal and composite design.
• Experience applying design-to-cost principles to parts/assemblies.
• Strong GD&T knowledge and tolerance analysis experience.
• Understanding of mechanical design principles and mechanisms.
• Experience reviewing designs and providing technical feedback.
• Experience root cause analysis and corrective action.
• Ability to work collaboratively with cross-functional teams.

Responsibilities

• Own complex design activities and support development of aerospace galley products.
• Develop, review and release mechanical designs meeting requirements.
• Apply DfM principles across machined, sheet metal and composite components.
• Identify design-to-cost opportunities to improve manufacturability and cost.
• Perform tolerance stack-up analyses and apply GD&T guidelines.
• Investigate design/production issues and support corrective actions.
• Support projects from concept through design release and delivery.
• Share knowledge and provide guidance to less experienced engineers.

Skills

Mechanical design

Design for Manufacture

GD&T

Root cause analysis

Cost optimization

Cross-functional teamwork

Tolerance analysis

Education

Engineering degree

HND/HNC in engineering

Engineering apprenticeship

Job description

Date Posted: 2026-11-05

Country: United Kingdom

Location: Leighton Buzzard, Bedfordshire

Position Role Type: Hybrid

Collins Aerospace, an RTX business, is a leader in technologically advanced and intelligent solutions for the global aerospace and defence industry.

We are currently looking for a Senior Design Engineer to join our team in Leighton Buzzard, supporting the design and continuous improvement of our aerospace galley products.

This is an opportunity to work across a large and varied product range, applying your mechanical design expertise to improve product quality, manufacturability and cost. You'll work closely with engineering teams in Leighton Buzzard and the Philippines, helping solve technical challenges and supporting projects from concept through to design release.

The role would suit an experienced mechanical design engineer who enjoys problem solving, improving existing designs and working collaboratively across engineering and manufacturing teams.

What You Will Do

As a Senior Design Engineer, you will take ownership of complex design activities and support the development and improvement of our aerospace galley products.

You will:

• Develop, review and support the release of mechanical designs, ensuring they meet technical, manufacturing and customer requirements.
• Apply Design for Manufacture principles across machined, sheet metal and composite components.
• Identify and implement design-to-cost opportunities, including redesigning parts and assemblies to improve cost and manufacturability.
• Carry out tolerance stack-up analysis and apply GD&T principles to support robust mechanical designs.
• Investigate design and production issues, carrying out root cause analysis and supporting corrective actions.
• Identify opportunities to improve manufacturability, assembly efficiency and design consistency.
• Support engineering projects from concept through to design release and delivery.
• Contribute to engineering standards, guidance documents and work instructions.
• Work collaboratively with engineering and manufacturing teams in Leighton Buzzard and the Philippines to resolve technical issues and support project delivery.
• Present technical recommendations and design solutions to engineering and project stakeholders.
• Share technical knowledge and provide guidance and support to less experienced engineers.

Qualifications We Prefer

• Educational Background:
  • A degree in a relevant engineering discipline with demonstrated experience in a Design or Engineering role.
  • OR: An HND/HNC in a relevant engineering discipline with demonstrated experience in Design or Engineering role.
  • OR: A relevant engineering apprenticeship with demonstrated experience in a Design or Engineering role
• Strong mechanical design experience within aerospace or another regulated engineering environment.
• Good Design for Manufacture knowledge, particularly machining, with experience of sheet metal and composite design.
• Experience applying design-to-cost principles to parts or assemblies.
• Strong understanding of GD&T and experience carrying out tolerance stack-up analysis.
• Good knowledge of mechanical design principles and mechanisms.
• Experience reviewing engineering designs and providing technical feedback.
• Experience investigating design or production issues using root cause analysis and corrective action.