Senior Design Engineer - Mechanical and Electrical

Heathrow; Greater London; Hybrid; GBP 75,000 - 105,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Competitive salary

Performance bonuses

Generous annual leave

Market-leading pensions

Private health insurance

Learning and development

Job summary

Heathrow is delivering a major expansion project to modernise the UK's busiest airport. This role sits in a collaborative engineering team, ensuring designs meet Heathrow’s high standards in a live airport environment.

You will lead technical assurance across M&E design, work with consultants and contractors, and drive sustainable, compliant solutions under tight timescales.

Qualifications

• Chartered Engineer status or working towards in Mechanical or Electrical Engineering.
• Proven experience in M&E design for large-scale infrastructure.
• Knowledge of UK building regulations and health and safety obligations.

Responsibilities

• Review and approve mechanical and electrical design submissions for compliance.
• Provide expert guidance on M&E design, sustainability, and risk mitigation.
• Collaborate with contractors and consultants to resolve technical issues.
• Conduct technical assurance audits and prepare governance reports.
• Champion continuous improvement to enhance design efficiency and quality.

Skills

Chartered Engineer

M&E design

UK Building regulations

Regulatory compliance

Stakeholder management

Design assurance

Time management

Education

Engineering degree

Tools

Digital engineering platforms

Design review tools

Building information modelling

Job description

Introduction

When it comes to pioneering ambition, there's no place like Heathrow. Our Heathrow Expansion programme offers a unique and exciting opportunity to play a defining role in one of the UK’s most significant infrastructure projects. You'll help shape a national legacy that millions will experience for decades to come, as we deliver the third runway, improve passenger experience, stimulate jobs and opportunities across the UK, and strengthen the global connectivity that powers trade and travel. Modernising and expanding the UK’s only hub airport and critical national infrastructure while keeping it fully operational and safe, creates a pace and complexity unlike other major programmes. It demands collaboration, resilience, problem solving and a desire to take on challenges that genuinely matter. From securing planning consents to designing a new runway, modernising terminals and improving public transport access, and delivering on environmental and community commitments – the scale is unmatched. You'll be part of a diverse team of talented colleagues, built on mutual respect and where excellence thrives. It's an inspiring place to work, with unlimited opportunities to make a difference as you help to shape the future of our world‑class airport.

Job Description

This position underpins the delivery of world‑class airport infrastructure that millions of passengers rely on annually.

As part of a collaborative engineering team, you'll work closely with design consultants, contractors, and internal stakeholders, ensuring designs are rigorously assessed and meet Heathrow’s demanding standards. Your expertise will drive successful outcomes by aligning our projects with regulatory compliance, operational resilience, and sustainability goals in a dynamic live airport environment. Success in this role means ensuring Heathrow’s expansion projects are delivered seamlessly with technical excellence.

Your role will involve

• Review and approve mechanical and electrical design submissions to ensure compliance with Heathrow’s technical standards and statutory regulations.
• Provide expert technical guidance on M&E design best practices, sustainability principles, and risk mitigation strategies.
• Collaborate with contractors and consultants to resolve technical issues and maintain rigorous design assurance throughout the lifecycle.
• Conduct technical assurance audits and prepare actionable reports aligned with governance frameworks.
• Champion continuous improvement initiatives, identifying innovative approaches to enhance design efficiency and quality.

These Skills Are Essential

• Chartered Engineer status (or actively working towards) in a relevant discipline such as Mechanical or Electrical Engineering.
• Proven experience in M&E design for large-scale infrastructure or complex building environments.
• In-depth understanding of UK building regulations, industry standards, and health and safety obligations.
• Strong ability to analyse complex technical challenges and communicate practical solutions effectively.
• Excellent stakeholder management and collaboration skills with the ability to influence decision‑making.
• Highly organised with a track record of delivering technically assured solutions under tight timescales.

Ideal Skills

• Experience working in an airport or similarly highly regulated environment.
• Familiarity with sustainability frameworks and low‑carbon engineering principles.
• Proficiency with digital engineering platforms and advanced design review tools.

About Us

There's something so special about working at the world's most iconic airport. Its sights. Its sounds. Its constant air of excitement. Heathrow is an amazing backdrop to a career filled with unique opportunities. Every day, you'll discover a world full of fresh possibilities and end the day buzzing with stories to tell, as you encounter people from all cultures, nationalities and experiences. A world full of pride for what we do and no end of exciting career prospects to explore. It brings out the best in all of us. And inspires everyone to deliver on our ambitious plans. Together, we're working to welcome millions more passengers while ensuring aviation can continue to be a force for good by leading global efforts in sustainability. Join us on that journey and we'll help you achieve your ambitions too. Supporting you to learn, encouraging you to be yourself, backing you to achieve more than you might ever have imagined. Because there's no place like Heathrow.

Our rewards

• We offer competitive salaries and excellent benefits that will support you now and in the future.
• As well as performance‑based annual bonuses and our longer‑term Share in Success Bonus plans, we also offer generous annual leave allowances and market‑leading pensions.
• With family friendly policies, access to private health insurance and a wide range of wellbeing tools, we'll support you to be at your best inside and outside work.
• And of course, we'll provide varied learning and development opportunities too.
• Here you'll find everything you need for a fulfilling career journey that can take you in exciting directions.

Working Location

Our Hybrid working approach offers the opportunity for colleagues in some roles to work from home for an average of two days a week, providing the flexibility to work in an agile way whilst ensuring we deliver for the operational needs of Heathrow. Working arrangements vary from team to team and will be confirmed during the recruitment process. You'll need to be based in the UK and within a commutable distance to Heathrow.

Sustainable Travel to work

Heathrow's Sustainable Travel Guide sets out easy and sustainable travel options that everyone can access.

Equal Opportunities

As an equal opportunities employer, we encourage applications from all. We believe that diverse talent makes us stronger – not least because we welcome passengers from all corners of the globe, every single day. Heathrow is an accessible place to work. With five diversity networks, we champion inclusivity and celebrate individuality.