Senior Mechanical Design Engineer

Aalto; Farnborough; Hybrid; GBP 65,000 - 100,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Private medical insurance

Dental and optical cash back

Personal pension plan

Income protection and life assurance

Perkbox discounts

Salary sacrifice scheme

Employee assistance programme

25 days holiday

Job summary

AALTO in Farnborough is seeking a Senior Mechanical Design Engineer to design, develop and deliver mechanical solutions for Zephyr programmes within a multidisciplinary engineering team. You will create detailed 3D models and drawings, support manufacturing and integrate Design for Manufacture principles from early concept through to delivery, while leading or contributing to design reviews.

This fast-moving role rewards technical excellence and collaboration across propulsion, structures and

Qualifications

• Significant experience in a mechanical design engineering role.
• Degree in Mechanical Engineering, Aerospace Engineering or related field.
• Knowledge of lightweight aerospace structures and design is a plus.

Responsibilities

• Developing mechanical design solutions for Zephyr programmes.
• Producing detailed 3D CAD models, assemblies and drawings using SolidWorks.
• Supporting manufacturing by resolving design issues and providing hands-on engineering support.
• Leading or participating in design reviews and maturity gate activities.
• Supporting mechanical testing to validate designs.
• Managing design updates through configuration and change control processes.
• Working with Procurement and Production to embed Design for Manufacture (DfM) principles.

Skills

Mechanical design experience

SolidWorks experience

PLM knowledge

PDM experience

DfM understanding

Education

Degree in Mechanical or Aerospace Engineering

Tools

SolidWorks

PDM systems

Job description

Job Title: Senior Mechanical Design Engineer

Location: Farnborough

Contract Type: Full Time, Permanent

Hours: 37 – Hybrid

Travel:

AALTO, a global leader in Stratospace. Based in Farnborough, AALTO is an Airbus subsidiary that manufactures, operates, and delivers services with its solar-powered, stratospheric platform: Zephyr.

Zephyr’s persistence enables continuous flight for months at a time. Its current flight-time record of over 67 days in the stratosphere. From above 60,000+ft, or 20km above ground, AALTO can deliver several applications including direct-to-device connectivity and high-resolution Earth observation.

AALTO operates in a new operational layer between most of air traffic and low-Earth orbit, Stratospace. This is where high-altitude platforms led by Zephyr deliver services to commercial and government partners. We can help monitor environments, observe borders, track natural disasters and connect unconnected communities.

Join us as we create a new domain of aerospace: Stratospace. You’ll be part of a highly-skilled, innovative and passionate group of people – Team AALTO. Together, we can Unlock Stratospace.

About The Role

As a Senior Mechanical Design Engineer, you will be responsible for designing, developing and delivering mechanical solutions across a range of Zephyr programmes. Working as part of a multidisciplinary engineering team, you will contribute to the creation and maintenance of the digital design record while collaborating closely with manufacturing, procurement, test and assembly teams throughout the product lifecycle.

This role offers the chance to work on cutting-edge lightweight aerospace structures and systems in a fast-moving environment where innovation, collaboration and technical excellence are highly valued.

Responsibilities to include:

• Developing innovative mechanical design solutions individually and as part of project teams.
• Producing detailed 3D CAD models, assemblies and engineering drawings using SolidWorks.
• Supporting manufacturing and build teams by resolving design-related issues and providing hands‑on engineering support.
• Leading or participating in design reviews and design maturity gate activities.
• Supporting mechanical testing activities to validate new and modified designs.
• Managing design updates and engineering changes through established configuration and change control processes.
• Identifying opportunities to improve product quality, performance, manufacturability and production efficiency.
• Working closely with Procurement and Production teams to ensure Design for Manufacture (DfM) principles are embedded from the earliest design stages.
• Taking ownership of engineering work packages from concept through to delivery.

Skills and Knowledge Required

• Significant experience in a mechanical design engineering role.
• Degree, HND or equivalent qualification in Mechanical Engineering, Aerospace Engineering or a related discipline.
• Strong proficiency in 3D CAD modelling, preferably SolidWorks.
• Experience using Product Data Management (PDM) systems within a CAD environment.
• Understanding of Product Lifecycle Management (PLM) tools and processes.
• Demonstrated ability to translate technical requirements into robust engineering solutions.
• Experience developing innovative solutions for technically challenging applications.
• Knowledge and practical experience of lightweight composite structures and design.

In addition to an attractive market-aligned salary, we offer:

• Rewarding Excellence: Benefit from our short-term incentive plan that rewards your hard work and dedication.
• Enjoy Your Time Off: Benefit from 25 days of holiday to relax and recharge.
• Stay Healthy: We’ve got your health covered with private medical insurance, along with dental and optical cash back.
• Secure Your Future: Take advantage of our personal pension plan to ensure a comfortable retirement.
• Peace of Mind: Our income protection and life assurance schemes are there to support you when you need it most.
• Getting around: Drive the latest vehicles with our discounted salary sacrifice scheme.
• We Care About You: Our employee assistance programme is always available to provide the support you need.
• Perks Galore: Enjoy a range of employee discounts via Perkbox, from household goods to travel!

Does this opportunity excite you but you’re not 100% sure if you meet all the requirements for the role? Or are you concerned that ‘normal’ office hours aren’t possible given your personal circumstances? Whilst we can’t accommodate every flexible working request, we’ll try to find a practical solution. So why not engage with us and find out more about this role?