Senior Mechanical Design Engineer

Glanua; Newton-le-Willows; On-site; GBP 65,000 - 85,000; Full time

Job summary

Glanua seeks an experienced Senior Mechanical Design Engineer to join our growing Engineering team. You will lead mechanical design outputs across water, wastewater and process projects in Ireland and the UK, mentoring junior engineers and ensuring safety, quality and client satisfaction.

You will coordinate with Civil/Structural, EICA and Process disciplines, contribute to tender pricing, and support digital design using Plant 3D and Revit MEP while upholding our safety standards.

Qualifications

• 7–10 years’ experience in mechanical design in water/wastewater/process environments.
• Chartered status is advantageous but not essential if actively pursuing it.
• Member of IMechE or Engineers Ireland/IEI or equivalent.
• Full driving licence is essential; travel across Ireland and the UK is expected.

Responsibilities

• Lead the delivery of mechanical design outputs across all project stages (surveys, optioneering, feasibility, detailed design, tender pricing).
• Develop and review designs for pumps, pipework, tanks, process equipment, HVAC and associated plant.
• Produce GA drawings, equipment schedules, P&IDs, procurement specs and construction-ready packages.
• Mentor junior engineers and ensure design quality, safety and client satisfaction.
• Coordinate mechanical interfaces with Civil/Structural, EICA and Process teams; support BIM with Plant 3D/Revit models.
• Participate in design reviews, HAZOPs and constructability workshops; manage design delivery milestones.

Skills

Senior design

Mechanical design

Pumps & piping

3D design

BIM

Leadership

Mentoring

Communication

Education

BEng/MEng in Mechanical Engineering

Working towards Chartered (CEng)

Full driving licence

Tools

AutoCAD Plant 3D

Revit MEP

MS Office

Job description

The Role:

We are seeking an experienced Senior Mechanical Design Engineer to join our growing Engineering team. Reporting to the Head of Mechanical Design, with day-to-day accountability to the Design Manager, this is a senior technical role responsible for leading the delivery of mechanical design outputs across a varied portfolio of water, wastewater, and process engineering projects. Our portfolio spans municipal water and wastewater treatment, industrial process, pharmaceutical, food and beverage, and data centre sectors across Ireland and the UK. The successful candidate will be a technically strong, delivery-focused engineer who can work autonomously, lead multidisciplinary design interfaces, and mentor junior engineers, while upholding our commitment to design quality, Health & Safety, and client satisfaction.

The Role:

We are seeking an experienced Senior Mechanical Design Engineer to join our growing Engineering team. Reporting to the Head of Mechanical Design, with day-to-day accountability to the Design Manager, this is a senior technical role responsible for leading the delivery of mechanical design outputs across a varied portfolio of water, wastewater, and process engineering projects. Our portfolio spans municipal water and wastewater treatment, industrial process, pharmaceutical, food and beverage, and data centre sectors across Ireland and the UK. The successful candidate will be a technically strong, delivery-focused engineer who can work autonomously, lead multidisciplinary design interfaces, and mentor junior engineers, while upholding our commitment to design quality, Health & Safety, and client satisfaction.

Main Duties & Responsibilities:

• Lead the delivery of mechanical design outputs across all project stages - site surveys, optioneering, feasibility, detailed design, and tender pricing.
• Develop and review mechanical designs, calculations, and specifications for pumping systems, pipework, tanks, process equipment, HVAC, and associated plant.
• Produce key deliverables including GA drawings, equipment schedules, P&IDs, procurement specifications, hydraulic calculations, and construction-ready packages.
• Resolve complex technical issues and design deviations with sound, clearly documented engineering judgement.
• Own mechanical design interfaces with Civil & Structural, EICA, and Process disciplines to ensure coordinated, clash-free outputs, and support the BIM team with accurate 3D models (Plant 3D / Revit MEP).
• Participate in design reviews, HAZOP/safety studies, and constructability workshops.
• Manage design delivery performance, Design Change Control, and programme milestones, keeping the MIDP up to date.
• Liaise with clients, subcontractors, and manufacturers, and project-manage third-party design packages for quality, compliance, and constructability.
• Uphold Health & Safety in design, complying with CDM, PSDP, and all relevant H&S legislation across Ireland and the UK.
• Apply WIMES, ISO, BS, and client-specific standards so all outputs meet statutory and contractual requirements, identify and document key project risks.
• Mentor and quality-check the work of junior engineers, supporting their development towards chartership, and contribute to growing the mechanical design function.
• Promote digital design tools and off-site, manufacture-ready approaches, support tender pricing and bid preparation, and stay abreast of emerging technical solutions.
• Undertake any additional duties reasonably required to support project delivery or wider organisational objectives.

Knowledge, Skills & Experience:

The ideal candidate will be a technically accomplished mechanical engineer with strong design delivery experience in water, wastewater, and process environments, combined with the leadership capability to guide junior engineers and manage complex design packages. Key requirements include:

Qualifications & Professional Status

• BEng or MEng in Mechanical Engineering or a closely related engineering discipline - essential.
• Member of a relevant professional body (IMechE or Engineers Ireland / IEI), working towards Incorporated or Chartered Engineer status. Chartered membership (CEng) is an advantage but not essential providing the candidate is actively working towards it.
• Minimum of 7-10 years’ experience in a mechanical design engineering role within a water, wastewater, or process engineering environment.
• Full driving licence essential; willingness to travel across Ireland and the UK is required.

Technical Knowledge & Design Skills

• Expert-level mechanical design skills across pumps, pipework, tanks, HVAC, and process equipment for water and wastewater treatment applications.
• Proven proficiency in hydraulic calculations and detailed design/construction drawings, producing clear deliverables from concept through to construction-ready packages.
• In-depth knowledge of the layout and interconnectivity of typical water and wastewater treatment processes and equipment, including pumping systems.
• Deep knowledge of WIMES, ISO, BS, and client-specific mechanical standards applicable to water and wastewater infrastructure.
• Experience with 3D design tools - AutoCAD Plant 3D and/or Revit MEP - is highly desirable.
• Good working knowledge of MS Office suite (Word, Excel, PowerPoint) and standard engineering design tools.

Sector Experience

• Water and wastewater design experience is essential; experience across municipal, industrial, pharmaceutical, food and beverage, and data centre sectors is highly desirable.
• Commercial design experience, including tender pricing, procurement, and management of third-party design packages, is desirable.

Leadership & Collaboration

• Strong team leader and decision-maker, able to motivate individuals and manage design workloads across multiple concurrent projects, delivering high-quality outputs on time and within budget.
• Proven capability to mentor and support junior and graduate engineers in their technical and professional development.
• Willingness to contribute to technical knowledge networks and to build a career within an industry-leading organisation.

Personal Attributes & Other Skills

• Strong communication skills with the ability to interact confidently with other engineering disciplines, clients, subcontractors, and supply chain partners.
• Excellent problem-solving ability; able to use own initiative, adjust as issues arise, and provide practical engineering solutions under pressure.
• High level of motivation and commitment to professional development and continuous improvement.
• Ability to work effectively as part of a team and to contribute constructively at project and design meetings.

About Glanua

Glanua is an industry leader in providing innovative and sustainable engineering solutions to design, build, operate and maintain critical water and wastewater infrastructure across Ireland and the UK. We are a trusted provider to the municipal and industrial sector where our clients include Ireland and the UK’s largest water utilities, Uisce Éireann (formally Irish Water), Thames Water, Yorkshire Water, Affinity Water and Northern Ireland Water. Glanua is passionate about solving today’s environmental challenges and delivering a decarbonised and sustainable world. We know that to build successful creative teams we need a diverse workforce that can deliver new innovative ways of thinking. We provide an environment where you will have the freedom to develop and grow to your full potential. We champion our core values and uphold the highest standards of Safety and Well-being, Innovation, Integrity, Collaboration, Courage, Agility, Accountability, Diversity and Inclusion in everything we do. We have a talented team of 800 people across Ireland, UK, Europe and USA and are rapidly expanding our workforce across several disciplines to meet our ambitious growth plans.