Senior Mechanical Design Engineer

DCS Recruitment; Oxford; Hybrid; GBP 65,000 - 90,000; Full time

Job summary

DCS Recruitment is seeking a Senior Mechanical Design Engineer in Oxford to lead the development of aircraft modification designs from concept to detailed design and manufacture. You will head engineering work packages, supervise a small team, and ensure technical accuracy and compliance with regulatory standards.

The role focuses on PLM-driven product development, 2D/3D output, and collaboration with manufacturing, suppliers and customers.

Qualifications

• Degree in Mechanical Engineering or related discipline.
• Alternative EHV: HNC/HND with extensive practical design experience.
• Proven experience in mechanical design engineering, aerospace or regulated environments.
• Experience supervising a team of Mechanical Design Engineers and coordinating activity across work packages.
• Strong proficiency with CATIA V5, AutoCAD and PLM systems.
• Experience with PLM such as Enovia SmarTeam or ARAS.

Responsibilities

• Lead design and development of mechanical systems from concept through to detailed design and manufacture.
• Oversee design activities across work packages for a team of design engineers.
• Produce/deliver 2D drawings, 3D models and engineering bills of materials (EBoMs).
• Ensure design outputs meet internal standards, regulatory and certification requirements.
• Manage integration of mechanical systems into the overall product and control costs/weight.
• Mentor and develop less experienced engineers and support recruitment as needed.

Skills

CATIA V5

AutoCAD

PLM systems

Engineering leadership

DFM

Regulatory knowledge

Education

BEng / MEng in Mechanical Engineering

HNC/HND in engineering

Tools

Enovia SmarTeam

ARAS

Job description

Senior Mechanical Design Engineer

Location: Oxford
Sector: Aerospace & Defence
Employment Type: Permanent

The Role

A leading engineering business is looking for a Senior Mechanical Design Engineer to join its team in Oxford.

The role will involve leading the development of mechanical designs for aircraft customisation projects, taking solutions from initial concept through to detailed design, integration and manufacture.

You will lead engineering work packages, oversee the work of a small team of design engineers and take responsibility for the technical accuracy and quality of design outputs. You will also manage product development through PLM systems, ensuring designs meet customer requirements, manufacturing constraints and relevant regulatory and certification standards.

This is an opportunity for an experienced Mechanical Design Engineer to take on a senior technical position within a specialist aerospace environment, contributing to complex engineering projects while mentoring and developing less experienced engineers.

Key Responsibilities

• Lead the design and development of mechanical systems and components from concept through to detailed design and manufacture.
• Lead design activities across assigned engineering work packages or modules, planning tasks, deliverables and schedules for a team of design engineers.
• Develop new product designs and maintain product structure, maturity and development records within PLM systems.
• Produce and review detailed 2D drawings, 3D models and engineering bills of materials (EBoMs).
• Carry out design checks against internal standards and ensure the technical accuracy of designs before release.
• Manage the integration of mechanical systems and components into the overall product.
• Monitor and manage design cost and weight targets throughout the development process.
• Ensure the appropriate selection and application of materials and manufacturing processes for each design.
• Work with manufacturing and production teams to resolve design issues and manage engineering changes.
• Manage design changes required to support manufacturing, customers, quality and certification.
• Prepare and revise engineering specifications and technical documentation.
• Organise and participate in design reviews throughout the New Product Introduction (NPI) process, ensuring follow-up actions are completed.
• Communicate effectively with customers, suppliers and internal stakeholders, including managing technical data transfers where required.
• Ensure designs meet customer requirements, original equipment manufacturer (OEM) standards and applicable regulatory and certification requirements.
• Coach, mentor and develop less experienced engineers, including apprentices and graduates.
• Support the recruitment of additional team members when required.
• Work towards achieving design signatory and/or Compliance Verification Engineer (CVE) status.

About You

The ideal candidate will have:

• A degree in Mechanical Engineering, Aerospace Engineering, Structural Engineering or a related discipline.
• Alternatively, an HNC/HND or equivalent engineering apprenticeship qualification, supported by extensive experience in mechanical systems design, concept development and detailed engineering design.
• Proven experience in mechanical design engineering, ideally within aerospace, aviation or another regulated engineering environment.
• Demonstrable experience supervising a team of Mechanical Design Engineers and coordinating design activities across multiple work packages.
• Strong proficiency in CATIA V5, Autodesk AutoCAD and Product Lifecycle Management (PLM) systems.
• Experience using PLM systems such as Enovia SmarTeam or ARAS.
• The ability to produce and check 2D drawings, 3D models and engineering bills of materials.
• A good understanding of engineering tolerances and their application in mechanical design.
• Working knowledge of manufacturing processes, including sheet metal fabrication, plastics vacuum forming, CNC machining and composite lay-up.
• Experience managing design quality, technical documentation and engineering changes.
• An understanding of materials selection, product integration and manufacturing requirements.
• The ability to plan, prioritise and deliver design activities to agreed schedules.
• Knowledge of relevant regulatory standards and codes of practice, including CAA Part 21, CS27/CS29 and Defence Standard 00-970.
• Strong communication and leadership skills, with the ability to work effectively with customers, suppliers and cross-functional engineering teams.

Desirable

• Previous experience within the aerospace or helicopter industry.
• Experience delivering bespoke aircraft modifications or customisation projects.
• Experience working within a certification-led engineering environment.
• Experience managing product development and configuration through PLM systems.
• Experience working towards design signatory or Compliance Verification Engineer status.
• Knowledge of New Product Introduction (NPI) processes and formal engineering design reviews.
• Experience mentoring apprentices, graduates and developing design engineers.

Additional Requirements

• Candidates must have the current legal right to work in the UK. Visa sponsorship is not available for this position.
• The successful candidate must be able to obtain Security Check (SC) clearance. This generally requires having lived in the UK for the previous five years, subject to the applicable vetting requirements.
• All successful applicants will be subject to a mandatory Baseline Personnel Security Standard (BPSS)
• Candidates must meet applicable export compliance requirements.

Important

This is a senior mechanical design position requiring both strong hands-on design capability and proven experience supervising a team of Mechanical Design Engineers.

Candidates should have demonstrable experience using CATIA V5, AutoCAD and PLM systems, alongside a sound understanding of manufacturing processes, engineering tolerances and regulatory compliance.

DCS Recruitment and all associated companies are committed to creating a working environment where diversity is celebrated and everyone is treated fairly, regardless of gender, gender identity, disability, ethnic origin, religion or belief, sexual orientation, marital or transgender status, age, or nationality