Senior Mechanical Engineer

Copello; West of England; On-site; GBP 50,000 - 60,000; Full time

Job summary

Copello is seeking a Senior Mechanical Engineer to lead mechanical design for avionics and payload installations in a Bristol-based context. You will own models, drawings and design packs through the product lifecycle, ensuring robust interfaces with electrical and aerodynamics teams.

You will develop thermal solutions for high-power electronics, oversee qualification testing, and guide manufacturing and suppliers in machining, additive manufacturing and composites.

Qualifications

• Degree in Mechanical or Aerospace Engineering.
• 4–8 years’ mechanical design experience, preferably in aerospace/defence.
• Experience taking hardware through environmental qualification and testing.
• Experience with low-to-medium volume manufacturing (machining, additive manufacturing, composites).
• Ability to use structural or thermal FEA/CFD for initial analysis.
• Strong SolidWorks and engineering drawing experience; GD&T knowledge beneficial.
• Interest in working across mechanical, thermal and electrical interfaces.
• Hands-on approach with ability to hand-calculate and sanity-check designs.

Responsibilities

• Own mechanical design for avionics and payload installations from concept through to production.
• Design airframe components and mechanisms in SolidWorks and manage models and drawings.
• Develop thermal management solutions for high-power electronics.
• Plan installations with harness routing, grounding and serviceability in mind.
• Support qualification testing across vibration, shock, temperature, altitude and humidity.
• Collaborate with electrical, systems and aerodynamics teams; work with suppliers and manufacturing.
• Contribute to design reviews and produce analysis and test documentation.
• Mentor engineers earlier in their careers.

Skills

SolidWorks

GD&T

FEA/CFD

Multi-disciplinary

Education

Degree in Mechanical or Aerospace Engineering

Tools

Additive manufacturing

Machining

Composites

Thermal/Structural analysis tools

Job description

Senior Mechanical Engineer - Aerospace & Defence- Bristol- £50,000-£60,000

Design the Systems That Make the Mission Possible

Are you a Senior Mechanical Engineer looking for more ownership, more variety and the opportunity to work on technology that actually gets into the air?

Join an innovative aerospace and defence engineering team developing tactical uncrewed aircraft, avionics and mission systems.

You’ll own mechanical design for critical avionics and payload installations, taking hardware from early concept through qualification and into production.

The programmes move quickly. Designs can go from CAD to flying hardware in months, giving you rapid feedback and the opportunity to see the direct impact of your engineering decisions.

A Role Beyond Traditional Mechanical Design

• Designing avionics and payload installations, airframe components and mechanisms in SolidWorks.
• Owning models, drawings and design packs through the product lifecycle.
• Designing thermal management solutions for high-power electronics, including heatsinks, ducting, fans and interface materials.
• Designing installations with harness routing, connector access, grounding and serviceability in mind.
• Developing sealing and environmental protection for maritime and extreme climate operations.
• Supporting qualification testing across vibration, shock, temperature, altitude, humidity and salt exposure.
• Managing mechanical interfaces with electrical, systems and aerodynamics teams.
• Working with suppliers and manufacturing on machining, additive manufacturing and composites.
• Supporting design reviews and producing analysis and test documentation.
• Providing guidance and technical support to engineers earlier in their careers.

What You’ll Bring

• Degree in Mechanical or Aerospace Engineering.
• Around 4-8 years’ mechanical design experience, ideally within aerospace, defence or another demanding engineering environment.
• Experience taking hardware through environmental qualification and testing.
• Experience with low-to-medium volume manufacturing, including machining, additive manufacturing and/or composites.
• Ability to use structural or thermal FEA/CFD for initial analysis.
• Strong SolidWorks and engineering drawing experience; GD&T knowledge is beneficial.
• An interest in working across mechanical, thermal and electrical interfaces rather than being limited to a single discipline.
• A practical approach to engineering, with the ability to hand-calculate and sanity-check designs before turning to simulation.
• The confidence to make decisions and deliver under changing priorities and tight timescales.

Why This Role?

This is an opportunity to work on innovative technology at the pace of a growing aerospace and defence programme.