Senior Payload Integration Engineer (Aerospace & Defence)

Copello Global; Aberporth; Hybrid; GBP 50,000 - 60,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Private Medical Insurance

Pension contribution up to 10%

25 days’ annual leave

Employee reward scheme

Flexible hybrid working

Job summary

Copello Global is seeking a Senior Mechanical Payload Integration Engineer to design and integrate sensors and mission equipment on high-performance uncrewed aircraft. You will drive from concept through CAD, fabrication, bench tests and flight trials, ensuring hardware readiness for demanding environments.

The role emphasizes cross-disciplinary collaboration with structural, aerodynamic and systems teams, plus hands-on problem solving and end-to-end accountability for the payload integration.

Qualifications

• Degree in Mechanical/Aerospace Engineering or related discipline.
• Experience in mechanical design, structural integration or hardware packaging, preferably in aerospace/defence/UA systems.
• Strong 3D CAD capability (SolidWorks, CATIA or Fusion 360).
• Experience with FEA or other mechanical analysis techniques.
• Understanding of manufacturing processes including machining, additive manufacturing and composites.
• Knowledge of fasteners, tolerancing and GD&T.
• Experience with environmental testing, especially vibration and shock.
• Hands-on approach and ability to troubleshoot hardware issues.
• Clear engineering/test documentation and cross-disciplinary collaboration.

Responsibilities

• Own broad mechanical integration challenges from concept to hardware, testing and flight.
• Design mounting brackets, adapter plates, pods and structural interfaces for sensors and mission equipment.
• Create 3D CAD models, production drawings, BOMs and assembly documentation.
• Perform analyses to validate designs, including FEA and thermal assessments.
• Assess mass, center of gravity and aerodynamic impacts across flight conditions.
• Troubleshoot fitment, structural, vibration and shock issues during integration and flight trials.
• Collaborate with manufacturers using CNC, additive manufacturing and composites.
• Support testing, validation and qualification of integrated payload systems.

Skills

Mechanical design

Structural integration

Hardware packaging

3D CAD

FEA

Vibration testing

Documentation

Cross-disciplinary

Education

Bachelor's degree in Mechanical Engineering

HNC/HND or Modern Apprenticeship in related discipline

Tools

SolidWorks

CATIA

Fusion 360

Job description

Copello Global is seeking a Senior Mechanical Payload Integration Engineer to design and integrate sensors and mission equipment on high-performance uncrewed aircraft. You will drive from concept through CAD, fabrication, bench tests and flight trials, ensuring hardware readiness for demanding environments.

The role emphasizes cross-disciplinary collaboration with structural, aerodynamic and systems teams, plus hands-on problem solving and end-to-end accountability for the payload integration.