Senior / Principal Mechanical Engineer

Scantec; St Albans; On-site; GBP 65,000 - 90,000; Full time

Job summary

Scantec seeks a Senior Mechanical Design Engineer to join the water and wastewater infrastructure team in St Albans. You will own complex mechanical design packages for major projects and mentor junior engineers.

Responsibilities include hydraulic design, calculations, drawings, specifications, and liaison with suppliers and clients. You will ensure compliance with standards and manage design changes across the project lifecycle.

Qualifications

• 10+ years mechanical design experience in the water sector.
• Significant hydraulic design experience on water/wastewater projects.
• Awareness of electrical design principles and control systems.
• Degree-qualified (Mechanical) with active professional membership or working toward chartership.

Responsibilities

• Produce mechanical design deliverables meeting safety, quality, and regulatory standards.
• Develop designs, calculations, drawings, reports, and specs for water/wastewater schemes.
• Lead CAD technicians and junior engineers; review outputs for accuracy.
• Prepare scopes of work for subcontracted M&E design teams and oversee delivery.
• Liaise with suppliers, manufacturers, contractors, and stakeholders throughout design.
• Ensure designs comply with industry standards and company procedures.
• Manage and document design changes across the project lifecycle.
• Estimate design hours and support planning/resources.
• Contribute to design reviews, client meetings, and technical workshops.
• Collaborate with multidisciplinary teams to deliver integrated solutions.

Skills

Mechanical design

Hydraulic design

Project leadership

Mentoring

Stakeholder management

Multidisciplinary coordination

Technical reporting

Education

Degree in Mechanical Engineering

HND in Mechanical Engineering

Tools

CAD software

MS Office

Job description

Senior Mechanical Design Engineer

Water & Wastewater Infrastructure

Location: St Albans

Employment Type: Permanent

The Opportunity

Our client is seeking an experienced Senior Mechanical Design Engineer to join their growing engineering team delivering major water and wastewater infrastructure projects. This is an excellent opportunity for a technically strong engineer with extensive design experience in the water sector to take ownership of complex mechanical design packages, mentor junior engineers, and contribute to the successful delivery of high-profile projects.

Key Responsibilities

• Produce high-quality mechanical design deliverables that meet safety, quality, and regulatory requirements.
• Develop mechanical designs, calculations, drawings, reports, and technical specifications for water and wastewater projects.
• Undertake hydraulic design and analysis for a range of treatment and infrastructure schemes.
• Lead and mentor CAD technicians, graduate engineers, and junior design staff.
• Prepare scopes of work for subcontracted M&E design teams and review their outputs for technical accuracy and compliance.
• Liaise with equipment suppliers, manufacturers, contractors, and project stakeholders throughout the design process.
• Ensure all designs comply with relevant industry standards, professional guidelines, and company procedures.
• Manage and record design changes throughout the project lifecycle.
• Estimate design hours and support project planning and resource allocation.
• Attend and present at design reviews, client meetings, technical workshops, and project presentations.
• Collaborate with multidisciplinary engineering teams to deliver integrated design solutions.

Required Qualifications & Experience

• Minimum 10 years' mechanical design experience within the water industry.
• Significant experience in hydraulic design and water sector engineering projects.
• Awareness and understanding of electrical design principles and control systems.
• Degree-qualified or HND-qualified in Mechanical Engineering or a related discipline.
• Strong IT skills, including engineering design software and Microsoft Office applications.
• Membership of a recognised professional engineering institution and actively working towards professional chartership.

Preferred Qualifications & Experience

• Chartered Engineer (CEng) status.
• Experience in electrical engineering and/or control systems engineering.
• Proven experience across both clean water and wastewater treatment projects.
• Good understanding of construction methods, installation practices, and engineering materials.
• Strong knowledge of engineering drawing standards and best practices.

Key Skills & Competencies

Technical Skills

• Mechanical engineering design
• Hydraulic calculations and analysis
• Engineering specifications and technical reporting
• Design review and quality assurance
• Multidisciplinary engineering coordination
• Water and wastewater treatment processes

Personal Attributes

• Excellent communication and stakeholder management skills
• Strong problem-solving and analytical abilities
• Results-driven and delivery-focused approach
• Ability to lead, mentor, and develop junior team members
• Strong attention to detail and commitment to quality
• Effective planning, organisation, and time management skills

What Our Client Is Looking For

The ideal candidate will be a proactive and technically capable Senior Mechanical Design Engineer who can lead design activities from concept through to detailed design and delivery. You will have a collaborative approach, strong commercial awareness, and the ability to provide technical leadership while supporting the development of less experienced engineers.

If you are looking to join a forward-thinking engineering organisation delivering essential water infrastructure projects, we would be keen to hear from you