Senior Tooling Design Engineer

Leidos LLC; Wickford; Hybrid; GBP 45,000 - 57,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Health and Wellness programs

Income Protection

Paid Leave and Retirement

Job summary

Leidos LLC in the United Kingdom (Wickford) is seeking an experienced mechanical design lead to develop tooling, fixtures, jigs and related equipment for manufacturing. You will supervise in-house UK and India engineers and contractors, set deliverables with the Engineering Manager, and ensure timely design progress and quality.

The role requires hands-on CAD proficiency (SolidWorks, AutoCAD, Inventor), strong project leadership, risk assessments and collaboration with global teams.

Qualifications

• Proven experience in Automotive Tooling or Mechanical Handling.
• Manufacturing automation methods and processes.
• Value for money and current market value.
• Supplier base knowledge.
• Understanding of project costs - design, management, manufacture, installation etc.
• Time served apprenticeship or equivalent experience.
• Knowledge of current industry Materials Handling systems best practice for automotive & general industry.

Responsibilities

• Within a design team, lead collaborate and innovate to create detailed tooling designs, including fixtures, jigs, clamps, and other specialized equipment required for manufacturing processes.
• Lead a team of in-house UK / Indian engineers and/or sub-contract labour throughout the design process.
• Agree project design and engineering deliverables and priorities with Engineering Manager / Technical Lead.
• Support ongoing review and management of technical project progress.
• Producing regular hours tracking reports with design teams as required by Engineering Manager / Technical Lead.
• Work closely with other team leaders/members in the Engineering Department to share knowledge and ensure best practise.

Skills

Excellent interpersonal skills

Highly Organized

Adaptable & flexible

Team player

Good technical literacy

Education

Degree in Mechanical Engineering

HNC in Mechanical Engineering or equivalent

Tools

SolidWorks

AutoCAD

Inventor

Catia

Job description

Roles & Responsibilities:

• Within a design team, lead collaborate and innovate to create detailed tooling designs, including fixtures, jigs, clamps, and other specialized equipment required for manufacturing processes.
• Lead a team of in-house UK / Indian engineers and/or sub-contract labour throughout the design process.
• Agree project design and engineering deliverables and priorities with Engineering Manager / Technical Lead.
• Support ongoing review and management of technical project progress.
• Producing regular hours tracking reports with design teams as required by Engineering Manager / Technical Lead.
• Work closely with other team leaders/members in the Engineering Department to share knowledge and ensure best practise.
• Assist Engineering Manager / Techncial Lead with scheduling of projects/resource as required.
• Collate information for operation and maintenance manuals.
• Produce operation and maintenance manuals.
• Provide out of hours support as required.
• Technically leading and engagement with remote teams in UK and across the world.
• Ensuring no fault forward engineering output philosophy is strictly adhered to.
• Produce scheme drawings and layouts for evaluation against customer specifications.
• Produce 3D models.
• Produce detailed mechanical manufacturing drawings.
• Evaluate basic designs through power and stress calculations, and for cost effectiveness and ease of manufacture and maintenance.
• Complete stress analysis (FEA), design risk assessments (DRA), and failure modes and effects analysis (FMEA).
• Work to Company procedures and specific instructions at all times.
• Ensure that work is completed within the hours and deadlines agreed with the Engineering Manager / Techncial Lead.
• Highlight all constraints/issues that may impact on engineering deadlines and project timing plans.
• Identify and immediately communicate any engineering constraints/issues to Engineering Manager / Techncial Lead.
• Attend regular project and design reviews and provide accurate feedback on timings and completion of work to Engineering Manager / Techncial Lead and projects team.
• Identify and highlight areas where additional support may be required to ensure timely and accurate completion of work.
• Complete CCARs on all occasions where timing plans/engineering hours are affected in line with Company procedures.
• Continually build relationships with internal stakeholders to achieve the successful completion of projects.
• Provide engineering support in the development of schemes and specifications for sales quotations and bid returns.
• Provide engineering support during manufacture and installation as required.
• Complete site surveys at customer facilities and attend customer led meetings as required.
• Based in the UK, working out of the Wickford office.
• Working on a three days in office, two days from home basis.
• Follow Group and Company policies and procedures at all times.
• Use all Company equipment and personal PPE properly and in accordance with Company procedures.
• Report all health and safety issues and concerns to your line manager and/or a Health and Safety Representative in a timely and professional manner.
• Familiarise oneself with and adhere to the Company’s Equality Policy at all times.
• All employees must conduct themselves in accordance with our Corporate Company Values and Business Ethics at all times.
• May be required to work out of our UK sites for several weeks at a time.
• Leidos are a global operator and therefore UK and Global travel will be required.
• Work overtime as necessary to achieve deadlines.

Requirements:

• Proven experience in Automotive Tooling or Mechanical Handling.
• Manufacturing Automation methods and processes.
• Value for money and current market value.
• Supplier base knowledge.
• Understanding of project costs - design, management, manufacture, installation etc.
• Time served apprenticeship or equivalent experience.
• HNC in Mechanical Engineering or equivalent experience.
• Highly Organised & self-motivated.
• Excellent interpersonal skills.
• Sound understanding of MS Office packages.
• Proficient in Solidworks / AutoCAD / Inventor.
• Team player.
• Good technical literacy skills.
• Adaptable & flexible.
• Desirable: Experience using Catia.
• Knowledge of current industry Materials Handling systems best practice for automotive & general industry.
• Degree in Mechanical Engineering.

If you're looking for comfort, keep scrolling.

Leidos are a global operator and therefore UK and Global travel will be required.

Step 10 is ancient history. We're already at step 30 — and moving faster than anyone else dares.

Pay and Benefits

Pay and benefits are fundamental to any career decision. That's why we craft compensation packages that reflect the importance of the work we do for our customers.

• competitive compensation
• Health and Wellness programs
• Income Protection
• Paid Leave and Retirement

More details are available here.

Pay Range: £44,700.00-£57,300.00

The Leidos pay range for this job level is a general guideline only and not a guarantee of compensation or salary.

Additional factors considered in extending an offer include (but are not limited to) responsibilities of the job, education, experience, knowledge, skills, and abilities, as well as internal equity, alignment with market data, applicable bargaining agreement (if any), or other law.

Leidos Leidos is an industry and technology leader serving government and commercial customers with smarter, more efficient digital and mission innovations. Headquartered in Reston, Virginia, with 47,000 global employees, Leidos reported annual revenues of approximately $17.2 billion for the fiscal year ended January 2, 2026. For more information, visit www.Leidos.com.

Securing Your Data

Leidos will never ask you to provide payment-related information at any part of the employment application process. And Leidos will communicate with you only through emails that are sent from a Leidos.com email address. If you receive an email purporting to be from Leidos that asks for payment-related information or any other personal information, please report the email to [e-mail].

Commitment and Diversity

All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to sex, race, ethnicity, age, national origin, citizenship, religion, physical or mental disability, medical condition, genetic information, pregnancy, family structure, marital status, ancestry, domestic partner status, sexual orientation, gender identity or expression, veteran or military status, or any other basis prohibited by law. Leidos will also consider for employment qualified applicants with criminal histories consistent with relevant laws.