Structural Design Engineer

Walsh Employment; Southampton; Hybrid; GBP 70,000 - 75,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Excellent benefits package

Relocation package and Visa/Sponsorship support

Job summary

Walsh Employment is seeking a Principal Design Engineer in Southampton to join their fast-growing maritime technology business. This role involves leading the design and structural development of wind-assisted propulsion systems aimed at reducing emissions in global shipping.

Ideal candidates will have 5-10 years of experience in designing marine structures, strong 3D CAD skills, and familiarity with classification societies. The position offers hybrid working and a competitive salary of £70-75K along with an excellent benefits package.

Qualifications

• Degree qualified in Naval, Mechanical, Structural, or Marine Engineering.
• 5-10 years’ experience designing marine structures approved by classification societies.
• Comfortable working in a fast-paced, chaotic environment.

Responsibilities

• Lead the design and structural development of key product subsystems.
• Define structural design philosophy and ensure compliance with classification standards.
• Lead technical engagement with classification societies.

Skills

3D CAD skills

Structural analysis

Designing marine structures

Experience with classification societies

Understanding of DFMA

Education

Degree in Naval, Mechanical, Structural, or Marine Engineering

Tools

Siemens NX

Autodesk Inventor

Job description

Location

Southampton – hybrid, 3 days per week on‑site

Salary

£70-75K+ (neg) plus excellent benefits package. More may be available for the right candidate.

Relocation package

Relocation package and Visa/Sponsorship support available if required.

About the Opportunity

Join a fast‑growing maritime technology business developing wind‑assisted propulsion systems that help reduce fuel consumption and emissions across global shipping.

This is a hands‑on opportunity for a Principal Design Engineer to join a growing engineering team, with broad involvement across the design lifecycle, from concept development through to detailed design and production‑ready hardware.

Working closely with the Head of Engineering, you will take ownership of key subsystems, helping to deliver designs that are robust, manufacturable, compliant, and ready for real‑world use. This role would suit someone genuinely motivated by sustainability and the opportunity to contribute to cleaner shipping.

Key Requirements

• Degree qualified in Naval, Mechanical, Structural, or Marine Engineering
• Around 5-10 years’ experience designing marine structures approved by classification societies
• Strong 3D CAD skills, ideally Siemens NX, Autodesk Inventor, or similar
• Strong experience in structural analysis, including FEA and hand calculations
• Proven experience translating load cases into robust design requirements and validated structures
• Experience working directly with classification societies and supporting technical approval
• Experience with DNV, LR, NK or similar bodies
• Strong understanding of DFMA, structural integrity, and manufacturability
• Comfortable working in a fast‑paced, chaotic environment

Role & Responsibilities

• Lead the design and structural development of key product subsystems
• Lead the mechanical design of subsystems in line with programme objectives
• Own the development of wing geometry, balancing performance, structural integrity, and manufacturability
• Develop and manage load cases across classification and real‑world operating conditions
• Define structural design philosophy and ensure compliance with classification standards
• Perform and oversee structural analysis and design verification
• Develop and improve in‑house structural analysis tools and methods
• Lead technical engagement with classification societies
• Act as the internal authority for stress and fatigue analysis

Why Join?

A rare opportunity to join a business developing real‑world clean technology for the global shipping market.

You will benefit from working on real climate‑impact hardware, enjoying high levels of ownership within a small engineering team, gaining broad exposure from concept through to production, and having the opportunity to grow and progress as the technology scales.