Principal Mechanical Design Engineer – Huddersfield 
Up to £70,000

Copello are recruiting for an experienced Principal Mechanical Design Engineer to join a leading engineering organisation supporting complex programmes within the Aerospace & Defence sector.

This is an excellent opportunity for a senior engineer with strong technical leadership experience and a background in mechanical design, power transmission systems and heavy engineering. You'll play a key role in leading design activities, driving continuous improvement, and delivering innovative engineering solutions across challenging projects.

The Role

As a Principal Mechanical Design Engineer, you will provide technical leadership to a multidisciplinary design team, ensuring the successful delivery of high-quality engineering solutions. You'll oversee the transition from simulation through to design, lead non-conformance and continuous improvement initiatives, and apply first-principles engineering to solve complex design challenges.

Working closely with internal stakeholders and customers, you'll ensure projects are delivered to the highest standards of quality, cost and performance while maintaining compliance with relevant industry standards.

Key Responsibilities

• Lead, mentor and line manage a team of mechanical engineers and designers, ensuring workloads are effectively managed and project milestones are achieved.

• Support the professional development of team members through coaching, mentoring and performance management.

• Lead complex engineering projects, delivering innovative mechanical design solutions.

• Drive continuous improvement initiatives, particularly around non-conformance reduction and root cause analysis.

• Champion engineering quality throughout the design lifecycle.

• Develop and implement engineering best practices, processes and procedures.

• Capture, define and manage mechanical design requirements.

• Provide expert technical guidance on complex mechanical engineering challenges.

• Participate in internal and customer design reviews, ensuring successful design acceptance.

• Make informed engineering decisions while working independently within project requirements.

• Coordinate mechanical engineering activities across multidisciplinary teams, including process, transmission systems, gearbox and marine engineering disciplines.

• Promote continuous improvement across engineering delivery, identifying opportunities to enhance quality and efficiency.

About You

You'll be an experienced mechanical engineering professional who combines strong technical capability with excellent leadership skills. You will be comfortable managing complex engineering programmes while supporting and developing high-performing teams.

Essential Skills & Experience

• Strong mechanical design experience within transmission systems, gearboxes, gears or heavy engineering.

• Experience producing mechanical specifications, calculations, drawings, scopes of work and technical documentation.

• Ability to investigate, analyse and resolve complex design issues using root cause analysis techniques.

• Experience implementing design modifications, validating solutions and ensuring compliance with specifications.

• Confident presenting technical information and leading customer and internal design reviews.

• Familiarity with leading CAD packages such as Siemens NX, Solid Edge and AutoCAD.

• Strong understanding of engineering quality systems, including AS9100 and ISO 9001.

• Excellent communication, analytical and problem-solving skills.

• Passion for mentoring and developing junior engineers.

Qualifications

• Bachelor's or Master's degree in Mechanical Engineering or a related discipline.

• Previous experience within the Aerospace & Defence sector or a similarly regulated engineering environment.

• Chartered Engineer status (or working towards) is desirable.

• Experience within heavy engineering, power transmission systems, gears and gearboxes is highly advantageous.

Security Requirements

Due to the nature of the work, applicants must be Sole UK Nationals and be eligible to meet security clearance requirements.

What's on Offer

• Salary up to £70,000

• Opportunity to lead technically challenging engineering programmes.

• Work within a collaborative, innovative engineering environment.

• Excellent opportunities for professional development and career progression.

If you're an experienced Principal Mechanical Design Engineer looking for your next challenge within Aerospace & Defence, we'd be delighted to hear from you. Apply today or contact Copello for a confidential discussion.