Position: Senior/Principal Mechanical Design Engineer
Job ID: 693/29
Location: Gateshead, Newcastle
Rate/Salary: £50,000 – £60,000 + benefits (depending on experience)
Benefits: Hybrid working, professional development, engineering chartership support, career progression
Type: Permanent
HSB Technical Ltd is a specialist recruiter within the Power & Propulsion, Shipbuilding, Maritime Shipping, Energy and Subsea sectors – visit: (url removed) for a list of our vacancies. We have a number of permanent and contract vacancies for multiple businesses across the UK and overseas.
The below job description will outline this position of: Senior/Principal Mechanical Design Engineer
Typically, this person will take the technical lead on the design and development of specialist mechanical systems used in naval deck machinery. This includes winches, reelers, cranes, and other large, complex marine handling systems. Working as part of a multidisciplinary engineering team, the role will be involved across the full product lifecycle — from interpreting customer requirements and concept development, through detailed design, manufacturing support, testing, and commissioning, to in-service support.
HSB Technical’s client is an established and well-regarded business entity operating at the forefront of marine engineering technology.
Duties and responsibilities of the Senior/Principal Mechanical Design Engineer:
• Lead the technical delivery of mechanical engineering work packages within multi-disciplinary teams, ensuring high quality, on-time delivery
• Interpret customer and regulatory requirements to develop robust and cost-effective engineering solutions
• Undertake mechanical design activities including 2D and 3D modelling, assembly layout, component detailing, and preparation of design documentation
• Perform hand calculations and Finite Element Analysis (FEA) to validate and optimise designs for strength, safety, and performance
• Develop and maintain technical specifications, design justifications, test plans, and user documentation in accordance with marine and defence standards
• Check and approve the work of other engineers and provide mentoring and technical leadership to junior team members
• Liaise with suppliers and subcontractors to ensure technical compliance and to support manufacturing processes
• Conduct factory acceptance tests and inspections at supplier facilities, occasionally requiring UK and international travel
• Manage engineering risks, assumptions, interfaces, and issues throughout the design and development lifecycle
• Identify opportunities for research, development, and continuous improvement to enhance product performance and reliability
• Prepare and submit technical design appraisal documentation to external stakeholders, including classification societies and MoD representatives
• Ensure all work is carried out in compliance with internal processes, relevant legislation, and industry standards
Qualifications and requirements for the Senior/Principal Mechanical Design Engineer:
• BEng (or higher) in Mechanical Engineering or a similar discipline, or significant equivalent practical experience
• Chartered Engineer (CEng) status or actively working towards registration with a relevant institution (e.g., IMechE)
• Proven background in mechanical engineering design, ideally within the marine, offshore, defence, or other highly regulated industries
• Strong experience in delivering projects across all phases — from initial requirements capture through detailed design to product support
• Proficient in the use of 2D and 3D CAD systems such as AutoCAD and Creo
• Familiar with Engineering Bill of Materials (BoMs) and the use of ERP/MRP systems for design release and production planning
• Experience using FEA software for design verification and optimisation
• Knowledge of relevant drawing standards such as BS EN 8888 and BS EN 22553
• Comfortable working within a controlled documentation environment
• Skilled in Microsoft Office tools, including Word, Excel, PowerPoint, and Outlook
• Excellent written and verbal communication skills, including the ability to engage with customers, suppliers, and approval bodies (e.g., marine classification societies, UK MoD)
• Must be eligible to obtain UK BPSS or Security Clearance (SC) with no restrictions
What the company can offer:
• A challenging and important role with one of the leading suppliers of mechanical handling systems to the global marine industry
• An inspiring, supportive, and safety-focused work environment
• Hybrid working arrangements (office/home split)
• Excellent opportunities for ongoing professional development and long-term career advancement
• Full support and guidance toward Engineering Chartership, including structured pathways, mentoring, and funding
• The opportunity to work on innovative and mission-critical naval engineering programmes
