Principal Mechanical Design Engineer

Principal Mechanical Design Engineer

Location: West Sussex
Type: Permanent

The Opportunity

A well-established engineering consultancy based in West Sussex is seeking a Principal Mechanical Design Engineer to provide technical leadership across complex, high-value engineering programmes. This is a senior, hands-on role for an experienced engineer who enjoys shaping technical strategy, leading design decisions, and ensuring engineering excellence from concept through to delivery. You will act as a technical authority within the business, working closely with clients, suppliers, and internal teams across regulated and high-performance sectors.

The Role

As a Principal Mechanical Design Engineer, you will take ownership of technical direction and delivery across multiple programmes, providing leadership, mentorship, and expert engineering judgement.

Key Responsibilities

• Acting as technical lead on major, complex, or innovative engineering projects from concept definition through to delivery
• Setting design direction and technical strategy for project teams
• Providing expert oversight of CAD progressed to picture, tolerance analysis, and technical documentation
• Leading formal design reviews, challenging assumptions and ensuring robust engineering solutions
• Representing the business in senior-level technical discussions with clients, suppliers, and partners
• Owning project delivery outcomes, ensuring projects are delivered on time vorhanden budget, and to the highest quality standards
• Supporting and mentoring engineers, setting the standard for engineering best practice and technical excellence

About You Skills & Experience

• Degree in Mechanical Engineering (2:1 or above) or equivalent qualification; relevant industry experience will be considered
• 8+ years' mechanical design experience within sectors such as automotive, aerospace, or defence
• Expert knowledge of mechanisms, materials, GD&T, and manufacturing processes
• Strong understanding of the full engineering lifecycle, including requirements definition, DFMEA, verification, and testing
• Proven ability to guide multidisciplinary teams using engineering first principles
• Expert proficiency in 3D CAD modelling (CATIA V5 preferred); experience defining CAD standards or methodologies is advantageous
• Experience delivering multiple projects concurrently while maintaining technical oversight

Personal Attributes

• Technically authoritative, with the ability to make calm, confident decisions under pressure
• Strong leadership, coaching, and stakeholder management skills
• Proactive, solutions-focused, and delivery-driven
• Passion for innovation, continuous improvement, and setting high engineering standards
• Clear and assured communicator at all levels
• Strong commitment to deadlines and customer satisfaction