At a Glance
- Tasks: Design and oversee innovative mechanical solutions for transport systems.
- Company: Join Alstom, a leader in greener and smarter mobility.
- Benefits: Competitive salary, flexible benefits, and extensive professional development opportunities.
- Other info: Dynamic work environment with opportunities for career progression.
- Why this job: Make a real impact on sustainable transport while growing your engineering skills.
- Qualifications: Degree in Mechanical Engineering or equivalent experience required.
At Alstom, we understand transport networks and what moves people. From high-speed trains, metros, monorails, and trams, to turnkey systems, services, infrastructure, signalling and digital mobility, we offer our diverse customers the broadest portfolio in the industry. Every day, 80,000 colleagues lead the way to greener and smarter mobility worldwide, connecting cities as we reduce carbon and replace cars.
Your future role
As a Mechanical Engineer, you will be responsible for overseeing Computer-Aided Design (CAD) activities and ensuring the timely delivery of design outputs within your assigned area of the Mechanical Domain. Your role includes adhering to quality, cost, and delivery (QCD) objectives, while consistently applying relevant mechanical engineering standards, processes, and tools throughout the project lifecycle.
We’ll look to you for:
- Performing mechanical engineering activities in compliance with QCD commitments:
- Quality - Designing products considering project requirements (performance, manufacturability, serviceability, testing, etc). Working to a high standard and applying design rules, processes and tools to achieve acceptance by the customer within committed limits.
- Cost - Working to an agreed budget.
- Delivery - Self-governance of committed deliverables on project considering applicable instructions/processes and other specific Customer (internal or external) requirements.
Technical:
Scope areas: Rolling stock saloon interior including floors, ceilings, sidewalls, vestibules and equipment installations; Exterior installations including roof, underframe and bodyside equipment. All scope areas are a mixture of build-to-print and proprietary equipment installations. This role will require you to manage and contribute to the design of mechanical engineering solutions from concept to customer acceptance, considering project requirements (performance, manufacturability, serviceability, testing, etc). Your solutions will respect allocated volumes/interfaces (no clashes) and consider critical design elements such as weight, gauge, acoustics, eco design, ergonomics, aerodynamics, installation strategy and maintenance strategy.
Planning/Reporting:
This role will require you to contribute to project plan and budget creation. You will be asked to report on Mechanical Domain activities progress, anticipating issues (capacity, skills, rule applicability, etc.) and alerting if needed. You will partake in regular cross-functional team reviews for your scope during concept phase, and actively support Procurement, Industrialisation and Manufacturing teams during production ramp-up. You will be responsible for your own deliverables with self-governance being critical. You will be expected to mitigate potential delays effectively and communicate risks and/or blocking points.
Leadership
As a Mechanical Engineer, you will be required to contribute to multiple scopes, often across multiple projects. You will be supported as required by additional resources both onshore and offshore. You will be responsible for ensuring your solutions comply with technical, project and customer expectations. You will contribute to design reviews and assist in concept verification via design mock-ups and/or simulations as required.
All about you:
We value passion and attitude over experience. That’s why we don’t expect you to have every single skill. Instead, we’ve listed some that we think will help you succeed and grow in this role:
- Qualified to Degree level or equivalent experience in Mechanical Engineering.
- A broad mechanical engineering knowledge, including:
- A clear understanding and practical application of 3D parametric modelling using Catia V5 or comparable high-end CAD systems, and production of 2D detail drawings from full installation level down to individual parts.
- Bill of Material (BOM) creation and management, alongside concept design, translating customer requirements into compliant engineering solutions.
- Material selection (steel, aluminium, composites, rubber) and mechanical jointing techniques including bolting, welding, and bonding.
- Geometric Dimensioning & Tolerancing (GD&T), tolerance application, and the ability to perform tolerance stack-up calculations.
- Understanding of material properties, including risks such as bimetallic corrosion.
- Knowledge of manufacturing processes (sheet metal, casting, extrusion, moulding, etc.).
- Clash detection and resolution, structural compliance, and an appreciation of weight management.
- Familiarity with ECODESIGN principles, including fire & smoke requirements and ergonomics.
- Root cause analysis and fault finding using methodologies such as 5 Why and fishbone analysis.
- Strong time management, with a clear sense of urgency and prioritisation.
- A structured, organised, and hands-on approach to engineering tasks.
- Clear and effective communication skills, dealing with both internal and external stakeholders.
These skills would be beneficial:
- SAP
- Catia V6
Things you’ll enjoy
Join us on a life-long transformative journey – the rail industry is here to stay, so you can grow and develop new skills and experiences throughout your career. You’ll also:
- Enjoy stability, challenges and a long-term career free from boring daily routines.
- Collaborate with transverse teams and helpful colleagues.
- Contribute to innovative projects.
- Utilise our dynamic, inclusive, and safety-focused working environment.
- Steer your career in whatever direction you choose across functions and countries.
- Benefit from our investment in your development, through award-winning learning.
- Benefit from a fair and dynamic reward package that recognises your performance and potential, plus comprehensive and competitive social coverage (life, medical, pension).
- Up to 52 weeks full maternity and adoption pay.
- 25 days annual leave plus bank holidays, with the opportunity to buy or sell holiday.
- A wide range of flexible benefits that you can tailor to suit your lifestyle.
You don’t need to be a train enthusiast to thrive with us. We guarantee that when you step onto one of our trains with your friends or family, you’ll be proud. If you’re up for the challenge, we’d love to hear from you!
Equal opportunity statement: Alstom is an equal opportunity employer committed to creating an inclusive working environment where all our employees are encouraged to reach their full potential, and individual differences are valued and respected. All qualified applicants are considered for employment without regard to race, colour, religion, gender, sexual orientation, gender identity, age, national origin, disability status, or any other characteristic protected by local law. As a 'Disability Confident' employer, we will interview all disabled job applicants who match the essential criteria of the job description or specification. We will consider flexible working requests for all roles unless operational requirements prevent otherwise.
Mechanical Engineer employer: Alstom Group
At Alstom, we pride ourselves on being an exceptional employer, offering a dynamic and inclusive work culture that fosters innovation and collaboration. Located in Derby, our team of 80,000 colleagues enjoys a wealth of growth opportunities, comprehensive benefits, and a commitment to sustainability, making every day at work meaningful and rewarding. Join us to contribute to groundbreaking projects in the rail industry while benefiting from our investment in your professional development and a supportive environment that values individual differences.
StudySmarter Expert Advice🤫
We think this is how you could land Mechanical Engineer
✨Get Your Hands Dirty at Engineering Events
Join local engineering meetups or industry conferences related to mechanical engineering. Whether it's a workshop or a career fair, these events are goldmines for networking and getting a foot in the door. Plus, you can showcase your passion and enthusiasm directly to potential employers like Alstom Group.
✨Connect with Professors & Peers
Tap into your university’s resources—professors often have connections in the industry. Don’t be shy to ask about potential openings or recommendations. Your classmates might also know of companies hiring. Often, it’s who you know that gets you in front of the right people!
✨Highlight Your Projects and Practical Experience
When you land those interviews, make sure to talk about your hands-on projects or internships. Whether it's a design project or hands-on experience with CAD software, specific examples will make you stand out. Companies like Alstom Group love to hear about practical applications of your skills.
✨Apply Directly on Company Websites
Check out the careers page of Alstom Group and apply directly through there. It shows initiative and interest in their specific values. Plus, you'll often find openings that aren't advertised on job boards, giving you a better chance to land that full-time gig!
We think you need these skills to ace Mechanical Engineer
Some tips for your application 🫡
Show Off Your Technical Expertise:In mechanical engineering, it’s vital to highlight your technical skills and projects. Make sure to include relevant software proficiency (like CAD tools) in your CV. If you've worked on specific engineering projects, detail your key contributions — we want to see how you’ve applied your skills in a practical setting!
Focus on Problem-Solving Examples:Employers in mechanical engineering love to see how you handle challenges. Use your cover letter to share specific instances where you’ve solved a complex problem or improved a design. This will show us you're not just knowledgeable but also capable of applying that knowledge effectively.
Highlight Relevant Certifications:Include any relevant certifications or training that can set you apart from the competition. Whether it's coursework from your degree, a recognised certification, or extra training in new technologies, we love to see candidates who continuously improve their skill set. This tells us you're serious about your career in engineering!
Tailor Your CV for the Role:Don’t forget to customise your CV for Alstom Group and the Mechanical Engineer role specifically. Pull examples from your experience that align with the job description — it shows us you've done your research and are genuinely interested in becoming part of the team. We recommend applying through our website to ensure your application gets to the right people!
How to prepare for a job interview at Alstom Group
✨Brush Up on Your CAD Skills
Since mechanical engineering often involves design processes, be ready to showcase your proficiency in CAD software like SolidWorks or AutoCAD. Bring along a digital portfolio or even some sketches that demonstrate your design capabilities — it’s a great way to show what you can bring to the table at Alstom Group.
✨Prepare for Technical Questions
Expect technical questions that test your understanding of engineering principles and problem-solving skills. You might get hypothetical scenarios where you need to design a component or troubleshoot a mechanical system. Practising these types of questions will give you the confidence to tackle whatever comes your way!
✨Show Your Team Spirit
As a full-time mechanical engineer, collaboration is key! Be ready to share examples of past team projects or any experiences where you contributed to solving a complex problem with others. Demonstrating your ability to work in a team will resonate well with the interviewers at Alstom Group.
✨Discuss Your Future Goals
Since this is a full-time position, your long-term vision is important. Be open about your career aspirations, whether it’s mastering a specific tool or leading projects. This shows that you're committed not just to learning but also to growing with Alstom Group, making you a more appealing candidate.