Principal Engineer / Design Engineer

Principal Engineer / Design Engineer

Full-Time 55000 - 70000 £ / year (est.) Home office (partial)
Career Makers

At a Glance

  • Tasks: Lead complex mechanical and electrical designs for cutting-edge data centres.
  • Company: Join a leading engineering firm with a focus on innovative data centre solutions.
  • Benefits: Flexible working, professional development, and exposure to high-profile projects.
  • Other info: Collaborative environment with opportunities for international project involvement.
  • Why this job: Make a real impact in mission-critical environments while advancing your engineering career.
  • Qualifications: Degree in Mechanical, Electrical or Building Services Engineering and extensive data centre design experience.

The predicted salary is between 55000 - 70000 £ per year.

We are looking to appoint a Senior / Principal Mechanical & Electrical Data Centre Engineer with proven, hands-on design experience in mission-critical environments. This is a technical engineering role, suited to someone who enjoys leading complex MEP designs and acting as a subject matter expert, not a project management position.

You will be responsible for developing and delivering robust, resilient and efficient data centre designs, while also providing high-level technical advice to major global data centre clients. The role combines detailed engineering design with strategic advisory work that frequently leads into full design commissions. Most projects are currently UK-based, with increasing involvement in European projects for established international clients.

Our Data Centre Work:

  • New data centres up to 100MW
  • Strategic asset replacement programmes
  • Reviewing existing live data centres to increase capacity and resilience
  • Design of MEP upgrades within operational facilities
  • Compliance monitoring and performance reviews
  • Electrical protection studies and resilience assessments
  • Lead the mechanical and electrical design of data centre projects from concept through detailed design
  • Produce and review high-quality technical design deliverables, calculations and reports
  • Act as a senior technical advisor to clients on data centre infrastructure
  • Support advisory work that leads into detailed design without losing technical ownership

This role is focused on engineering design leadership. While you will collaborate with project managers, you will not be expected to act in a project management capacity.

Qualifications:

  • Degree-qualified in Mechanical, Electrical or Building Services Engineering (or equivalent)
  • Extensive data centre design experience in a consulting engineering environment
  • Demonstrable experience delivering MEP designs for data centres, not just overseeing delivery
  • Ability to lead technical design decisions and challenge assumptions
  • Experience of hyperscale and/or colocation data centres
  • Experience undertaking or reviewing electrical protection studies
  • Experience working on live operational data centre environments
  • Exposure to European or international projects
  • A genuinely engineering-led role focused on complex data centre design
  • Exposure to high-profile, large-scale mission-critical projects
  • Flexible working and strong support for professional development

Principal Engineer / Design Engineer employer: Career Makers

As a leading employer in the engineering sector, we pride ourselves on fostering a collaborative and innovative work culture that empowers our employees to excel in their roles. With a strong focus on professional development, we offer extensive training opportunities and exposure to high-profile projects within the dynamic data centre industry. Our flexible working arrangements and commitment to employee well-being make us an attractive choice for those seeking a meaningful and rewarding career in a vibrant UK location.

Career Makers

Contact Details:

Career Makers Recruitment Team

StudySmarter Expert Advice🤫

We think this is how you could land Principal Engineer / Design 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 Career Makers.

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 Career Makers love to hear about practical applications of your skills.

Apply Directly on Company Websites

Check out the careers page of Career Makers 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 Principal Engineer / Design Engineer

Problem-Solving Skills
SQL
Communication Skills
Python
Data Engineering
Data Pipeline Development
API Integration

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 Career Makers and the Principal Engineer / Design 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 Career Makers

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 Career Makers.

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 Career Makers.

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 Career Makers, making you a more appealing candidate.