At a Glance
- Tasks: Lead innovative mechanical design projects in the nuclear engineering sector.
- Company: Join Cavendish Nuclear, a leader in the UK nuclear industry.
- Benefits: Enjoy generous holidays, pension schemes, and health support.
- Other info: Flexible working options and excellent career development opportunities.
- Why this job: Shape the future of clean energy and make a real impact.
- Qualifications: HNC/HND in relevant discipline and CAD expertise required.
The predicted salary is between 50000 - 65000 £ per year.
Shape the future of nuclear engineering with innovative, industry‑leading design. At Cavendish Nuclear, we’re working to create a safe and secure world, together. If you join us, you can play your part as a Senior Mechanical Designer at our Warrington or Cumbria sites.
The role
As a Senior Mechanical Designer, you’ll take on a role that’s truly out of the ordinary. You’ll be a key point of contact for engineering colleagues and stakeholders throughout the design lifecycle, contributing to reviews, resolving technical challenges and helping ensure robust, compliant design outcomes.
Day-to-day, You’ll Be:
- Allocating design tasks, supporting and guiding a team of Designers, and ensuring high‑quality discipline outputs.
- Leading inter‑disciplinary coordination to meet regulatory and company standards.
- Preparing and checking design drawings, ensuring compliance with ISO standards and project requirements.
- Advising on the best methods, tools and techniques for design tasks and providing technical support to the design team.
- Liaising with customers to support relationship development, resolve technical issues and ensure progress transparency.
This role is full‑time working 37 hours per week and is based at either our Warrington, Cheshire site or Cumbria site and includes hybrid working arrangements.
Essential Experience Of The Senior Mechanical Designer:
- Experience working in a detailed design environment.
- Strong knowledge of CAD tools and engineering drawing practices.
- Demonstrable experience providing technical leadership within a multi‑discipline design environment.
- Incorporated Engineer status (desirable).
Qualifications For The Senior Mechanical Designer:
- HNC/HND (minimum) in a relevant discipline or equivalent qualification.
Security Clearance
The successful candidate must be able to achieve and maintain Standard (BPSS) security clearance for this role.
What We Offer:
- Generous holiday allowance.
- Matched contribution pension scheme, with life assurance.
- Access to a Digital GP, annual health check, and nutritional consultations through Aviva DigiCare+.
- Employee share scheme.
- Employee shopping savings portal.
- Payment of Professional Fees.
- Reservists in the armed forces receive 10-days special paid leave.
- Holiday Trading is a benefit that allows UK Cavendish employees to buy additional leave or to sell up to one working week of annual leave from their annual entitlement.
- ‘Be Kind Day’ enables employees to take one working day's paid leave a year (or equivalent hours) to undertake volunteering work with their chosen organisation or registered charity.
- Excellent development opportunities and benefits package including an employee assistance programme supporting physical, mental and financial wellbeing.
Cavendish Nuclear
As a leader within the UK nuclear industry, Cavendish Nuclear, part of Babcock International Group, provides a comprehensive range of critical nuclear solutions in clean energy, defence and civil new build and decommissioning projects. Together, we’re innovating to make nuclear safer, faster and cost-effective across the nuclear energy life cycle. Your career with us could take you anywhere within Babcock International Group – from Canada, the USA to Japan. Work with us to create a safe and secure world, together.
We are a disability confident committed employer. If you have a disability or need any reasonable adjustments during the application and selection stages, please email careers@babcockinternational.com with the subject header ‘Reasonable adjustments requirement’. We’re committed to building an inclusive culture where everyone’s free to thrive. We are happy to talk about flexible working – please ask about alternative patterns of work at interview.
Closing date: 04/08/26
Senior Mechanical Designer employer: Cavendish Nuclear
Cavendish Nuclear is an exceptional employer, offering a dynamic work culture that fosters collaboration and innovation in the nuclear sector. With opportunities for professional growth and a generous benefits package, employees can thrive while contributing to critical national projects from flexible locations like Bristol, Warrington, or Leicester. Join us to be part of a team that values your expertise and empowers you to make a significant impact.
StudySmarter Expert Advice🤫
We think this is how you could land Senior Mechanical Designer
✨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 Cavendish Nuclear.
✨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 Cavendish Nuclear love to hear about practical applications of your skills.
✨Apply Directly on Company Websites
Check out the careers page of Cavendish Nuclear 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 Senior Mechanical Designer
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 Cavendish Nuclear and the Senior Mechanical Designer 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 Cavendish Nuclear
✨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 Cavendish Nuclear.
✨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 Cavendish Nuclear.
✨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 Cavendish Nuclear, making you a more appealing candidate.
