At a Glance
- Tasks: Lead complex mechanical design projects from concept to handover, ensuring safety and quality.
- Company: Join a leading engineering firm focused on significant infrastructure projects.
- Benefits: Remote work flexibility, competitive salary, and opportunities for professional growth.
- Other info: Collaborative environment with strong focus on engineering excellence and continuous improvement.
- Why this job: Make a real impact in highly regulated industries like nuclear and defence.
- Qualifications: Degree in Mechanical Engineering and experience in complex engineering projects required.
The predicted salary is between 45000 - 55000 £ per year.
Location: Mainly remote with 2 days per month onsite in Plymouth
Duration: 12 Month Contract
IR35: Inside
Security Clearance: Can start on BPSS but must go through full SC process
The Opportunity
As a Senior Mechanical Engineer, you will lead and assure the delivery of complex mechanical design packages, taking ownership of projects from concept through to handover. Operating with a high degree of autonomy, you will provide technical leadership, manage multidisciplinary interfaces, oversee supplier engineering activities, and ensure all design outputs meet stringent safety, quality, schedule, and cost requirements. This role offers the opportunity to work on nationally significant infrastructure projects within one of the most highly regulated engineering environments in the UK.
Key Responsibilities
- Technical Leadership & Design Ownership
- Act as the Responsible Engineer and technical lead for assigned work packages.
- Own and manage technical requirements, design baselines, and engineering deliverables.
- Review and approve calculations, drawings, specifications, Bills of Materials, method statements, test documentation, and as-built records.
- Lead design optioneering activities and implement lessons learned to improve engineering outcomes.
- Provide technical guidance to multidisciplinary teams, suppliers, and subcontracted design houses.
- Project Delivery & Control
- Develop and manage engineering delivery plans, resource requirements, and programme schedules.
- Monitor progress against project milestones and drive recovery actions where required.
- Manage technical risks, assumptions, issues, and change control processes.
- Support forecasting, cost management, and technical input into commercial activities.
- Safety, Quality & Compliance
- Ensure compliance with relevant legislation, standards, engineering codes, and business procedures.
- Lead design reviews, HAZIDs, constructability reviews, and ALARP assessments.
- Fulfil CDM Designer responsibilities and ensure risks are eliminated or reduced through design.
- Maintain robust configuration control and technical governance throughout the project lifecycle.
- Coordinate engineering activities across Mechanical, Civil, Structural, EC&I, Construction, Commissioning, Operations, and Safety teams.
- Manage supplier technical submissions, design integration, factory acceptance testing, concessions, and technical queries.
- Act as a key interface between engineering, project management, and client stakeholders.
- Provide technical leadership and mentoring to engineers and designers.
- Support competence development and contribute to team capability growth.
- Promote engineering excellence and continuous improvement across the project.
About You
You will be an experienced mechanical engineer with a strong background in complex engineering projects, ideally within nuclear, defence, marine, or other highly regulated industries.
- Extensive experience in the design and implementation of mechanical systems and services, particularly fluid systems such as:
- Water and piping systems
- Hydraulic systems
- Pneumatic systems
- Strong understanding of requirements management and technical substantiation within complex engineering environments.
- Experience supporting the design, construction, operation, maintenance, refit, or repair of major infrastructure, marine, defence, or nuclear facilities.
- Proven ability to manage engineering design through the full project lifecycle.
- Experience leading multidisciplinary engineering teams and managing technical interfaces.
- Knowledge of engineering safety practices, design assurance, and regulatory compliance.
- Experience with project planning, estimation, budgeting, and resource management.
- Ability to review and approve engineering calculations, drawings, specifications, and technical documentation.
- Experience conducting HAZIDs, design reviews, and ALARP assessments.
- Familiarity with configuration management and document control processes.
- Strong stakeholder management and supplier coordination skills.
- Proficiency with engineering software, CAD systems, BIM/Common Data Environments (CDE), document management systems, and Microsoft Office applications.
- Nuclear industry experience.
- Experience working on submarine, dockyard, marine, defence, or naval infrastructure projects.
- Knowledge of safety case development and nuclear regulatory processes.
- Understanding of LOLER, PUWER, CDM Regulations, and associated engineering legislation.
- Chartered Engineer status or working towards professional registration.
Qualifications
- Degree (or equivalent qualification) in Mechanical Engineering or a related discipline.
- Chartered Engineer (CEng) status preferred.
- Membership of a relevant professional engineering institution desirable.
- Candidates with significant demonstrable experience and eligibility for IEng or CEng registration will also be considered.
Senior Engineer - Mechanical Services in Plymouth employer: First Recruitment Group
As a Senior Engineer in Mechanical Services, you will thrive in a dynamic and supportive work environment that prioritises employee growth and development. With the flexibility of mainly remote work and the opportunity to engage in significant national infrastructure projects, our company fosters a culture of innovation and collaboration, ensuring that you can make a meaningful impact while enjoying a healthy work-life balance. Join us to be part of a team that values technical excellence and offers unique opportunities for professional advancement in one of the UK's most regulated engineering sectors.
StudySmarter Expert Advice🤫
We think this is how you could land Senior Engineer - Mechanical Services in Plymouth
✨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 First Recruitment 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 First Recruitment Group love to hear about practical applications of your skills.
✨Apply Directly on Company Websites
Check out the careers page of First Recruitment 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 Senior Engineer - Mechanical Services in Plymouth
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 First Recruitment Group and the Senior Engineer - Mechanical Services 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 First Recruitment 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 First Recruitment 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 First Recruitment 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 First Recruitment Group, making you a more appealing candidate.
