Senior Mechanical Engineer in Doncaster

Your new role

The Service and Maintenance Fleet Systems Engineering team is the top tier of engineering support within Hitachi Rail UK. The team provides support and technical ownership of all the in-service fleets in the UK, delivering solutions to complex problems and expert input to engineering and maintenance activities. Depot-based Support Engineers will undertake initial support with the depot maintenance teams working on the fleet or fleets maintained at that depot. The Fleet Systems Engineering Electrical & Mechanical teams provide an additional level of in-house support, as required. The team also acts as the UK Design Authority for the in-service fleets, managing the Technical Library and design information under contract.

What you’ll be doing

The successful applicant will be part of the Fleet Systems Engineering Mechanical team and will undertake the following roles and responsibilities:

• Provide specialist mechanical engineering support of train systems and components, taking ownership of assigned train systems to be the Subject Matter Expert ‘SME’ on those functions;
• As Senior Engineer you will be competent and proficient across the majority of rolling stock systems. Assignment of systems is by the Mechanical Systems Manager and is dependent on workload, required tasks and competency across the team. Allocation is not on a permanent basis but will be suited to your skillset and experience;
• Deputise for the Mechanical Systems Engineering Manager as required;
• Independently manage workload assigned to you by the Mechanical Systems Engineering Manager, including task management of Mechanical Systems Engineers;
• Where requested lead and manage the task workload for specific systems e.g. vehicle structures, gauging, crashworthiness, auxiliary equipment, maintenance and overhaul;
• Provide expert knowledge and input to assigned tasks, act as peer reviewer and SME in-Lieu of the Mechanical Systems Manager;
• Form part of the UK Design Authority, responsibilities include the development and maintenance of the Technical Library, approval of Engineering Change, scrutiny and review of Engineering Change evidence;
• Creation of associated documentation and specifications for maintenance, overhaul and repair activities. Development and implementation of engineering procedures and policies regarding level of train fleet maintenance specified by customer / contract requirements and compliant with legislative regulations;
• Provide detailed engineering analysis of any in-service issues identified on the assigned systems, and work towards containment of the issue, root cause analysis, and subsequent long-term corrective action;
• Write clear, detailed technical reports on any investigations carried out, including details of subsequent actions and any recommendations;
• Support technical teams at depots. Carry out thorough root cause analysis of any critical technical issues including operational events and failures, supporting with high-quality reports;
• Progress corrective actions through the Change Approval Process, ready for implementation on the appropriate fleets, to include appropriate documentation and evidence. Manage detail of engineering change as required;
• Support relevant equipment and component development, as appropriate;
• Develop and maintain good working relationships with suppliers as appropriate to the issues under investigation;
• Responsible for supporting optimisation of the Company’s maintenance regime and assisting in the development of World Class maintenance practice in support of current and future contracts;
• Responsible for liaising with Hitachi Japanese design and manufacturing teams to ensure that Japanese best practice and product knowledge is transferred to the UK operation. Provide expert input to ensure UK practices and applicable Laws and Standards are met when delivering Hitachi Japanese design;
• Foster strong ties and working relationships with Japanese colleagues, in particular Kasado for bodyshell, structures and systems;
• Develop a strong working relationship with Engineers throughout the UK, including the Depot Fleet Engineering teams, Project Engineering team based in London, (who are responsible for trains before service delivery) and the Manufacturing teams in Newton Aycliffe;
• Follow and, where appropriate, assist in the development of relevant procedures to ensure smooth progression of work;
• Support learning and development within the Service and Maintenance team, including the development of new and Graduate Engineers;
• Responsible for ensuring adequate levels of H & S and environmental issues are maintained across departmental activities and compliant with company policy and Health & Safety at Work Act requirements;
• Responsible for the performance of H & S and Environmental risk assessments covering team activities;
• Must be prepared to travel and overnight away from base location for short periods of time to support Great Western, ScotRail and East Coast Main Line operations;
• From time to time, may be invited to take part in overseas meetings or workshops. This could include visits to sites in Japan and 3rd party suppliers in Europe and North America.

About you

Essential Requirements

• Engineering degree (i.e. BSc, BEng or MEng / MSc) in relevant engineering discipline (e.g. Mechanical, Aerospace etc.) or the ability to demonstrate degree level Professional Registration with relevant Engineering Institution (e.g. CEng with IMechE);
• Excellent knowledge of a selection of mechanical systems, both technically and operationally;
• Excellent knowledge of mechanical engineering principles, relevant standards, codes of practices and design principles / practices; particularly in UK Rolling Stock;
• Excellent knowledge of the Laws and Standards that apply and also proven experience in applying these standards to real world solutions / problems;
• Proven experience at delivering complex mechanical solutions in a Rolling Stock environment;
• Comfortable with ‘hands on’ engineering for on-train investigations when needed;
• Sound understanding of health and safety requirements in a practical working environment.

Behavioural

• Ability to work with minimal supervision, to clear targets and deliverables, and within a tight project support environment;
• Ability to work under own initiative;
• Good English written skills;
• Ability to communicate clearly and effectively, both orally and in writing;
• Commitment to working as part of a team;
• Commitment to the effective implementation of equal opportunities policies;
• Sound knowledge of, and compliance to, rules and regulations;
• Able to represent Hitachi in a professional manner at all times;
• Position holder must be able to interface effectively with all levels of personnel both within and outside the company.

Desirable

• Experience in the Railway Industry;
• Knowledge of the UK Railway Operations and Engineering Safety Management System;
• Previous CAD and/or FEA experience (e.g. Ansys, PRoE, Solid works / edge);
• Direct knowledge or experience of implementing and developing engineering design and assurance plans;
• Common Safety Method Course, or similar.

What we offer

We value the importance of all of our employees, if you would like to join our fantastic organisation you could be entitled to:

• Competitive salary
• 25 days holiday
• Potential opportunity for annual performance related bonus
• Pension scheme with contributions up to 9%
• Private medical insurance
• Personal Accident insurance
• Group Income protection
• Group Life Insurance
• Employee Assistance Programme

We also offer additional perks for you to choose from within a flexible plan that will meet your specific needs and lifestyle. Closing date for applications is 17th March 2026. Thank you for your interest in Hitachi Rail. If your application is of interest, we will be in contact. Please do not hesitate to discover more about us and our latest jobs.

At Hitachi Rail, there is a place for everyone. We welcome and value differences in background, age, gender, sexuality, family status, disability, race, nationality, ethnicity, religion, and world view. It is our commitment to create an inclusive environment - we are proud to be an equal opportunity employer.