At a Glance
- Tasks: Lead design projects, mentor teams, and innovate bespoke solutions.
- Company: Dynamic engineering firm focused on cutting-edge design and collaboration.
- Benefits: Competitive salary, career growth, and a supportive work environment.
- Other info: Join a team that values creativity and offers excellent project management opportunities.
- Why this job: Make a real impact in engineering while leading innovative design projects.
- Qualifications: HNC/HND in Mechanical Engineering and experience in bespoke machine design.
The predicted salary is between 55000 - 70000 £ per year.
The Lead Design Engineer is responsible for creating, guiding and overseeing the design efforts within the organisation. This role involves leading a team to innovate, design standard, configured and bespoke orders. The Lead Design Engineer will collaborate with cross-functional teams to ensure that projects are completed on time, within budget, and meet the company's quality standards.
Primary Responsibilities
- Leadership and Management: Leads cross functional technical teams providing mentorship in both technical and interpersonal skills. Sets clear goals and expectations and provides regular feedback and performance evaluations. Leads collaborative efforts on complex projects, ensuring clear communication and coordination across disciplines.
- Project Management: Plan, manage, and oversee design projects from conception to completion. Coordinates project timelines and manages multiple high-priority tasks, ensuring all stakeholders meet deadlines and budgets while maintaining high quality.
- Design: Designs detailed and complex systems with precision, performs advanced simulations, and leads impactful design optimisation projects that consider sustainability and cost. Conduct feasibility studies and risk assessments. Design, prototyping, testing, and validation of new designs or improvements. Utilising Design for Manufacture and Value Engineering techniques to ensure a smooth transition from design concept into manufacture. Design and detail to ISO standards.
- Collaboration: Work closely with other departments, such as production, software/electrical, quality and aftersales, to ensure alignment and integration of design efforts. Liaise with external partners, suppliers, and industry experts to solve problems.
- Technical Expertise: Stay updated with the latest industry trends, technologies, and best practices. Provide technical support to the design team. Ensure compliance with industry standards and regulations.
- Documentation and Reporting: Maintain comprehensive documentation of all design activities. Prepare and present regular progress reports to senior management. Ensure proper filing and accessibility of all technical documents.
What skills are we looking for?
The successful candidate must have a HNC/HND in a technical area – preferably Mechanical Engineering, experience within bespoke machine design, proven record of successfully managing and delivering projects, commissioning and site experience, strong leadership and team management skills, excellent project management and organisational skills, in depth knowledge of design and manufacturing techniques, strong analytical and problem solving skills, proficient use of SolidWorks (concepts, layouts, detailing and dimensioning to ISO standards) and utilise appropriate calculations and formula to back up design ideas. The ideal candidate will have excellent communication and interpersonal skills, innovative, pro-active, self-motivated, the ability to work individually or as part of a team and have a methodical approach to tasks.
Lead Design Engineer in Birmingham employer: Ishida
As a Lead Design Engineer at our innovative organisation, you will thrive in a dynamic work culture that prioritises collaboration and creativity. We offer competitive benefits, including professional development opportunities and a supportive environment that encourages growth and mentorship. Located in a vibrant area, our company is committed to sustainability and quality, making it an excellent employer for those seeking meaningful and rewarding work.
StudySmarter Expert Advice🤫
We think this is how you could land Lead Design Engineer in Birmingham
✨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 Ishida.
✨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 Ishida love to hear about practical applications of your skills.
✨Apply Directly on Company Websites
Check out the careers page of Ishida 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 Lead Design Engineer in Birmingham
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 Ishida and the Lead 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 Ishida
✨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 Ishida.
✨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 Ishida.
✨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 Ishida, making you a more appealing candidate.
