Chief Engineer - Mechanical in Slough

Due to sustained growth, a significant forward order workload and a continued commitment to be at the forefront of the industry, our client is now searching for an experienced Chief Engineer. The successful candidate will act as the company’s technical authority and be responsible for leading and approving innovative, creative and winning design packages in line with client key drivers, and project programmes and budgets. You will take accountability directing and supporting a team of Design Engineers of varying levels of experience.

The Role

• To ensure on time delivery of Right First Time compliant designs
• To lead all mechanical design activities within the engineering design department
• Provide advice and support to the sales and applications function in the tendering of work
• To ensure work is completed efficiently to project timescales and to acceptable standards
• To promote value engineering activity and cost reduction at all levels
• To ensure staff work in accordance with company procedures
• Maintaining relevant processes and updating as necessary to fulfil the business needs
• Oversee General Engineering Governance
• Monitor engineering progress and provide status reports to the Technical Director
• To provide the technical input for engineering purchase specifications
• To generate technical reports, calculations and design schemes
• Check and approve design schemes, customer calculations, subcontract technical submissions and ensure quality and consistency of submissions in line with current working practices and standards are maintained
• Manage subcontract designs from a technical aspect effectively and efficiently
• Maintain job records in accordance with company norms and practices
• To ensure process and procedures are relevant, reviewed and updated where required
• Represent the Mechanical Design Engineering function at Customer site reviews
• Maintain company records and knowledge base definition drawings
• Use IT packages effectively in the course of engineering activities
• Interpret and approve engineering drawings produced by your team
• Generate concise and presentable sketches and reports for issue to a range of customers
• Interpret and implement engineering specifications and standards to ensure compliance
• Preparation of engineering calculations over a number of disciplines in support of designs
• Perform concept and detail design work
• Design hazard identification and risk reduction
• Identify any shortfalls and work with department head to recruit or subcontract
• Review and appraise the mechanical design team with consideration of competency
• To lead by example and operate to the highest engineering professional code of conduct

The Person

• Possess a mechanical engineering degree and experience in a team leading / similar role
• Resilient problem-solving & decision-making skills coupled with great analytical capabilities
• Proactive attitude
• Advanced understanding of mechanical engineering principles
• Ability to create and approve technical designs to satisfy customer requirements
• Proficiency in standard industry design packages
• A focus on building and maintaining client and supplier relationships
• Strong organisational and communication skills to support project and company goals
• Experience of working in a fast-paced environment and delivering to challenging timescales
• Flexible attitude to variety in your work scope
• Possess a full UK driving licence and the right to work in the UK without sponsorship

Essential Skills & Knowledge

• Stress analysis by hand calculation
• Mechanical Hardware
• Structural Steelwork and Fabrication & Welding

Desirable Skills & Knowledge

• Flow Analysis (CFD)
• Stress Analysis (FEA)
• Acoustics
• Systems Engineering - requirements through to compliance
• Industrial Acoustic Hardware
• Exhaust Systems
• Filtration and Lifting equipment

Our client is a market leading design, build, installation, fabrication and maintenance organisation operating at the cutting edge of engineering excellence driven and supported by a passion for innovation. They have continuously diversified and expanded their expertise, enabling them to deliver a huge range of advanced engineering solutions for the Aerospace, Marine, Energy, Oil & Gas, Infrastructure and Automotive sectors, amongst many others. They not only always complete projects successfully and to the highest of standards but also add value to their clients by giving total support from the beginning to the end of every contract. An attractive basic salary plus extensive benefits package is on offer to the successful candidate, along with longevity and security of work and forward career progression given that our client possesses a significant contract pipeline for the long-term future and is firmly committed to continued growth over the next 5-10 years.