Principal Mechanical Engineer

Are you ready to be part of the future? At QinetiQ, we’re not just imagining tomorrow we are creating it. From cutting-edge defence technology to ground-breaking innovations our mission is to empower and protect lives. Join us as a Principal Mechanical Engineer at our Haslar site, where you will have the opportunity to work with cutting-edge technology in partnership with some of the most brilliant minds.

The Role

As a Principal Mechanical Engineer, you'll be responsible for delivering work streams whilst guiding a mixed discipline engineering team. Ultimately enabling the engineering delivery of a large multi-year high profile maritime project that includes composite analysis, metallic structural design, production design and supporting validation activities appropriate to a project of this nature within the Maritime defence sector. Day-to-day, you’ll provide effective leadership and coordination of the engineering and technical activities to deliver programmes of work.

Your responsibilities will include:

• Work with the engineering program lead and project management community to task and control work conducted by the technical team; manage the technical tasking of the work within the agreed quality, timescale and budget.
• Develop the capabilities in the areas you are working in; mentor others to improve the knowledge of your areas of expertise within the wider engineering and technical communities.
• Encourage increased collaboration across the Group/wider technical teams.
• Work with other functions (e.g. Safety Engineering) to deliver the technical programme of work ensuring compliance with statutory, regulatory, company and project-specific processes.
• Utilise opportunities with partner organisations to identify and then develop joint technical strategies to expand our combined customer offering; this will include supporting Business Development and Sales strategy.
• Ensure that Governance is applied consistently across the technical programmes where you are involved; act as a peer/independent reviewer for other projects or programmes of work where suitable.

Essential experience of the Principal Mechanical Engineer:

• Finite Element Analysis (FEA) of structures and systems.
• Experience of non-ferrous metals and composite materials, design and manufacturing.
• Proficient in FEA software, ideally Abaqus.
• Proficient in CAD software.
• Experience of leading multidisciplinary project teams.
• Experience of subsurface and defence platform design is advantageous but not essential.

Essential qualifications for the Principal Mechanical Engineer:

We value difference and we don’t have a fixed idea when it comes to background or education, provided you can show the required level of experience and willingness to learn then we would like to hear from you. This role is 37 hours per week based at our Haslar site. Hybrid working patterns are available.

Our facilities at the Haslar Marine Technology Park are state-of-the-art, including our ocean basin rotating arm, and marine towing tank, offering an unparalleled environment for testing and refining designs. Our marine technology offers our global customers a service to deliver constrained hydrodynamic model tests of surface ships, submarines, offshore structures, and renewable energy devices.

Why Join QinetiQ?

As we continue to grow into new markets around the world, there’s never been a more exciting time to join QinetiQ. The formula for success is our appetite for innovation and having the courage to take on a wide variety of complex challenges. As a QinetiQ employee, you’ll experience a unique working environment where teams from different backgrounds, disciplines and experiences enjoy collaborating widely and openly as we undertake this exciting and rewarding journey. Through effective teamwork, and pulling together, you’ll get to experience what happens when we all share different perspectives, blend disciplines, and link technologies; constantly discovering new ways of solving complex problems in a diverse and inclusive environment where you can be authentic, feel valued and realise your full potential.

Our Benefits

• Matched contribution pension scheme, with life assurance.
• Generous holiday allowance, with the option to purchase additional days.
• Options to join Health Cash Plan, Private Medical Insurance and Dental Insurance.
• Employee discount portal: Personal Accident Insurance, Travel Insurance, Restaurants, Cinema Tickets and much more.
• We are proud to support the Armed Forces community by honouring the Armed Forces Covenant and maintaining our Gold Award standard in the Defence Employer Recognition Scheme.
• Volunteering Opportunities - helping charities and local community.

Our Recruitment Process:

We want to make sure that our recruitment process is as inclusive as possible and we aspire to bring out the best in our candidates by creating an environment where everyone feels valued, heard and supported. If you have a disability or health condition that may affect your performance in certain assessment types, please speak to your Recruiter about potential reasonable adjustments. Many roles in QinetiQ are subject to national security vetting being completed, applicants who already hold the appropriate level of vetting may be able to transfer it upon appointment. A number of roles are also subject to additional restrictions, which means factors such as nationality or previous nationalities may affect the roles that you can be employed in. Please note that all applicants for this role must be eligible for SC clearance, as a minimum.