Senior Design Engineer in Ipswich

Textron Specialized Vehicles Inc. is a leading global manufacturer of golf cars, utility and personal transportation vehicles, professional turf-care equipment, and ground support equipment. Textron Specialized Vehicles markets products under several different brands. Its vehicles are found in environments ranging from golf courses to factories, airports to planned communities, and theme parks to hunting preserves.

As a Design Engineer III, you will lead the development of high-quality mechanical design solutions across a range of projects. You will independently manage complex engineering activities, applying advanced technical knowledge to deliver reliable, cost-effective and manufacturable products that meet performance, quality and regulatory requirements. In addition, you will provide technical leadership, mentor less experienced engineers and contribute to the continuous improvement of engineering capability and product performance.

Responsibilities include, but are not limited to:

• Lead the design and development of complex mechanical systems and products, ensuring technical, performance, reliability, manufacturability, and cost requirements are achieved throughout the product lifecycle;
• Take ownership of significant engineering projects and workstreams, providing technical direction and ensuring design activities are delivered to agreed quality, cost, and timing objectives;
• Create, review, approve and maintain engineering documentation, including drawings, Bills of Materials (BOMs), assembly instructions and technical publications, ensuring compliance with Engineering Change processes and engineering standards;
• Establish and promote best practice engineering methods, standards and design principles, driving consistency and continual improvement across the Engineering team;
• Ensure designs are robustly integrated within wider production architectures, considering system interactions, serviceability, manufacturing requirements, reliability and customer needs;
• Lead advanced CAE/FEA analyses and engineering calculations to validate design concepts, optimize performance and reduce technical risk;
• Drive Design for Manufacture (DFM), Design for Assembly (DFA), Design for Reliability (DFR) and cost-reduction initiatives through close collaboration with Manufacturing, Quality, Supply Chain and Production teams;
• Identify technical risks, conduct root cause investigations and develop effective engineering solutions to resolve complex product or manufacturing issues;
• Lead design reviews and provide technical guidance, challenge and approval of engineering solutions developed by other engineers;
• Interpret, apply and advise on relevant legislation, standards, directives and regulatory requirements, ensuring product compliance across applicable markets;
• Plan, define and lead validation and verification activities, including test strategy development, test execution reviews and technical sign-off of results;
• Mentor and develop junior engineers, providing coaching, technical support and knowledge sharing to strengthen overall engineering capability;
• Collaborate with cross-functional and international teams to develop new technologies, products and engineering approaches aligned with business strategy;
• Support product roadmap and technology planning activities by identifying opportunities for innovation, product improvement and competitive advantage.

Qualifications:

• Bachelor’s degree or equivalent in an Engineering discipline, ideally Mechanical Engineering.
• At least five years’ experience in mechanical design and product development within a manufacturing environment, including responsibility for leading projects from concept through to production release.
• Proven experience designing with a range of materials, including steels, plastics, alloys and fabricated assemblies.
• Strong understanding of engineering development processes including prototyping, testing, design-for-manufacture (DFM), design for assembly (DFA) and product validation.
• Advanced knowledge and practical application of DFMEA and PFMEA methodologies.
• Experience leading design reviews and collaborating across Engineering, Manufacturing, Quality and Supply Chain functions to resolve complex technical and product performance issues.
• Advanced proficiency in CAD software (NX preferred), including complex assemblies, system integration and engineering documentation.
• Proficiency in FEA tools, ideally ANSYS, with the ability to perform and interpret analyses to support design verification, optimisation and decision-making.
• Experience using PLM and ERP systems to manage engineering data, product structures and engineering change processes desirable.
• Hands-on approach, with the ability to lead multidisciplinary engineering activities and take products from concept through to production.
• Self-motivated and capable of leading complex engineering projects with minimal supervision.
• Strong technical leadership skills to mentor and support less experienced engineers.
• Excellent problem-solving skills, with a structured and methodical approach.
• Strong communication and stakeholder management skills, with the ability to influence decisions across the organisation.
• High attention to detail and commitment to delivering robust, reliable and manufacturable engineering solutions.
• A continuous improvement mindset, with a desire to drive innovation and best practice.