Principal Design Engineer

Principal Design Engineer

Greater Manchester
£60,000 - £75,000 DOE + Benefits
Office-Based | Early Finish Fridays

Technical Authority + Leadership + Hands-On

This isn’t just another design role.

This is where engineering decisions are made.

Where standards are set.
Where problems are solved properly, not passed on.

The Role

This is a senior, high-impact position for a mechanical design engineer who wants real technical ownership.

You’ll be the person others look to when things get difficult. The one who makes the call, sets the direction, and ensures designs don’t just look right on a drawing, they work in the real world.

Our client is a well-established UK engineering business with over 50 years of success designing and building bespoke bulk material handling systems for a global customer base.

As part of their continued growth, they are looking to appoint a Principal Design Engineer to play a leading role in shaping how design is delivered across the business.

You’ll take ownership of complex, bespoke design projects from concept through to manufacture, build, and delivery, acting as the senior technical authority across the design lifecycle.

It’s a true player-coach position: hands-on when it matters, but also leading, guiding, and raising standards across the team.

What You’ll Be Doing

• Leading the mechanical design of bespoke machinery from concept through to build and installation
• Taking ownership of complex engineering challenges and making sound technical decisions
• Producing and reviewing GA drawings, detailed manufacturing drawings, and calculations
• Ensuring designs are buildable, cost-effective, and aligned with project requirements
• Acting as the go-to technical authority for design standards, materials, and engineering approach
• Working closely with manufacturing, projects, and commercial teams to ensure designs work in practice
• Supporting customer discussions and translating requirements into practical engineering solutions
• Reviewing, guiding, and signing off the work of other engineers
• Driving improvements in design standards, processes, and overall quality
• Supporting standardisation and modularisation to improve efficiency and reduce rework
• Helping improve the link between design, project delivery, and customer experience
• Supporting costing and estimating activities on more technically involved projects
• Ensuring designs comply with relevant standards and regulations including CE / UKCA and machinery safety requirements
• Supporting risk-based engineering reviews and helping strengthen best practice across the department 

You’ll also play a key role in modernising the design function, including strengthening 3D capability and improving how design integrates with manufacturing and project delivery.

What They’re Looking For

You are likely a Senior or Lead Engineer who has moved beyond "just doing design" and into the realm of technical leadership. You bring structure to complex problems and credibility to every project you touch.

You are likely to bring:

• Strong experience in mechanical design within machinery, capital equipment, bulk handling, or bespoke systems
• A proven track record delivering complex projects from concept through to manufacture
• Confidence to make technical decisions and take ownership of outcomes
• Strong capability in detailed design, manufacturing drawings, and engineering calculations
• Good understanding of design for manufacture, fabrication methods, and real-world build constraints
• Experience mentoring, supporting, or leading other engineers
• The ability to balance engineering excellence with cost, time, and commercial realities
• Experience using CAD for mechanical design, with exposure to both 2D (AutoCAD) and 3D environments (such as Autodesk Inventor/SolidWorks)
• Knowledge of machinery safety, compliance, and quality-driven design
• Strong communication skills and the ability to work effectively across engineering, operations, and customer-facing teams 

Qualifications

• HND or Degree in Mechanical Engineering (or similar) 
  Chartered status desirable, not essential 
  Familiarity with ISO9001 standards would be advantageous 

Why This Role Stands Out

This is an opportunity to join a stable and respected UK manufacturer where engineering still matters.

You’ll have the opportunity to:

• Take genuine ownership of the design function 
  Influence standards, systems, and best practice 
  Work on varied, bespoke projects - not repetitive design 
  Shape the future direction of engineering within the business 
  See your designs move from concept through to build and installation 
  Play a visible role in improving performance, lead times, and customer outcomes

The Business

• Established engineering business with 50+ years of industry heritage 
  Specialist designer and manufacturer of bulk material handling equipment 
  Full Design and build capability in-house
  Equipment supplied to a global customer base 
  Stable, well-respected, and engineering-led

Package

• £60,000 - £75,000 DOE 
  25 days holiday + bank holidays 
  Office-based role in Greater Manchester 
  Early finish Fridays 
  Benefits package available 

Interested?

If you are a senior mechanical design engineer looking for a role where you can combine hands-on engineering with leadership, technical authority, and genuine influence, this could be the opportunity to step into. Apply today