Senior Mechanical Design Engineer

Job Title: Senior Mechanical Design Engineer – Special Purpose Fabrication Equipment\n Location: Manchester (On-Site)\n Salary: Competitive – dependent on experience (skills-led package)\n Job Type: Permanent\n\n Overview\n\n A well-established engineering business is seeking a Senior Mechanical Design Engineer to support the design and development of complex fabricated and machined equipment used in industrial and regulated environments. The role focuses on full lifecycle mechanical design, from concept through to detailed manufacturing drawings and support through fabrication and build.\n\n This is a hands-on design engineering position requiring strong experience in manufacturing-led design rather than conceptual or theoretical engineering.\n\n Key Responsibilities\n\nDesign and develop complex mechanical fabrications and assemblies for manufacture\nProduce full 3D models and detailed 2D manufacturing drawings from concept\nCreate fabrication drawings suitable for laser cutting, folding, welding and assembly\nDesign precision machined components including shafts, housings, couplings and fixtures\nSpecify and apply correct tolerances, fits and machining requirements\nDevelop assemblies incorporating bearings, sleeves, keyways and bolted connections\nEnsure designs are manufacturable, cost-effective and aligned with production capability\nWork closely with manufacturing and workshop teams to resolve design queries\nSupport reverse engineering and redesign of existing equipment where required\nInterpret and adapt designs to material availability and fabrication constraints\nProvide technical input into design improvements and problem-solving activitiesEssential Requirements\n\n10+ years mechanical design experience in fabrication or special purpose machinery\nStrong background in mechanical design for manufacture (DfM)\nProven experience producing detailed manufacturing drawings from scratch\nStrong understanding of sheet metal fabrication and laser cutting design principles\nExperience designing machined components and mechanical assemblies\nKnowledge of tolerancing, fits, and machining practices (limits & fits, ISO standards)\nStrong proficiency in SolidWorks (professional level)\nExperience with 2D CAD (AutoCAD or equivalent such as DraftSight)\nAbility to interpret engineering requirements into practical manufacturing solutions\nEngineering qualification (HNC/HND or equivalent minimum)\nFull UK driving licence\nDesirable Requirements\n\nDegree-qualified in Mechanical Engineering or related discipline\nExperience within water, wastewater or process plant equipment\nExperience with stainless steel, mild steel and plastics design\nSite experience including measurements, installation or troubleshooting support\nExperience working with mixed imperial and metric design standards\nExposure to regulated or industrial manufacturing environments\nUnderstanding of material selection and availability constraints\nKey Skills & Attributes\n\nStrong practical engineering mindset\nHigh attention to manufacturing detail\nAbility to work independently and take ownership of design outputs\nProblem-solving capability in real-world fabrication environments\nComfortable working across design, production and site interfaces\nAbility to manage multiple design outputs and priorities\nAdditional Information\nThis role requires a strong emphasis on real-world engineering capability rather than purely software-based CAD operation. Candidates must be able to demonstrate practical design experience through previous projects and manufacturing outputs.\nSalary will be reflective of experience and capability, with higher remuneration available for candidates who meet a broader range of the desirable criteria