Mechanical Engineering Lead - Space Systems

We continually strive to help our workforce achieve their professional and personal goals, engaging them in challenging and inspiring projects.

The Mechanical Engineering Lead provides technical leadership, engineering governance, and people leadership across the mechanical engineering function. He/she is responsible for leading a team of engineers while serving as the principal technical authority for the design, development, verification, and delivery of complex opto-mechanical and electro-optical systems and products.

With 12+ years of industry experience, the Mechanical Engineering Lead drives engineering excellence, oversees the delivery of high-quality technical solutions, and ensures projects are executed in accordance with technical, commercial, quality, and schedule requirements.

Key Responsibilities:

Technical Leadership

• Act as the senior technical authority for mechanical design and engineering activities.
• Lead the development of complex opto-mechanical and electro-optical systems, assemblies, and products from concept through production and lifecycle support.
• Establish and maintain engineering standards, design practices, and technical governance processes.
• Review, approve, and provide oversight of engineering designs, calculations, analyses, and technical documentation.
• Lead technical decision-making, risk assessments, and trade studies to ensure optimal engineering outcomes.
• Ensure compliance with applicable industry standards, customer requirements, and regulatory obligations.
• Drive engineering innovation and adoption of best-practice design methodologies.

Mechanical Design Expertise

• Provide expert guidance on mechanical design, product development, materials selection, manufacturing processes, and system integration.
• Lead design reviews and ensure design solutions are robust, reliable, manufacturable, and cost-effective.
• Oversee engineering analyses including structural, thermal, fatigue, vibration, and finite element assessments.
• Support resolution of complex technical problems through detailed root cause investigations and corrective actions.
• Champion Design for Manufacture (DFM), Design for Assembly (DFA), Design for Cost (DFC), and Design for Reliability principles.
• Ensure effective management of engineering change and configuration control processes.

Team Leadership and Management

• Lead, mentor, and develop a team of mechanical engineers across varying levels of experience.
• Set individual and team performance objectives aligned to business and project goals.
• Conduct performance reviews, development planning, and coaching activities.
• Foster a collaborative, accountable, and high-performance engineering culture.
• Support recruitment, onboarding, workforce planning, and capability development initiatives.
• Allocate engineering resources to ensure effective project execution and workload management.
• Promote knowledge sharing and continuous professional development across the engineering function.

Project and Stakeholder Management

• Provide engineering leadership across multiple concurrent projects.
• Support project planning, estimation, scheduling, and resource forecasting activities.
• Collaborate closely with project managers, systems engineers, manufacturing teams, customers, suppliers, and external stakeholders.
• Present technical solutions, project status, and engineering recommendations to senior management and customers.
• Manage technical risks, issues, and dependencies throughout project lifecycles.
• Ensure engineering activities are delivered within approved scope, budget, and schedule constraints.

Continuous Improvement

• Drive continuous improvement initiatives across engineering processes, tools, and methodologies.
• Develop and implement engineering metrics and performance indicators.
• Identify opportunities to improve product performance, delivery efficiency, and engineering effectiveness.
• Contribute to strategic planning and long-term engineering capability development.

Knowledge, Skills and Experience

Essential Technical Expertise

• Extensive experience in mechanical design, product development, and engineering delivery.
• Advanced proficiency with 3D CAD platforms such as SolidWorks, Creo, CATIA, NX, or Inventor.
• Expert knowledge of engineering drawing standards, GD&T, tolerance analysis, and configuration management.
• Strong understanding of structural analysis, FEA, materials engineering, vibration, thermal and integrated opto-mechanical analyses.
• Deep knowledge of manufacturing processes including machining, fabrication, casting, additive manufacturing, and assembly techniques.
• Experience developing complex electromechanical or mechanical systems in a regulated engineering environment.
• Strong understanding of engineering lifecycle management and systems engineering principles.

Leadership Experience

• Demonstrated success leading and developing engineering teams.
• Proven ability to manage technical performance, resource allocation, and project delivery.
• Experience establishing engineering standards, governance frameworks, and technical review processes.
• Strong mentoring and coaching capability with a track record of developing engineering talent.
• Ability to influence technical and business decisions at senior organisational levels.

Professional Experience

• Minimum 12 years of mechanical engineering experience within product development, manufacturing, defence, aerospace, mining, automotive, industrial equipment, or related industries.
• Significant experience leading multidisciplinary engineering projects and technical teams.
• Proven experience delivering complex engineering programs from concept through production and sustainment.

Qualifications:

Essential

• Bachelor of Mechanical Engineering or equivalent accredited engineering qualification.
• Eligibility for Chartered Professional Engineer (CPEng) status or equivalent professional registration.

Desirable

• Chartered Professional Engineer (CPEng) or equivalent.
• Postgraduate qualification in Mechanical Engineering, Engineering Management, Systems Engineering, or a related discipline.
• Formal leadership or project management qualifications.

Key Success Measures:

• Successful delivery of engineering projects meeting technical, cost, quality, and schedule objectives.
• High-performing engineering team with strong employee engagement and capability growth.
• Consistent application of engineering best practices and governance standards.
• Delivery of innovative, robust, and manufacturable design solutions.
• Effective management of technical risk and engineering performance.
• Continuous improvement in engineering quality, productivity, and customer satisfaction.

Join us in innovating with our defence and space businesses, shaping the future together. Become part of a friendly and supportive team that values your skills, and experiences, and enjoy many benefits, including ongoing learning and development opportunities, flexible working hours, opportunities for further professional and career development, paid parental leave, and an employee incentive scheme.