Mechanical Design Engineer - Principal Level
Confirmed on the employer's own hiring board on Oct 21, 2026. First seen by Alion on Oct 9, 2026.
Salary: Attractive salary plus benefits
Closing date: 01/11/2026
Mechanical Design Engineer - Principal Level
Are you an experienced Mechanical Design Engineer in East Anglia? Do you want to Inspire the design of pioneering renewable heat projects? Now’s your opportunity to join Vital Energi!
Due to a growing pipeline, we are looking for a Principal Mechanical Design Engineer to inspire our East Anglia Design Team, based in Cambridgeshire.
About the role
As Principal Engineer, you will take a key role in growing and directing the East Anglian office of our Operational Design department. The team produces a broad range of conceptual to technical design of major district and communalheating systems, energy centres, commercial heat pump retrofits and industrial low-carbon energy generation systems.
The role involves direct leadershipof the East Anglia mechanical design team. You will collaborate the design senior management team across the UK, helping to shape our continued growth in the renewable heat market and deliver our industry-pioneering design solutions.
Key responsibilities.
Manage the design of distributed energy schemes, energy centres, district heating networks and other major projects
Provide mentorship, workload management and technical oversight of direct report design engineers
Maintain statutory and regulatory compliance in design processes and deliverables
Contribute to our continued innovation in engineering practices, digital design techniques and technology deployment
Ensure time, cost and quality outcomes are achieved in design
Provide technical supportto adjacent project stages, from early pipeline development to construction and commissioning
What you will need
Educated to at least HNC/HND level in Mechanical, Building Services or similar Engineering discipline
Membership to an applicable engineering institution
A minimum of 5 years’ experience in commercial building services, industrial heat generation or heat network design
Successfil portfolio directing a teamskills, including past experience in direct line management duties
Demonstrable design process leadershipskills, including the delivery of complex multidisciplinary engineering solutions
Extensive knowledge of applicable laws, regulations and industrial design standards
The following attributes could give you an advantage:
Bachelor or masters degree in engineering
Chartership to an applicable engineering institution
Leadershipof renewable heat-led energy centre design
Proficiency in standard industrial digital design tools
Applications will be processed within 28 days of receipt. If you have not heard from us within this time period it will mean that your application has unfortunately been unsuccessful.
The company is opposed to all forms of discrimination and will select for employment, training and promotion on the basis of suitability for the job and/ or merit. It is company policy that no job applicant or employee receives less favourable treatment than another on the grounds of sex, race, colour, age, ethnic or national origins, political affiliations, religious beliefs, marital status, physical disability or is disadvantaged by unjustifiable conditions or requirements.
Applicants must have the unrestricted and ongoing right to work in the UK for the duration of employment, without the need for sponsorship. Due to the nature of this role, we are unable to support visa sponsorship or employ individuals with time-limited permission or conditions attached to their right to work in the UK
Notice to Agency and Search Firm Representatives:
Vital Energi Utilities Ltd is not accepting unsolicited CVs from agencies and/or search firms for this job posting. CVs submitted to any Vital Energi Utilities Ltd employee by a third party agency and/or search firm without a valid written & signed search agreement, will become the sole property of Vital Energi Utilities Ltd. No fee will be paid if a candidate is hired for this position as a result of an unsolicited agency or search firm referral. Thank you