Job Description
Principal Design Engineer
Location: Southampton – hybrid, 3 days per week on site. Salary: £70‑75K+ (negotiable) plus excellent benefits package. More may be available for the right candidate. A relocation package and Visa/Sponsorship support are available for this role if required.
About the Opportunity
Our client is a fast‑growing maritime technology business developing wind‑assisted propulsion systems that help reduce fuel consumption and emissions across global shipping. They are now looking to appoint a Principal Design Engineer to join their growing engineering team. This is a hands‑on role with broad involvement across the design lifecycle, from concept development through to detailed design and production‑ready hardware. Working closely with the Head of Engineering, you will take ownership of key subsystems, helping to deliver designs that are robust, manufacturable, compliant, and ready for real‑world use.
Key Requirements
We are looking for an experienced Mechanical / Structural / Marine Engineer with strong expertise in marine structural design, analysis, and classification‑led approval. You should bring:
- Degree qualification in Naval, Mechanical, Structural, or Marine Engineering
- About 5‑10 years experience designing marine structures approved by classification societies
- Strong proficiency in Siemens NX, Autodesk Inventor, or similar 3D CAD tools
- Strong experience in structural analysis, including FEA and hand calculations
- Proven experience translating load cases into robust design requirements and validated structures
- Experience working directly with classification societies and supporting technical approval
- Experience with DNV, LR, NK or similar bodies
- Strong understanding of DFMA, structural integrity, and manufacturability
- Solution‑driven approach
- Comfortable working in a fast‑paced, chaotic environment
Desirable experience includes:
- Fatigue, buckling, and large welded structures
- Exposure to aero‑structural systems or other performance‑led structural design
- Experience validating models against real‑world data
- Knowledge of structural testing, validation, and manufacturing techniques
Role & Responsibilities
As Principal Design Engineer, you will lead the design and structural development of key product subsystems, ensuring they meet performance, compliance, and delivery requirements. Responsibilities will include:
- Leading the mechanical design of subsystems in line with programme objectives
- Owning the development of wing geometry, balancing performance, structural integrity, and manufacturability
- Developing and managing load cases across classification and real‑world operating conditions
- Translating load cases into clear design requirements
- Defining structural design philosophy and ensuring compliance with classification standards
- Performing and overseeing structural analysis and design verification
- Developing and improving in‑house structural analysis tools and methods
- Leading technical engagement with classification societies
- Acting as the internal authority for stress and fatigue analysis
- Supporting and reviewing the work of more junior engineers where appropriate
- Promoting high standards of engineering integrity, safety, and sustainability
Why Join?
This is a rare opportunity to join a business developing real‑world clean technology for the global shipping market. You will benefit from:
- Working on real climate‑impact hardware
- High levels of ownership within a small engineering team
- Broad exposure from concept through to production
- The opportunity to grow and progress with the business as the technology scales
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