Senior Mechanical Engineer

Senior Principal Consultant (Contract/Freelance) – Defence Industry

As a Senior Mechanical Engineer, you will play a pivotal role in the design and development of submarine systems, including system‑level design, technical responsibility, supplier engagement, and the opportunity to steer design architecture across a major submarine programme.

• Lead design activities of Hydraulic / Mechanical systems, sub‑systems and equipment for the next generation Royal Navy submarines.
• Undertake functional design activities, modelling and analysis.
• Produce design documentation, Verification & Validation evidence and safety justifications.
• Support specification qualification and procurement of components, working collaboratively with suppliers.
• Engage with stakeholders across the cross‑functional project team.
• Drive engineering governance through peer reviews and design reviews.

• Strong experience in the design of hydraulic/mechanical systems – ideally in complex, safety‑critical environments (maritime, aerospace, defence, nuclear, oil & gas, sub‑sea).
• Familiarity with systems and equipment involving hydraulic power units (HPUs), variable frequency drives (VFDs), control cabinets, pumps, electric motors, hydraulic actuators, hydro‑static transmissions, and fluid mechanics.
• Proven capability in system lifecycle delivery – from concept through to commissioning.
• Demonstrated leadership – through technical direction, mentoring, or project ownership.
• Chartered engineer or working towards professional accreditation.
• Familiarity with design standards such as ASME, BS EN and other applicable standards.
• Previous engagement with suppliers or stakeholders on hydraulic/mechanical systems (inclusion of hydraulic control logic desirable, e.g. Variable Frequency Drive solutions but not required).

Join a dynamic, multidisciplinary engineering team where your expertise will help drive the delivery of critical mechanical capability at the heart of a high‑profile programme. Through close collaboration with suppliers, systems engineers, and key stakeholders, you’ll play a pivotal role in shaping high‑integrity technical solutions, supporting team growth, and ensuring projects stay on course—both technically and financially. This role grows with you, offering opportunities in technical leadership, people leadership, or specialist technical delivery.

Support for relocation is available across all Submarines roles, subject to eligibility criteria.

Seniority level: Mid‑Senior level

Employment type: Contract

Industry: Defense and Space Manufacturing