Senior Design Engineer / Senior Design Engineeress

Senior Design Engineer

Salary: £45,000 - £65,000

Location: Huddersfield, West Yorkshire

W Talent is seeking an experienced Senior Design Engineer or Design Team Leader to join a dynamic industrial engineering and manufacturing business in Huddersfield, West Yorkshire. The Lead Design Engineer will play a crucial role in the design and development of bespoke machinery and advanced engineering solutions.

Role Overview

This hands-on position offers the opportunity to take ownership of projects from initial concept and customer requirements through to detailed design, manufacture, installation, and commissioning. You will also provide technical leadership to the design team, assisting in the development of designs, solving engineering challenges, and ensuring that projects are delivered to the highest standards.

This role is not solely management-focused; the successful candidate will be expected to engage in hands-on design work on an ongoing basis.

Key Responsibilities

• Lead the design and development of bespoke machinery, components, and engineering systems.
• Coordinate scheduling alongside the Head of Projects & Operational Planning, while maintaining internal engineering controls to mentor and drive the design team.
• Take ownership of projects from initial concept through to manufacture, installation, and commissioning.
• Produce and review detailed engineering drawings, layouts, and design documentation using 3D CAD.
• Focus on mechanical design, pneumatics, and rotary systems.
• Develop practical and cost-effective design solutions to meet customer and project requirements.
• Collaborate closely with manufacturing and production teams to ensure designs are suitable for manufacture and assembly.
• Provide technical guidance and support to other Design Engineers within the team.
• Identify and resolve design and engineering issues throughout the project lifecycle.
• Liaise with customers, suppliers, and internal teams as required.
• Support installation and commissioning activities, providing engineering input and resolving issues both on site and remotely.
• Help improve design processes, standards, and ways of working across the engineering function.
• Engage in design work aimed at improving capacity.

Requirements

This role, based in Huddersfield, West Yorkshire, will require evening support via video call one to two times per month and some weekend installations, averaging once per month. Hours can be flexible to accommodate required support. On-site measuring visits to the UK, Europe, and other regions will be necessary, averaging around 8 to 12 visits per year. Some travel may require overnight stays.

The Ideal Candidate

• Design Engineer looking to step into, or currently operating at, a Lead Design Engineer or Design Manager level.
• Time-served, apprenticeship-trained, or degree/HNC/HND qualified in Mechanical Engineering or a related discipline.
• Proven experience in designing bespoke machinery, equipment, or complex mechanical systems.
• Strong background in fast-paced design and manufacturing environments.
• Experience taking engineering projects from concept to manufacture.
• Comprehensive understanding of mechanical engineering principles and manufacturing processes.
• Experience integrating electrical/electronic systems into mechanical designs is advantageous.
• Familiarity with carbon fiber or composite materials is desirable.
• Prior experience leading, mentoring, or supporting other engineers is preferred.
• Confident in managing multiple projects and competing priorities.
• Strong problem-solving skills with a practical, hands-on approach.
• Experience using Autodesk Inventor is essential.

What's on Offer

• Salary range of £45,000 - £65,000, dependent on experience.
• Opportunity to take a lead role within an established and growing engineering team.
• Engaging and technically interesting bespoke engineering projects.
• Genuine input into the design and development of new machinery and solutions.
• A role that combines hands-on design responsibility with technical leadership.
• Standard working hours are 08:00 - 17:00 Monday to Thursday, and 08:00 - 14:30 on Friday, with flexible hours to support installations and measurements.

Apply online using the form below. Only applications matching the job profile will be considered.