Senior Design Engineer
Location: Portsmouth
Contract: Long‑term contract, 12 months.
Industry: Defence / Maritime Engineering
We're looking for an experienced Mechanical/Piping Design Engineer to support major upgrade and installation projects on legacy Royal Navy warships. This is a fantastic opportunity for someone who enjoys hands‑on engineering, detailed design work, and contributing to high‑impact defence programmes.
If you have strong mechanical/piping design experience and enjoy solving complex engineering challenges, this contract role will give you the chance to make a real contribution to critical maritime capability.
What you'll be doing
Producing detailed mechanical and piping designs for ship systems, ensuring accuracy, compliance, and manufacturability.
Supporting and leading ship surveys, trials, and onboard engineering activities.
Reviewing and checking design outputs produced by other engineers.
Investigating technical issues and developing practical engineering solutions.
Preparing estimates, technical documentation, and Statements of Work when required.
Contributing to improvements in engineering processes, tools, and design standards.
Providing guidance and support to junior engineers within the team.
Working closely with project teams, operations, and external stakeholders to deliver high‑quality engineering outputs.
What you'll bring
Strong background in Mechanical or Piping design, ideally within naval, marine, or complex engineering environments.
Proficiency in AutoCAD and Inventor, with the ability to produce detailed manufacturing and assembly drawings.
Solid understanding of ship systems, including mechanical and fluid‑based systems.
Ability to interpret and produce engineering drawings such as schematics, isometrics, and system diagrams.
Experience performing basic flow and pressure calculations for pipe sizing.
Confident communicator able to present and discuss complex engineering information.
Strong analytical skills and the ability to make sound engineering decisions.
Qualifications
Minimum: HND/HNC in Mechanical or Piping Engineering, or equivalent industry experience