Job Title: Design Engineer
Type: Full Time, Permanent
Industry: Special Purpose Machinery / Bespoke Engineering (Food, FMCG & Industrial Systems)
Location: Loughborough
Salary: £55,000 per annum
Working Hours:
Mon – Thurs: 07:00 – 16:00
Fri: 07:00 – 12:00
39.5 hours per week
About Alway Loughborough
Alway Loughborough design, manufacture, and install bespoke engineered solutions for a wide range of food, beverage, FMCG, and industrial clients.
Our work spans special purpose equipment, stainless steel fabrication, structural systems, and integrated production line solutions, delivered from concept through to full manufacture and installation.
We pride ourselves on delivering practical, robust, and hygienic engineering solutions that perform in demanding production environments, working closely with blue-chip manufacturers across the UK.
The Role
We are looking for an experienced Design Engineer to join our growing engineering team in Loughborough.
This is a hands-on, delivery-focused role where you will take ownership of projects from initial concept through to manufacturing release. You will work closely with fabrication, purchasing, and installation teams to ensure designs are practical, efficient, and fully manufacturable.
You will be involved in a wide variety of bespoke engineering projects, meaning no two days or designs are the same.
Key Responsibilities
* Produce detailed manufacturing drawings for bespoke equipment and fabricated assemblies
* Develop and manage 3D CAD models using Autodesk Inventor
* Process and adapt customer drawings into production-ready packages
* Create full job packs for workshop and manufacturing teams
* Specify and order raw materials, laser-cut components, and folded parts
* Source and manage bought-in mechanical and electrical components for live projects
* Produce technical manuals, assembly instructions, and supporting documentation
* Support and contribute to risk assessments and design-for-safety reviews
* Carry out site surveys and technical assessments where required
* Work closely with production, fabrication, installation, purchasing, and accounts teams
* Provide engineering support through the full project lifecycle, from design through to installation
Candidate Requirements
* Proven experience as a Design Engineer within fabrication, machinery, or special purpose equipment
* Strong proficiency in Autodesk Inventor (essential)
* Minimum 3 years’ experience using AutoCAD
* Strong understanding of metal fabrication, machining, and assembly processes
* Knowledge of cutting, forming, and manufacturing technologies
* Ability to design with manufacturability, cost, and efficiency in mind
* Strong organisational skills with the ability to manage multiple live projects
* High attention to detail and a methodical, problem-solving approach
* Confident communicator with the ability to work across technical and non-technical teams
* Able to work in a fast-paced, project-driven environment
What We Offer
* Salary of £55,000 per annum
* Opportunity to work on varied, bespoke engineering projects
* Full involvement from concept through to manufacture and installation
* Strong collaboration between design, fabrication, and site teams
* Real responsibility and visibility of your engineering output
* On-site parking
* Health & wellbeing support programme
* Stable, growing engineering business with long-term career opportunity
Working Environment
This is primarily an office-based engineering design role, with occasional visits to workshop and customer sites for surveys, project support, and installation coordination.
Some exposure to manufacturing environments should be expected, including noise, heat, and fabrication activity. Appropriate PPE is provided and required where necessary.
Apply Now
If you're a Design Engineer who wants to see your work move from concept to real-world engineered solutions, and you enjoy solving practical, hands-on engineering challenges, we’d like to hear from you.
Apply today and take the next step in a role where your designs directly shape real manufacturing and production systems.