Position : Mechanical Design Engineer Location : Reading Salary : Up to £100,000 DOE KO2’s client is hiring a founding mechanical engineer to take ownership of mechanical design across a new, high performance engineering and manufacturing facility in Reading This is a key early hire where you will define the mechanical architecture for current and future products, playing a central role in building what is set to become the best in class motor manufacturing facility in Europe KO2’s client is building advanced, high reliability systems within a vertically integrated environment, combining design, manufacturing and validation under one roof. The focus is on developing precision engineered products that demand exceptional performance, quality and repeatability As the founding mechanical engineer, you will own the mechanical design of small brushless motors ranging from 1kW to 15kW power, operating across 6 to 14S voltage platforms. You will lead motor design and broader mechanical systems, taking concepts through to production ready solutions You will define motor architecture including rotor and stator design, thermal management, structural integrity, bearings, housings and overall system integration. You will work closely with electrical, manufacturing and test teams to ensure designs are optimised for performance, manufacturability and reliability A key part of the role is ownership. You will drive design decisions, establish best practice, and influence how products are engineered as the company scales. You will also contribute to defining manufacturing processes, ensuring designs align with the realities of production across both motor winding and PCB assembly within the facility You will be involved in validation and testing, supporting activities such as dynamometer testing, thermal profiling, vibration analysis and endurance testing to ensure products meet demanding application requirements This role requires a hands on engineer with strong experience in motor design and mechanical systems within high performance or high reliability environments. You should be comfortable owning designs from concept through to production, making trade offs between performance, cost and manufacturability Candidates with experience from high performance engineering environments such as McLaren Applied would be particularly well suited You should be motivated by building something from the ground up, working in an environment where speed, quality and ownership are critical Role requirements and logistics Full time onsite role based in Reading Salary £80,000 to £100,000 with flexibility for exceptional candidates Short term contracts can be considered as an interim solution while a permanent hire is secured If you are looking for a role where you can take full ownership of mechanical design and help define a new benchmark for motor performance and manufacturing in Europe, this is that opportunity Apply today with an up-to-date CV.