Proposal Engineer - Technical Bid Specialist
Salary: from £45,000
Location: Portland, Dorset (Hybrid Working)
Requirements: Permanent right to work in the UK
Industry: Engineering
Security Clearance: Required or achievable
If you are a Proposal Engineer who enjoys turning complex technical requirements into clear, cost effective solutions, this role will suit you. You will join an established engineering business in Portland as a Proposal Engineer and key Technical Bid Specialist, helping to shape winning proposals for projects in the UK and overseas.
As a Proposal Engineer, you will interpret technical requirements, develop design concepts, and build well structured bids that align with engineering, commercial, and regulatory standards. Working with cross functional teams, the Proposal Engineer will prepare Work Breakdown Structures, Equipment Breakdown Structures, Scopes of Work, procurement specifications, and programme plans that support project delivery.
This Proposal Engineer role is ideal for someone who is comfortable dealing with customers, suppliers, and internal stakeholders, and who enjoys working on multiple bids at once. You will support sales, commercial and supply chain teams, estimate effort and materials, and present technical solutions to customer selection panels. There is hybrid working from Portland plus some overseas travel where required.
What you will be doing as Proposal Engineer
• Analyse technical requirements and develop cost effective design solutions
• Produce WBS, EBS, Scopes of Work, procurement specs, and programme plans
• Support supplier assessment and supplier selection activities
• Work with commercial and supply chain teams on bid content and compliance
• Estimate effort, materials, and resources for projects and programmes
• Collaborate with project and bid teams to produce full technical bids and proposals
• Provide technical input for sales and marketing activities and customer quotations
• Liaise with customer technical and commercial contacts and attend bid review meetings
• Present bid solutions confidently to customer selection teams
• Help develop Capture Plans to support future business opportunities
What you need to bring as Proposal Engineer
• Proven experience interpreting technical requirements and developing design solutions
• Strong knowledge of WBS and EBS
• Background preparing Scopes of Work, procurement specifications, and programme plans
• Experience producing complex technical bids and proposals
• Comfortable liaising with customers, subcontractors, and internal teams
• Strong organisational skills and the ability to estimate effort and materials
• Confident presenting technical solutions to stakeholders and selection teams
• Degree or HND in an engineering discipline
• Broad engineering background, ideally across electrical and mechanical disciplines
• Experience in civil engineering services in one or more of: construction, electrical, safety, HVAC, water or waste systems
• Experience of containerised systems is helpful but not essential
• Ability to prepare clear, structured technical documents and specifications
• Able to use AutoCAD and ideally Autodesk Inventor
• Competent user of Microsoft Word and Excel
• Desirable: exposure to sales and marketing support, bid reviews, Capture Plans, and similar sectors
Working pattern and benefits
• Primarily on site at Osprey Quay, Portland, Dorset, with hybrid working options
• Some overseas travel where required
• Salary from £45,000 per annum, depending on experience
• 37.5 hour working week
• 25 days annual leave
• Private medical cover
• Life cover at 3.5 x salary
• Pension plan
• Work related UK and international travel, accommodation and subsistence fully reimbursed in line with policy
• Access to salary sacrifice and wellbeing schemes, including options such as YuLife and EV or e-bike schemes
How to apply for the Proposal Engineer role
If you are a Proposal Engineer ready for a fresh challenge, apply now by contacting Hayden at Holt Engineering on (phone number removed) or email (url removed)