Mechanical Design Manager – Special Purpose Machinery & Automation
📍 Basildon, Essex (On-site, 5 days per week)
💷 £50,000 – £60,000 per year (DOE)
🕒 Full-time | Permanent
The Opportunity
A well-established and growing specialist in special purpose machinery and automation is looking to appoint a Mechanical Design Manager at their Basildon site. This is a key leadership role within the engineering function, responsible for managing and developing a team of 4–5 Mechanical Design Engineers, driving high-quality output across multiple machine-build projects.
This role is 100% on-site (Monday to Friday) with no hybrid working available, due to the hands-on nature of the projects and close collaboration required with manufacturing and assembly.
Key Responsibilities
As Mechanical Design Manager, you will:
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Lead, mentor and develop a team of 4–5 Mechanical Design Engineers
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Manage workload planning, prioritisation and delivery across multiple projects
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Oversee the full mechanical design lifecycle from concept through to manufacture and commissioning
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Ensure mechanical designs meet functional, safety and manufacturing requirements
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Work closely with Project Managers, Electrical Design, Manufacturing, Assembly and Purchasing
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Drive best practice in design standards, documentation, BOM accuracy and revision control
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Support continuous improvement across design tools, processes and engineering outputs
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Participate in design reviews and provide technical sign-off where required
What We’re Looking For
We’re looking for a strong mechanical design leader with hands-on technical experience in automation and machinery design.
Essential
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Proven experience managing or leading a mechanical design team (or stepping up into management)
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Strong mechanical design background within special purpose machinery, automation, robotics, conveyors or industrial equipment
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Ability to drive output and quality across a fast-paced engineering environment
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Confident communicator with strong organisational and leadership skills
Desirable
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Experience using Autodesk Inventor
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Experience with Vault / PDM / revision control systems
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Knowledge of design for manufacture and assembly (DFMA)
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Experience working closely with shop floor, build and commissioning teams
✅ Other CAD package experience will be considered (SolidWorks, Creo, Catia, etc.), but Inventor/Vault exposure is a strong advantage