Join Our Team as a Lead Mechanical Engineer – Cooling & HVAC!
Location: Barrow-in-Furness. We offer a variety of hybrid and flexible working arrangements—talk to your recruiter about the options available for this role.
Salary: Circa £55,000, depending on experience.
What You’ll Be Doing:
As a Lead Mechanical Engineer, you will play a pivotal role in shaping the future of Royal Navy Submarines. Your responsibilities will include:
* Leading the design and development of cutting-edge Cooling and HVAC systems, subsystems, and equipment.
* Performing functional design tasks, including system modeling, analysis, and validation.
* Promoting robust engineering governance through peer and design reviews.
This role offers flexibility to align with your expertise and career aspirations, with opportunities to focus on:
* Technical Leadership: Take ownership of design solutions and provide technical guidance to engineering teams.
* People Leadership: Manage small teams and support the growth and development of engineers.
* Specialist Technical Delivery: Specialize in detailed analysis, performance optimization, and system integration of Cooling and HVAC systems.
Your Skills and Experiences:
Essential:
* Extensive experience in the design and development of cooling, ventilation, or HVAC systems, preferably in complex, safety-critical industries such as maritime, aerospace, defense, nuclear, or oil & gas.
* Strong understanding of thermodynamics, fluid dynamics (compressible and incompressible flow), heat transfer, and components like fans, pumps, and environmental control systems.
* Proven track record in delivering systems across the full engineering lifecycle—from concept design to commissioning.
* Demonstrated leadership ability through technical direction, mentoring, or ownership of key projects.
Desirable:
* Prior experience in submarine or naval vessel design.
* Familiarity with relevant engineering standards, such as ASME, BS EN, Def-Stan, or MOD-specific requirements.
* Understanding of platform-level cooling considerations, including noise reduction, shock resistance, and survivability.
* Experience engaging with suppliers and stakeholders on environmental or thermal control system requirements and specifications.
Benefits:
In addition to a competitive pension scheme, BAE Systems offers:
* Employee share plans.
* An extensive range of flexible discounted health, wellbeing, and lifestyle benefits, including a green car scheme and private health plans.
* Shopping discounts and potential eligibility for an annual incentive.
The Platform Mechanical Team:
You will join the Platform Mechanical Integrated Delivery Team—a dynamic and collaborative engineering group at the forefront of submarine platform development. This multidisciplinary team brings together engineers from diverse backgrounds to deliver essential mechanical capabilities. In this role, you will work closely with suppliers, systems engineers, and program stakeholders to develop high-integrity technical solutions, support team growth, and ensure delivery aligns with program schedules and budgetary requirements. We also offer relocation support across all Submarine roles, subject to eligibility criteria.
Why BAE Systems?
This is a place where you can truly make a difference. You’ll be part of an inclusive culture that values diversity of thought, rewards integrity and merit, and empowers you to fulfill your potential. We welcome individuals from all backgrounds and strive to make our recruitment processes as inclusive as possible. If you have a disability or health condition that may affect your performance in certain assessments, please discuss potential reasonable adjustments with your recruiter.
Important Note: Many roles at BAE Systems are subject to security and export control restrictions. Factors such as your nationality, any nationalities you may have previously held, and your place of birth can affect your eligibility for certain roles. All applicants must achieve at least the Baseline Personnel Security Standard, with many roles requiring higher levels of National Security Vetting.
Closing Date: 28th August 2025
We reserve the right to close this vacancy early if we receive sufficient applications. If you’re interested, please submit your application as soon as possible!
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