Overview

Job title: Mechanical Design Lead

Location: Cowes – Isle of Wight or Broad Oak. We offer a range of hybrid and flexible working arrangements – please speak to your recruiter about the options for this role. Salary: Up to £85,700 depending on skills and experience. Part time and accruing hours are available. Please let us know if you would like to discuss these options.

What you’ll be doing

• Provide a depth and breadth of expert knowledge gained through substantial work experience to apply principles and concepts of systems engineering, ISO 15288 and own specialist mechanical engineering expertise to development or problem resolution of a complex shipborne structure with integrated sensor configurations.
• Provide technical and business leadership and may lead several engineering teams, including management and possible control of costs associated with the team activity.
• Analyse, define, evaluate, plan and deliver solutions to meet programme, business and customer requirements.
• Interface with customers, suppliers and other functions and act as an ambassador for engineering to these groups.
• Assist with development of engineering capability and skills and monitor professional development of engineers to meet future discipline requirements.

Industry context: The role supports radar systems engineering with a focus on conceptual development of future shipborne integrated mast structures designed to house multiple radars, sensors, communications systems, and ship services. You will have opportunities to grow knowledge in contemporary radar techniques and to develop technical leadership responsibilities.

Your skills and experiences

• Subject matter expertise in Mechanical Engineering: Structures and Finite Element Analysis (static and dynamic shock and vibration) or equivalent experience.
• Ability to generate requirements and translate concepts into production-ready designs.
• Relevant experience/knowledge of CAD and Mechanical Engineering Analysis, modelling and simulation tools.
• Experience of leading large-scale complex system designs.
• Experience across multiple aspects of an engineering lifecycle and knowledge of lifecycle models (e.g., Waterfall, Agile).
• Higher education (or equivalent experience) in a relevant STEM discipline.
• Chartered Engineer status or be working towards it.

Benefits

As well as a competitive pension scheme, BAE Systems offers share plans and an extensive range of flexible discounted health, wellbeing and lifestyle benefits, including a green car scheme, private health plans and shopping discounts. You may also be eligible for an annual incentive.

The Radar Systems Engineering team

The Mechanical Design Lead is a subject matter expert in Mechanical Engineering, responsible for the conceptual development of future shipborne integrated mast structures designed to house multiple radars, sensors, communications systems, and ship services. This role offers opportunities to develop skills and take on technical leadership within a global business.

Working arrangements

You will be able to enjoy flexible and hybrid working arrangements. Our Cowes workplace is an accessible commute from Southampton with a regular foot passenger ferry and BAE shuttle service from the ferry terminal to site. Working hours may be flexible depending on role and location.

Equity, inclusion and eligibility

We welcome people from all backgrounds and want to ensure our recruitment processes are as inclusive as possible. If you have a health condition or disability that may affect performance in certain assessments, please speak to your recruiter about reasonable adjustments. All applicants must meet Baseline Personnel Security Standard at a minimum. Some roles may require higher levels of Security Vetting.

Please note that many roles are subject to security and export control restrictions, including factors such as your nationality and place of birth. This vacancy closes on 24 September 2025 and we reserve the right to close early if sufficient applications are received. LI-AP1 LI-hybrid