Mechanical Design Lead at Free-Work UK

Base Pay Range

Job Title: Mechanical Design Lead
Location: Isle of Wight – Cowes or Portsmouth – Broad Oak. Hybrid and flexible working arrangements available. Discuss options with recruiter.
Salary: Up to £85,700 (dependent on skills and experience). Part‑time and accruing hours available. Discuss options.

What You'll Be Doing

• Provide depth and breadth of expert knowledge through substantial work experience to apply principles and concepts of systems engineering, ISO 15288, and specialist mechanical engineering expertise to the development or problem resolution of a complex shipborne structure with integrated sensor configurations.
• Provide technical and business leadership and may lead multiple engineering teams, including management and cost control of 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.

Your Skills and Experiences

• Subject matter expertise in Mechanical Engineering: Structures and Finite Element Analysis (particularly 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 leading large‑scale complex system designs.
• Experience of multiple aspects of an engineering lifecycle and expert knowledge of lifecycle models (e.g. Waterfall, Agile).
• Higher education (or equivalent experience) in a relevant STEM discipline.
• Achieved Chartered Engineer status or working towards it.

Benefits

Competitive pension scheme, employee share plans, extensive range of flexible discounted health, wellbeing and lifestyle benefits, green car scheme, private health plans and shopping discounts. 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.

Additional Information

Flexible and hybrid working arrangements available. Regular foot passenger ferry from Southampton and BAE shuttle service from the ferry terminal to site. Part‑time hours, accruing hours, and flexibility around start and finish times to balance work, on‑site and home life.

Closing Date

8th November 2025

Additional Job Details

Seniority Level: Mid‑Senior level
Employment Type: Full‑time
Job Function: Management and Manufacturing
Industry: Human Resources Services