Senior Mechanical Design Engineer (NPP Group)

Senior Mechanical Design Engineer (NPP Group)

Location: Aldermaston, Berkshire (On-Site role)

Package: £42,650 - £65,000 (depending on suitability and level of experience)

What do we offer?

• Time to recharge your batteries with 270 hours (including Bank Holidays) of annual leave - plus every other Friday off work!

• Consideration for flexible working arrangements so that your work may fit in with your lifestyle. Just let us know on your application if you wish to work part time

• Opportunities for Professional Career Development that include funding for the annual membership of a relevant professional body, access to mentors and training

• Employee Assistance Programme and Occupational Health Services

• A generous defined contribution Group Personal Pension (we will pay between 9% and 13% of your pensionable pay depending on your own contribution)

• Life Assurance

• Discounts - access to savings on a wide range of everyday spending

• Special Leave Policy including paid time off for volunteering, public service (including reserve forces) and caring for your family

• A host of voluntary & core benefits to suit your health and wellbeing - more information available on our careers site

Roles

The Nuclear Physics Package (NPP) group design, build, test and substantiate the safety and effectiveness of the UK's nuclear deterrent maintaining the Continuous At Sea Deterrent through pioneering science and computational methods. We also use our nuclear know-how and technical expertise to provide innovative solutions that support the UK's nuclear threat reduction activities.

Due to an increase in workload, we are currently recruiting for several roles across engineering.

If you've ever wondered how a component fits into the wider system, or why it's been designed a certain way, or even why a tolerance on a drawing is so tight? These opportunities will give you insight into all of this, and much more!

Below is a brief summary of the different opportunities.

Product Design Team - working with multi-discipline teams across the business to deliver innovative design solutions to a variety of unique engineering challenges, from concept to substantiation and providing through life engineering support for current and future systems.

Hydrodynamic Trials - design, build and field the extraordinary engineering tests and trials that underpin the pioneering science and computational methods that substantiate the safety and effectiveness of the UK's Nuclear Deterrent. This role will give successful candidates the opportunity to design complex systems with unique materials, build those designs with their own hands, and test them in extreme environments at unique test facilities in the UK and abroad.

Threat Response Team - Design, development, manufacture and assembly of hardware to support projects, trials and capability demonstrators. Support operational response through the provision of training aids and the undertaking of threat assessments for UK Government Departments.

Responsibilities:

• Lead the delivery of design activities through self-management or by managing small teams, engage with internal stakeholders and external customers to report on progress against schedule

• Undertake personal development and assessment to gain delegated accountability within your area of work

• Lead the delivery of conceptual designs, detail designs, manufacturing specifications, operational documentation and validation evidence for mechanical engineering solutions in relation to defined requirements

• Production and delivery of high quality technical reports and presentations

• Identify and support opportunities for cost savings, efficiency and business improvement

• Lead in managing partnerships

• Produce high quality scoping documents, plans and estimates for future activities

• Aid the development of less experienced engineers through formal and informal, technical mentoring.

• Organise personal training and development under the guidance of a professional mentor

• Expedite the planning and execution of tasks in order to deliver specific agreed objectives on time; demonstrating control of cost and quality

• Lead and influence collaborative working and contribute towards the achievement of project goals.

• Expedite progress of designs through product lifecycle

• Understanding the hazards and associated risks of any work conducted and, where required, safely use specialised equipment

• Provide technical guidance and mentoring to junior engineers

• Maintain and promote high personal standards in environment, safety, health, security and quality and be a great team player

Qualification and Education Requirements

To be considered for this role you must have:

• A Degree, HND/HNC or an equivalent vocational qualification in an Engineering or Materials discipline with extensive hands on experience, with or working towards professional registration.

• Extensive awareness of technical assessments of existing products

• Extensive awareness of the development, testing and evaluation of theoretical designs.

• Production of outline designs.

• Presenting and review of design plans and data to managers and clients.

• Estimate budget and scope of project.

• Soliciting observations from operators.

• Preparing and reviewing technical reports and documentation

Preferred skills

Experience/understanding of any of the following would be advantageous, but not essential as role specific training will be given:

• Product Lifecycle Management (PLM) including configuration management and quality control

• Computer Aided Design (CAD) systems

• Engineering drafting to BS8888 with GD&T

• Substantiating engineering designs for safety and performance

• Finite Element Analysis (FEA) and its limitations

• Machine tools and manufacturing processes

• Additive manufacturing processes and technologies

• Static and dynamic environmental testing

• Material selection and testing

• Working to British and ISO Standards

• Technical and management skills including problem solving and decision making