Principle Design Engineer (Marine)
3 days ago
Southampton
Principal Design Engineer Location: Southampton – hybrid, 3 days per week on-site Salary: £65-85K plus excellent benefits package A relocation package is available for this role if required. About the Opportunity Our client is a fast-growing maritime technology business developing wind-assisted propulsion systems that help reduce fuel consumption and emissions across global shipping. They are now looking to appoint a Principal Design Engineer to join their growing engineering team. This is a hands-on role with broad involvement across the design lifecycle, from concept development through to detailed design and production-ready hardware. Working closely with the Head of Engineering, you will take ownership of key subsystems, helping to deliver designs that are robust, manufacturable, compliant, and ready for real-world use. This is an excellent opportunity to join a mission-driven business developing real climate-impact technology in a highly innovative environment and would suit someone genuinely motivated by sustainability and the opportunity to contribute to cleaner shipping. Key Requirements We are looking for an experienced Mechanical / Structural / Marine Engineer with strong expertise in marine structural design, analysis, and classification-led approval. You should bring: • Degree qualification in Naval, Mechanical, Structural, or Marine Engineering, • Around 5-10 years’ experience designing marine structures approved by classification societies, • Strong proficiency in Siemens NX, Autodesk Inventor, or similar 3D CAD tools, • Strong experience in structural analysis, including FEA and hand calculations, • Proven experience translating load cases into robust design requirements and validated structures, • Experience working directly with classification societies and supporting technical approval, • Experience with DNV, LR, NK or similar bodies, • Strong understanding of DFMA, structural integrity, and manufacturability, • Solution-driven approach, • Experience in fatigue, buckling, and large welded structures, • Exposure to aero-structural systems or other performance-led structural design, • Experience validating models against real-world data, • Knowledge of structural testing, validation, and manufacturing techniques Role & Responsibilities As Principal Design Engineer, you will lead the design and structural development of key product subsystems, ensuring they meet performance, compliance, and delivery requirements. Responsibilities will include: • Leading the mechanical design of subsystems in line with programme objectives, • Owning the development of wing geometry, balancing performance, structural integrity, and manufacturability, • Developing and managing load cases across classification and real-world operating conditions, • Translating load cases into clear design requirements, • Defining structural design philosophy and ensuring compliance with classification standards, • Performing and overseeing structural analysis and design verification, • Developing and improving in-house structural analysis tools and methods, • Leading technical engagement with classification societies, • Acting as the internal authority for stress and fatigue analysis, • Supporting and reviewing the work of more junior engineers where appropriate, • Promoting high standards of engineering integrity, safety, and sustainability Why Join? This is a rare opportunity to join a business developing real-world clean technology for the global shipping market. You will benefit from: • Working on real climate-impact hardware, • High levels of ownership within a small engineering team, • Broad exposure from concept through to production, • The opportunity to grow and progress with the business as the technology scales Excellent package & opportunity. Call Rachel NOW or apply online with LinkedIn