A Contract Position - Outside IR35
Hybrid working West Midlands
Our client is seeking a Principal Design Engineer for a contract opportunity within the automotive sector. Working as part of a global mechanical design team, you will lead the development of vehicle and suspension engineering solutions from clean-sheet concept through to production, ensuring that designs meet component, system, product and client requirements.
Key Responsibilities:
- Lead the concept and definitive 3D mechanical design of vehicle systems, system assemblies and complex components, including subframes, suspension knuckles, control arms, tie rods and pitman arms
- Manage a team of mechanical designers delivering specific mechanical systems or complete products
- Complete detailed mechanical design activities, including basic stress calculations, FMEAs, 2D detailing, 2D layouts and tolerance stacks
- Work closely with FEA and simulation teams to ensure designs meet validation requirements
- Collaborate with manufacturing and process engineers to deliver designs aligned with Design for Manufacture and Assembly (DFMA) principles
- Manage Bills of Materials and prepare technical reports and engineering documentation
- Liaise with suppliers and internal engineering departments to coordinate technical information and respond to customer requirements
- Take on project leadership responsibilities, coach and mentor design engineers, and lead small to medium-sized project teams
Technical Requirements:
- Degree-level qualification in Mechanical Engineering or a similar discipline, or equivalent technical experience
- Substantive experience in mechanical design engineering, particularly within vehicle and chassis engineering
- Specialist knowledge of suspension design, subframe design, suspension components or steering components
- Strong understanding of mechanical engineering principles, vehicle dynamics, NVH and durability
- Ability to interpret FEA and CFD results and incorporate findings into mechanical designs
- Sound knowledge of manufacturing processes and their impact on design, including DFMA
- Advanced capability in producing and checking 2D technical drawings, with strong GD&T knowledge
- Experienced user of CATIA V5, with knowledge of PLM systems such as Windchill preferred
Additional Requirements:
- Experience in system engineering management and leading small design teams
- Strong understanding of Bill of Materials management and engineering configuration control
- Advanced Microsoft Office skills
- Confident, proactive and adaptable approach to challenging engineering situations
- Excellent problem-solving, analytical and technical report-writing skills in English
- Ability to prioritise and organise multiple project workloads while working to tight deadlines
- Strong communication skills and the ability to work effectively with customers, suppliers and multidisciplinary teams
- Willingness to travel overseas to support supplier and customer discussions
If you are an experienced Principal Design Engineer with a background in vehicle and suspension engineering, this contract opportunity offers the chance to lead complex automotive design programmes from concept through to production. Apply now to be considered.
