Job description:

Principal Design Engineer
Location: Southampton hybrid, 3 days per week on-site
Salary: 65-85K plus excellent benefits package

A relocation package and Visa/Sponsorship support 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.


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

Qualifications:

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

- Comfortable working in a fast-paced, chaotic environment

Desirable experience includes:

- 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

Why is This a Great Opportunity:

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

Salary Type : Annual Salary

Salary Min : £ 65000

Salary Max : £ 75000

Currency Type : GBP