Senior Mechanical Design Engineer

Jonathan Lee Recruitment
Herefordshire, United Kingdom
2 weeks ago
Job Type
Permanent
Work Pattern
Full-time
Work Location
On-site
Seniority
Senior
Education
Degree
Posted
21 Apr 2026 (2 weeks ago)

Benefits

Highly competitive salary Opportunity to work on highly innovative projects Recognition and reward for outstanding performance Realise designs from concept to practical function

Senior / Mechanical Design Engineer

Aerospace

A Senior / Mechanical Design Engineer is required to join an engineering team who are working on the design and development of UAV / Drone launch systems. The company design and develop their products in the UK for the global markets.

With a growing order book, they are seeking to grow their engineering team and require Senior / Mechanical Design Engineers to join their highly innovative and forward-thinking team. The Senior / Mechanical Design Engineer will be essential in strengthening the future engineering capabilities of the organisation and as such will be charged with developing mechanical design schemes and detailed designs of complex parts and assemblies.

The Senior / Mechanical Design Engineer will be proficient in CAD (ideally SolidWorks) to design and detail component and assembly models and the associated drawings. A hands-on approach and can-do attitude are essential, as is the ability to work independently within a small engineering team.

What's in it for you?

An excellent opportunity to work on highly innovative projects using your skills and experience to deliver high quality products to the global market

Exciting opportunity to work for a pioneering British company that is at the forefront of innovation being recognised as a fast-growing organisation

Work within a smaller engineering team where outstanding performance is recognised and rewarded where an individual can realise their designs from concept into a practical function product / system.

Highly competitive salary

As Senior / Mechanical Design Engineer - you will be required to;

Develop mechanical design schemes and detailed designs of UAV / drone launch system parts and assemblies and it's associated launch mechanism.

Carrying out concept development for mechanical systems.

Using hand calculations, simulation methods, modelling tools and CAE tools to size, analyse and optimise system elements.

Carry out concept design of mechanical systems using SolidWorks

Develop part and system testing plans.

Support in-house prototype build.

Occasional optional travel outside of the UK to support new projects

As Senior / Mechanical Design Engineer - you will have;

BSc/BEng in Engineering (or equivalent experience)

Proven mechanical design experience within the aerospace/defence/motorsport industries

Proficient in modelling parts & assemblies in CAD (ideally SolidWorks)

Proficient in carrying out engineering calculations and the use of modelling and simulations software to support their design work. (Mathcad, ANSYS or similar)

Experience in developing mechanical systems from concept to reality

Proven background in DFM

Ideally some experience with DFMEA

Knowledge of pneumatics would be beneficial though not essential

Your CV will be forwarded to Jonathan Lee Recruitment, a leading engineering and manufacturing recruitment consultancy established in 1978. The services advertised by Jonathan Lee Recruitment are those of an Employment Agency.

In order for your CV to be processed effectively, please ensure your name, email address, phone number and location (post code OR town OR county, as a minimum) are included

Related Jobs

View all jobs

Senior Design for Manufacture Engineer

Windracers Fareham, Hampshire, United Kingdom
On-site

Senior Actuation Systems Engineer

Vertical Aerospace Bristol, BS1 3BF, United Kingdom
Permanent

Production Planner

Windracers Fareham, Hampshire, United Kingdom
On-site

Senior Avionic Systems Engineer - CNS

Vertical Aerospace Bristol, BS1 3BF, United Kingdom
Permanent

Senior Battery System Engineer

Vertical Aerospace Bristol, BS1 3BF, United Kingdom
Permanent

Senior Electric Propulsion Unit Integration Engineer

Vertical Aerospace Bristol, BS1 3BF, United Kingdom
On-site

Industry Insights

Discover insightful articles, industry insights, expert tips, and curated resources.

Where to Advertise UAV Jobs in the UK (2026 Guide)

Advertising UAV jobs in the UK requires a different approach to most technical hiring. The candidate pool spans aeronautical engineers, embedded systems developers, flight control specialists, RF engineers, payload integration experts and regulatory affairs professionals — a highly specific multidisciplinary mix that general job boards are poorly equipped to reach. The strongest UAV candidates often come from defence backgrounds, aerospace primes or academic research groups, and move between roles through specialist networks, industry events and sector-specific channels rather than mainstream platforms. This guide, published by UAVJobs.co.uk, covers where to advertise UAV and drone roles in the UK in 2026, how the main platforms compare, what employers should expect to pay, and what the data says about hiring across different role types.

UAV Jobs UK 2026: What to Expect Over the Next 3 Years

The unmanned aerial vehicle sector has spent the better part of a decade promising to transform industries. That transformation is now happening — not as the sudden revolution that early advocates predicted, but as a steady, well-funded, and increasingly regulated maturation that is reshaping the jobs market in ways that are both significant and durable. Drones are no longer a novelty technology operated by enthusiasts and a handful of specialist defence contractors. They are operational infrastructure across an expanding range of industries — logistics and last-mile delivery, infrastructure inspection, precision agriculture, emergency services, construction surveying, maritime operations, and military and defence applications that have grown dramatically in strategic importance. Each of those sectors is generating its own distinct hiring demand, drawing on overlapping but meaningfully different skill sets, and creating career pathways that did not exist at anything approaching meaningful scale three years ago. For job seekers, the UAV jobs market of 2026 represents a genuine opportunity — but one that rewards those who understand the sector's specific technical, regulatory, and commercial dynamics rather than those who simply bring enthusiasm and a drone licence. The roles being created now are more technically sophisticated, more commercially oriented, and more regulatory-aware than the UAV jobs of even three years ago. This article breaks down what the UK UAV jobs market is likely to look like through to 2028 — covering the titles emerging right now, the technologies driving employer demand, the skills that will matter most, and how to position your career ahead of the next wave of drone industry growth.

New UAV Employers to Watch in 2026: UK and Global Companies Powering Drone and Autonomous Aviation Careers

Uncrewed Aerial Vehicles (UAVs), commonly known as drones, are transforming how industries operate — from delivery and inspection to defence, agriculture, and emergency response. As regulations evolve and technology matures, demand for skilled professionals with expertise in UAV systems, autonomy, robotics, perception, and safety is rising rapidly. For individuals exploring roles on www.UAVJobs.co.uk , knowing which organisations are innovating, scaling, winning contracts, or investing in the UK market can make a critical difference when planning your career. This article highlights the top UAV employers to watch in 2026, from cutting‑edge UK startups to global drone innovators with growing UK operations.