Principal Mechanical Design Engineer (Defense)

Location: Maidenhead, United Kingdom; full-time onsite role.

Company

Ultra Intelligence & Communications’ Cyber business develops cryptographic and key management solutions for tactical and strategic defense customers.

What you will do

• Lead mechanical design, development, integration, verification, testing, and qualification from concept through production.
• Define requirements, develop 3D CAD designs, perform tolerance analysis, and produce drawings, design data packs, analysis reports, plans, and procedures.
• Design rugged electronic enclosures and complex assemblies for manufacturing processes including machining, injection moulding, extrusion, sheet metal, casting, and additive manufacturing.
• Perform mechanical, stress, thermal, vibration, EMC, and TEMPEST analysis; design test solutions, jigs, fixtures, prototypes, and rapid-prototyped components.
• Ensure compliance with MIL-STD, DEF-STAN, BS8888, environmental, configuration-control, and security requirements.
• Mentor engineers and collaborate with electronics, PCB, production, supply chain, project management, sales, and stakeholders on delivery, risk, cost, and schedule.

Requirements

• Degree in Mechanical Engineering or a closely related discipline.
• Seasoned hands-on experience designing complex, rugged electronic enclosures for the defense industry.
• Profound knowledge of materials, mechanics, stress and vibration analysis, thermodynamics, heat transfer, assembly, and manufacturing processes.
• Extensive 3D CAD modelling and drafting experience; Creo CAD 7 or later is preferable.
• Deep expertise in stress and thermal analysis using hand calculations, FEA, and CFD.
• Long-term PLM experience, preferably Windchill, including BOM management and ERP interfaces; experience with electronic workflow and document change management systems.
• Experience with complex engineering drawings, tolerance analysis, GD&T, technical reports, engineering documentation, and stakeholder presentations.
• Experience integrating EMC and TEMPEST shielding, designing for additive manufacturing, and using 3D printing, scanning, and rapid prototyping workflows.
• Ability to manage multiple projects under pressure, communicate effectively, collaborate across functions, and demonstrate a helpful can-do attitude; advanced Microsoft Office proficiency is required.
• Must be willing and able to obtain and maintain DV security clearance. British citizenship and UK residence for the past 10 years are required for DV clearance; five years are required for SC clearance.

Nice to have

• Mechanical integration, verification, and validation experience.
• Experience writing mechanical requirements from system requirements using proprietary software.
• Knowledge of hazardous materials, RoHS, and REACH restrictions.
• UK driving licence.

Culture & Benefits

• Flexible working hours, including the opportunity for a 1pm finish on Fridays.
• Annual bonus scheme, private medical cover, pension contribution, and four times life assurance.
• 25 days’ holiday plus bank holidays, with the option to buy five additional days.
• Flexible benefits including cycle-to-work and will-writing schemes.
• Security clearance allowance where relevant and subject to holding the required clearance.
• Equal opportunity and inclusive working environment with support for flexible working requests where possible.