Principal Mechanical Engineer
Posted 3 days ago by Scantec
Negotiable
Outside
Hybrid
Manchester
Summary: The Principal Mechanical Engineer will lead mechanical engineering design and technical leadership for water sector projects, ensuring compliance with standards and managing design delivery. This senior role requires current experience in water treatment, wastewater, or biosolids treatment, along with the ability to mentor engineering teams. The position offers a hybrid working arrangement and is classified as outside IR35. The successful candidate will be responsible for maintaining design quality, compliance, and stakeholder satisfaction across multiple projects.
Key Responsibilities:
- Lead mechanical engineering workstreams on water sector projects.
- Produce and approve mechanical design deliverables including process flow diagrams, equipment specifications, and pumping system calculations.
- Manage design timescales, budgets, and resource allocation.
- Ensure compliance with company and client policies, codes, and standards.
- Liaise with other engineering disciplines and engage with clients for integrated design delivery.
- Deliver mechanical engineering across multiple water treatment applications.
- Provide expert input on pumping systems and asset condition.
- Contribute technical knowledge to bid preparation and feasibility studies.
Key Skills:
- Current water sector experience in water treatment, wastewater, or biosolids treatment design.
- Degree in mechanical engineering or closely related discipline.
- Chartered or Incorporated Engineer status or evidence of working towards these titles.
- Minimum 12+ years' mechanical engineering experience in the water sector.
- Expertise in mechanical design practices, equipment specification, and UK water sector regulations.
- Strong leadership and communication skills.
- Proficiency in mechanical design software.
- Experience with BIM and integrated design management (desirable).
Salary (Rate): undetermined
City: Manchester
Country: United Kingdom
Working Arrangements: hybrid
IR35 Status: outside IR35
Seniority Level: Senior
Industry: Engineering
Principal Mechanical Engineer – Water
Leading Engineering Consultancy | Water Sector | Hybrid Working | Long-term Contract | Outside IR35 | Competitive Rate
The Opportunity
We're recruiting a Principal Mechanical Engineer to deliver high-quality mechanical engineering design and technical leadership across multiple water sector projects. You'll be responsible for leading mechanical engineering workstreams, ensuring compliance with sector standards, managing design delivery, and mentoring engineering teams.Contract Details: Outside IR35 | Competitive daily/monthly rate | Hybrid working| Long-term contractMUST HAVE: Current water sector experience. This is a senior technical role for an SQEP (Suitably Qualified Experienced Person) mechanical engineer with proven, recent expertise in water, wastewater or biosolids treatment. You'll have the capability to lead mechanical engineering on projects or groups of projects, managing design quality, timescales, cost and compliance. You'll work collaboratively across disciplines, liaising with clients and partners to ensure integrated delivery.
What You'll Be Doing
Mechanical Engineering Design & Delivery
Lead mechanical engineering workstreams on water sector projectsProduce and approve mechanical design deliverables including:
- Process Flow Diagrams and Plant Layouts
- Equipment Specifications and Datasheets
- Pumping system calculations
- Material requisitions and procurement specifications
Ensure designs are safe, practical, cost-effective and compliant with UK and international standardsManage design timescales, budgets and resource allocationCarry out Lead Mechanical Engineer roles on assigned projects or project groups
Technical Compliance & Quality
Ensure full compliance with Company and Client policies, codes and standardsMaintain rigorous Quality Assurance processes and auditable technical recordsPrepare and manage technical files in accordance with CDM requirementsConduct design reviews and approve design deliverablesEnsure all work meets water sector regulatory and client specifications
Stakeholder & Partner Coordination
Liaise effectively with other engineering disciplines (civil, electrical, process, etc.)Engage with clients and external partners to ensure integrated design deliveryCommunicate design decisions and progress to project managementManage supplier relationships and technical bid assessmentsSupport value engineering and cost optimisation discussions
Specialist Mechanical Engineering
Deliver mechanical engineering across multiple water treatment applicationsProvide expert input on pumping systems, chemical storage, asset conditionSupport feasibility studies and option appraisalsContribute technical knowledge to bid preparation and early contractor involvement projects
About You
Essential Qualifications & Experience
MUST HAVE: Current water sector experience - ongoing, active work in water treatment, wastewater or biosolids treatment designDegree in mechanical engineering or closely related disciplineChartered or Incorporated Engineer status with a relevant professional body, or clear evidence of working towards these professional titlesSQEP (Suitably Qualified Experienced Person) - recognised as having specific knowledge and experience in mechanical engineering for water applicationsMinimum 12+ years' mechanical engineering experience in water sector, with significant recent (current) work in water treatmentDemonstrated expertise in one or more specialist mechanical engineering fields:
- Water treatment
- Wastewater treatment
- Biosolids or sludge treatment
- Pumping systems design and analysis
- Chemical storage and dosing systems
- Asset condition surveys and reporting
Proficiency in delivering engineering design across multiple work categories and project typesExpert-level knowledge of:
- Mechanical design working practices and installation requirements
- Equipment specification, sizing and selection
- UK legislation, standards and water sector regulations
- Pumping system hydraulics and calculations
- Process and mechanical integration
- Health, Safety and Environmental compliance
Strong leadership capability - proven ability to lead engineering teams and manage project workstreamsExcellent communication skills - confident engaging with clients, partners, internal teams and stakeholdersQuality and compliance focused - meticulous approach to design quality, documentation and regulatory complianceHighly motivated -takes ownership of design delivery and technical excellence
Desirable
Experience leading mechanical engineering on major water or infrastructure projectsFamiliarity with BIM and integrated design managementExperience with asset management and condition-based maintenanceKnowledge of water treatment processes and best practice designExperience mentoring and developing junior engineersTrack record on early contractor involvement or design-build projectsFluency with mechanical design software (CAD, analysis tools, etc.)
The Role in Practice
You'll work on a hybrid basis with flexible working arrangements. You'll report to senior engineering leadership and lead mechanical engineering workstreams across multiple water sector projects. You'll work collaboratively with civil, electrical, process and other engineering disciplines, ensuring mechanical designs integrate effectively with the overall project delivery.This is senior technical work where your mechanical expertise, leadership and SQEP status directly impact project quality and delivery. You'll be responsible for design quality, compliance and stakeholder satisfaction. Your decisions on technical approach, equipment selection and design strategy shape how projects are executed.