Mechanical Design Engineer

Fortress Recruit is supporting a Defence Manufacturing business with the recruitment of an experienced Mechanical Design Engineer to join their team in Poole. This is a hands on engineering position working across the full product lifecycle, with responsibility for developing and modernising complex mechanical hardware including racks, cabinets, enclosures and associated systems. Key responsibilities will include: * Developing mechanical designs from concept through detailed design, verification, certification and manufacture * Supporting established products and legacy systems through modernisation, product support and continuous improvement * Producing and reviewing mechanical designs, drawings, models and associated technical documentation * Participating in design reviews and supporting engineering sign off * Applying DFM and DFA principles to ensure practical and cost-effective designs * Investigating mechanical failures, supporting root cause analysis and developing engineering solutions * Considering materials, environmental requirements, thermal performance, EMC, IP protection and mechanical integrity within designs * Working with manufacturing, electrical, systems and other engineering disciplines to develop integrated solutions * Supporting qualification testing, FMEA and wider product lifecycle activities * Providing technical guidance and support to less experienced engineers and contributing to a collaborative engineering environment * Supporting the ongoing development of CAD and engineering data management processes across the business To be successful in this role, you will have: * A Mechanical Engineering degree or equivalent engineering qualification, with Chartership, or desire to work towards this * Significant mechanical engineering and design experience within a complex engineering or manufacturing environment * Experience taking mechanical designs through the full product lifecycle from concept through to manufacture and product support * Strong understanding of design for manufacture and assembly and relevant manufacturing processes * Experience with mechanical analysis and an understanding of areas such as stress, thermal performance or FEA * Experience considering environmental requirements including shock, vibration, temperature and IP protection * Strong engineering judgement with the ability to review designs and contribute effectively to technical decisions * Experience with Creo or SolidWorks, with the ability to adapt between CAD platforms * Experience with Windchill or another engineering data management system would be beneficial * Eligibility for SC clearance (5 years' UK residency without visa or sponsorship requirement) This is an opportunity to join a multidisciplinary Engineering team working on technically challenging products for demanding applications. Projects typically run over 18–24 months, with engineers given a core area of responsibility alongside opportunities to support wider technical tasks, cross functional projects and areas of personal development. This is a full time, 37 hour per week permanent role based in Poole with flexibility for some remote working once bedded in. On offer is a competitive salary, with learning and development opportunity to progress. For more details or a confidential discussion, please click apply with your up-to-date CV or contact Fortress Recruit