Lead Design Engineer

Lead Design Engineer

Join a growing industrial engineering and manufacturing business in Huddersfield, West Yorkshire, to take ownership of bespoke machinery and advanced engineering solutions. This fast-paced, hands-on position requires a professional who can drive projects from initial concept and customer requirements through to detailed design, manufacture, installation, and commissioning. You will provide technical leadership to the wider design team, helping to develop designs, solve engineering challenges, and ensure projects are delivered to a high standard. As the lead of a small team, you must be willing to carry out a significant level of design work on an ongoing basis, rather than focusing solely on management.

Key Responsibilities

• Lead the design and development of bespoke machinery, components, and engineering systems.
• Take ownership of projects from initial concept through to manufacture, installation, and commissioning.
• Produce and review detailed engineering drawings, layouts, and design documentation using 3D CAD.
• Work on mechanical design, pneumatics, and rotary systems.
• Develop practical, cost-effective design solutions to meet customer and project requirements.
• Work closely with manufacturing and production teams to ensure designs are suitable for manufacture and assembly.
• Provide technical guidance and support to other Design Engineers within the team.
• Identify and resolve design and engineering issues throughout the project lifecycle.
• Liaise with customers, suppliers, and internal teams where required.
• Support installation and commissioning activities, providing engineering input and resolving issues on site and remotely.
• Help improve design processes, standards, and ways of working across the engineering function.
• Carry out design work to help improve capacity.
• Work on scheduling alongside the Head of Projects & Operational Planning, maintaining internal engineering controls to support, mentor, and drive the design team.

What's Required

• Availability for outside of normal working hours evening support via video call one to two times per month.
• Support on weekend installations on average once per month, with flexible hours to suit required support.
• On-site measure up visits in UK, Europe, and ROW areas on average around 8 - 12 times, with some instances requiring overnight stays.

The Ideal Candidate

• Senior Mechanical Design Engineer looking to step into, or already operating at, a Lead Design Engineer/Design Manager level.
• Time-served, apprenticeship-trained, or degree/HNC/HND qualified in Mechanical Engineering or a related discipline.
• Strong experience designing bespoke machinery, equipment, or complex mechanical systems.
• Proven experience in a fast-paced design and manufacturing environment.
• Proven experience taking engineering projects from concept through to manufacture.
• Strong understanding of mechanical engineering principles and manufacturing processes.
• Experience of integrating electrical/electronic systems into mechanical designs would be advantageous.
• Experience working with carbon fibre or composite materials would be desirable.
• Previous experience of leading, mentoring, or supporting other engineers.
• Confident working across multiple projects and managing competing priorities.
• Strong problem-solving skills with a practical, hands-on approach.
• Experience using Autodesk Inventor is essential.

What's on Offer

• Salary of £50,000 - £60,000, depending on experience.
• Opportunity to take a lead role within an established and growing engineering team.
• Varied and technically interesting bespoke engineering projects.
• The opportunity to have genuine input into the design and development of new machinery and solutions.
• A role offering both hands-on design responsibility and technical leadership.
• Standard working hours are 08:00 - 17:00 Monday - Thursday, and 08:00 - 14:30 Friday.
• Hours can flex to support installs and measures.
• Must share in working rota for Friday cover up until 17:00 once monthly.