Design Engineer (SolidWorks)

About the role

Our client, a growing special-purpose machinery and equipment manufacturer near Chester, is recruiting a Design Engineer to take products from concept through to production drawings. Working in a small, capable design office, you'll own projects end to end: concept layouts with the sales team, detailed 3D design in SolidWorks, production drawing packs, and support through build and first test. This is a role with real breadth — mechanisms, fabrications, machined parts and bought-out integration — and your designs go from screen to workshop floor within weeks, built by people twenty metres away who will happily tell you what they think of them. The company promotes from within and this role has a clear line of sight to Senior Design Engineer.

What you'll be doing

• Produce 3D models and assemblies in SolidWorks from concept through to detail
• Create production drawing packs — machined parts, fabrications and assemblies — to BS 8888
• Develop concept proposals and layouts with sales and directly with customers
• Run design reviews and manage revisions through PDM
• Perform engineering calculations — loads, deflections, drive sizing — to validate designs
• Build and maintain accurate BOMs for production and purchasing
• Support the workshop during build, test and first-article inspection
• Investigate design issues from the field and engineer permanent fixes
• Contribute to design standards and the reuse library

What we're looking for

• Degree or HNC/HND in mechanical engineering, or equivalent time-served design experience
• Strong SolidWorks skills — assemblies, drawings and preferably PDM
• Sound understanding of design for manufacture: machining, fabrication and sheet metal
• Comfortable talking directly to customers and to the shop floor
• Working knowledge of BS 8888 drawing standards and tolerancing
• Experience of special-purpose machinery, automation or equipment design (desirable)
• Exposure to FEA and machine safety standards e.g. PUWER/CE marking (desirable)

The package

• £35,000 – £42,000 depending on experience • Hybrid working — 3 days in the office • 25 days holiday plus bank holidays • Company pension scheme • Private healthcare after probation • Clear progression to Senior Design Engineer • Free parking