Principal Engineer ( Mechanical )

Planet Recruitment are currently working with a well-established engineering and manufacturing business to recruit an experienced Principal Engineer to join their engineering team in Bedford.

This is a senior technical position offering the opportunity to take real ownership of engineering direction, product development and technical strategy within a specialist manufacturing environment.

The successful candidate will act as a key technical authority, working across design, R&D, product development, manufacturing and customer projects, while supporting the wider engineering team and helping to drive continuous improvement and innovation.

As Principal Engineer, you will:

• Provide senior technical leadership across engineering and product development.
• Take technical ownership of pump hydraulic design and structural integrity.
• Lead R&D and innovation projects, introducing new technologies and improving existing products.
• Translate customer requirements and technical specifications into effective engineering solutions.
• Work closely with Sales, Engineering, Quality, Production and Contract Management throughout the project lifecycle.
• Drive Design for Manufacture (DFM) and value engineering initiatives.
• Support product standardisation, cost reduction and improved time-to-market.
• Provide technical input into product selection, design, testing and validation.
• Support customers and end users with technical guidance relating to equipment installation, operation and maintenance.
• Lead technical investigations and root cause analysis, including FMEA and 8D methodologies.
• Ensure products comply with relevant industry and regulatory standards.
• Support the development of emerging technologies, including condition monitoring.
• Act as a technical lead for ATEX compliance across relevant products.
• Mentor and support engineers, promoting best practice and continuous improvement.

We''re looking for a highly experienced Mechanical Engineer with a strong background in industrial rotating machinery, ideally involving pumps, motors or similar equipment.

You will ideally have:

• A degree in Mechanical Engineering or a related discipline.
• 10+ years'' experience in mechanical engineering design and analysis.
• Strong experience with centrifugal pumps, hydraulics and application engineering.
• Knowledge of mechanical integrity, materials, thermal dynamics, electromechanical systems, rotordynamics and vibration.
• Experience working to recognised industry standards such as ISO, API and Hydraulic Institute (HI).
• Experience in design validation and product testing.
• The ability to interpret complex engineering drawings and technical specifications.
• Strong analytical and problem-solving skills.
• Good commercial awareness, with the ability to balance engineering requirements against cost, customer expectations and business objectives.
• Excellent communication skills and the confidence to work with customers and internal stakeholders at all levels.

Experience in any of the following would be advantageous:

• Water industry experience.
• Product management.
• SolidWorks, MathCAD, Ansys FEA or CFX.
• Vibration, noise analysis, condition monitoring or failure diagnostics.
• Electrical MCC panels, including operation, installation and testing.
• Chartered Engineer status (CEng) or a desire to work towards chartership.

This is an excellent opportunity for an experienced engineer looking to step into a role where they can have a genuine influence on technical direction, product development and engineering strategy.

Rather than being purely design-focused, the position offers exposure across R&D, manufacturing, commercial decision-making, customer requirements and product strategy, making it an ideal opportunity for someone who wants to operate at a senior technical level.

To find out more, please call Adam or Scott on (phone number removed)

INDENG

Planet Recruitment acts as an employment agency for permanent recruitment and an employment business for the supply of temporary workers. Planet Recruitment is an Equal Opportunities Employer.

By applying for this role your details will be submitted to Planet Recruitment. Our Candidate Privacy Information Statement explains how we will use your information.

Only candidates with the relevant skills and experience will be contacted after application, if you do not hear back from us within 7 days you have unfortunately been unsuccessful in your application.

Please note that no terminology in this advert is intended to discriminate on the grounds of a person''s gender, marital status, race, religion, colour, age, disability or sexual orientation. Every candidate will be assessed only in accordance with their merits, qualifications and abilities to perform the duties of the position.