Principal Mechanical Engineer

4773005
  • Job type

    Permanent
  • Location

    Bristol
  • Working Pattern

    Full-time
  • Specialism

    Mechanical Engineering
  • Industry

    Engineering
  • Pay

    £70,000 - £80,000

Principal Mechanical Engineer - Nuclear

Role Overview
A Principal Mechanical Engineer is required to provide senior technical leadership across nuclear new build, defence, and decommissioning programmes. The role focusses on delivering high‑integrity mechanical engineering solutions within a highly regulated environment, ensuring all work meets stringent nuclear safety, security, and quality requirements.

Key Responsibilities
  • Lead the design and analysis of mechanical systems and components, including pressure systems, HVAC, lifting equipment, pipework, and safety‑classified mechanical assemblies.
  • Act as Technical Authority for mechanical engineering, providing oversight, verification, and approval of design outputs.
  • Ensure compliance with nuclear safety principles, site licence conditions, and UK regulatory frameworks.
  • Lead the development, justification, and substantiation of safety‑classified mechanical systems, producing evidence to support safety case requirements.
  • Conduct and review HAZOP, FMEA, reliability assessments, and stress/thermal analyses.
  • Manage project delivery across multidisciplinary teams, ensuring outputs meet quality, cost, and schedule commitments.
  • Support bids and proposals through technical scoping, risk identification, and resource planning.
  • Engage with clients, regulators, and stakeholders, providing clear technical leadership during design reviews and technical meetings.
  • Promote innovation in nuclear mechanical systems, including digital engineering, resilience, and low‑carbon technologies.
Required Experience
  • Extensive experience in nuclear mechanical engineering within consultancy, defence, or major infrastructure environments.
  • Strong understanding of safety‑classified equipment, substantiation, and nuclear safety case requirements.
  • Proven ability to lead engineering teams delivering complex mechanical design packages.
  • Experience with pressure systems, rotating machinery, HVAC, pipework design, and mechanical handling equipment.
  • Familiarity with UK nuclear regulatory bodies and standards, including ONR guidance, Pressure Systems Safety Regulations (PSSR), and relevant BS/EN/ASME codes.
Preferred Qualifications
  • Chartered Engineer (CEng) or working toward chartership.
  • Degree in Mechanical Engineering or a related discipline.
  • Experience with digital engineering tools, modelling platforms, and nuclear‑specific analysis software.
Summary
This role is suited to a senior mechanical engineer with deep nuclear sector experience who can lead complex design work, provide technical authority, and ensure compliance with the highest safety and regulatory standards.

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