Through Life Support (TLS) Engineer

Mechanical Design Engineer (Contract 6 Months +)

Location: West Midlands or Buckinghamshire area
Department: Engineering Operations & Product Support

The Opportunity

We are looking for a highly capable and proactive Mechanical Design Engineer to join our expanding team on a contract basis. This role is perfect for a self-sufficient contractor with a strong foundation in sustainability engineering who thrives on optimising products throughout their entire operational lifespan. Rather than focusing solely on initial concepts, you will take hands-on ownership of product durability, through life support, and engineering solutions that keep critical mechanical machinery operating efficiently for years to come.

In this role, you will be the vital link between engineering, manufacturing operations, and product support. Working at the forefront of advanced electro-mechanical systems, you will act as the technical focal point, making swift, well-substantiated engineering decisions that minimise waste, prevent production line stops, and directly improve the long-term reliability and sustainability of our in-service equipment.

What You Will Do Day-to-Day

• Lead technical investigations: Structure, manage, and substantiate complex engineering investigation action plans to resolve in-service product anomalies and extend component operational life.
• Embed sustainability engineering: Run targeted projects focused on improving product reliability, optimising First-Time Pass Rates (FTPR), and reducing resource consumption across the product lifecycle.
• Act as the operational focal point: Represent the engineering function at daily production escalation stand-up meetings, providing proactive technical support to minimise component scrappage and prevent line stops.
• Manage configuration & modifications: Maintain close alignment with configuration management teams and participate in change board reviews to control, implement, and document sustainable in-service product modifications.
• Drive supplier & quality support: Support supplier quality assurance teams with design issue investigations, action Quality Notifications (QNs) in the local bond room, and process concessions and permits to safely maximise material re-use.
• Deliver technical presentations: Produce and present high-quality technical documentation and lifecycle findings to internal teams and external clients at all levels.

About You

You are a highly collaborative, process-driven engineer with a strong commitment to quality improvement, circular economy principles, and a methodical approach to problem-solving. To succeed as our new Mechanical Design Engineer, you must excel in a dynamic environment, bring a deep understanding of complex assembly processes, and have the following to your name:

• Industry experience: A degree (or equivalent qualification) in Mechanical, Automotive, or Aeronautical Engineering, backed by recent hands-on experience managing high-speed rotating machinery (shafts, bearings, seals, structures) through its operational life.
• Lifecycle engineering know-how: Practical knowledge of mechanical design principles, electrical machines, and engineering materials, with a firm understanding of how to maintain and optimise products beyond initial manufacturing.
• CAD capability: Proven experience utilising state-of-the-art 3D CAD software and standard project management tools to interrogate, refine, and upgrade existing technical designs.
• Organisational foundation: Strong stakeholder management and communication skills, with a track record of planning work efficiently to meet strict monthly milestone tasks.
• Desirable extras: Experience supporting material review boards (MRB), tracking structural fatigue, or working with complex electro-mechanical component configurations to improve through-life sustainability.

What Success Looks Like

When you settle into the role, success as a Mechanical Design Engineer will mean seamlessly launching new production processes with zero disruption to industrialisation timelines. You will become a trusted technical advisor across design and quality teams, ensuring manufacturing safety regulations are flawlessly maintained and that our electro-mechanical systems are produced with optimal efficiency, reduced costs, and maximum reliability.