Senior Design/ Project Engineer

RobLawMax Recruitment is partnering exclusively with Lyttelton Engineering to appoint a Senior Design / Project Engineer as the business prepares to deliver a significant pipeline of major industrial work.

Lyttelton Engineering provides end-to-end engineering services across the dairy, food processing, energy, marine and wider industrial sectors. Its work spans process plant, boilers and pressure equipment, piping systems, material handling equipment, structural steelwork and complex mechanical upgrades.

Early contractor involvement is already underway on a significant long-term industrial project. High-level design and pricing have commenced, with detailed design, procurement and delivery expected to follow later this year. The initial programme will run through to 2028, with further projects expected to provide an ongoing pipeline of work.

To support this growth, Lyttelton Engineering is seeking an experienced all-rounder who can work effectively across both mechanical design and project delivery.

This is not a role for someone looking to move completely away from design. You will remain hands-on in SolidWorks while taking greater responsibility for coordinating technical work, engaging with clients and suppliers, and supporting projects through procurement, fabrication, installation and commissioning.

The role

Working as part of Lyttelton Engineering’s established engineering and project team, you will:

• Develop practical mechanical designs from initial concepts through to detailed manufacture
• Produce 3D models and fabrication drawings using SolidWorks
• Undertake engineering calculations and technical design reviews
• Design industrial plant, equipment, piping, structures and mechanical systems
• Prepare technical specifications, procurement packages and scopes for subcontracted work
• Coordinate design inputs across internal teams, clients, suppliers and specialist consultants
• Support equipment selection, procurement and supplier management
• Work closely with the fabrication workshop to ensure designs are safe, practical and buildable
• Monitor project deliverables, programme requirements and technical risks
• Provide engineering support during fabrication, installation and commissioning
• Build effective relationships with clients, suppliers, consultants and project stakeholders

About you

You will be an experienced mechanical engineer with a broad skill set, equally comfortable developing a SolidWorks model, working through a technical issue with the workshop or coordinating project delivery with a client.

Ideally, you will bring:

• A mechanical engineering degree or equivalent tertiary qualification
• Strong mechanical design and project engineering experience
• Proficiency in SolidWorks or a comparable 3D parametric modelling package
• Experience taking designs from concept through detailed design, fabrication and installation
• The ability to produce and review workshop drawings and manufacturing documentation
• Sound engineering judgement and a practical understanding of fabrication and construction
• Strong communication skills and the confidence to engage with clients, suppliers and tradespeople
• The ability to manage competing technical and project priorities
• A collaborative, practical and delivery-focused approach

Experience with process plant, pressure piping, boilers, heat exchangers, pressure equipment, material handling systems or other industrial mechanical projects would be particularly valuable. However, Lyttelton Engineering is open to candidates from other heavy industrial, manufacturing or project-based environments who offer the right combination of design capability and project delivery experience.

The opportunity

This is a permanent, full-time position based at Lyttelton Engineering’s dockside facility.

It is an opportunity to join the business at the beginning of a substantial programme of work, contribute from the early design stages and take projects through to fabrication, installation and commissioning.

You will work across the full engineering lifecycle, remain technically hands-on and see the equipment and systems you design built in Lyttelton’s own workshops.

RobLawMax Recruitment is managing this appointment exclusively on behalf of Lyttelton Engineering. For a confidential discussion, contact Peter Henderson on 027 441 9300 or apply online with your CV.