Principal Design Engineer / Design Lead

Design Lead /

Principal Design Engineer Location:

Manchester (Hybrid Working)

Employment Type:

Permanent Overview An opportunity has arisen for an experienced Design Lead / Principal Design Engineer to take a senior technical leadership role within a multidisciplinary engineering environment. You will lead design delivery across regulated infrastructure programmes, providing technical direction, ensuring design quality, and supporting the development of engineering teams. Why This Role Lead a multidisciplinary engineering team across major infrastructure projects Influence technical standards and design quality Long-term pipeline of infrastructure work Opportunity to shape design capability and best practice Senior leadership position with real impact on delivery Key Responsibilities Lead, mentor, and develop engineers, technicians, and junior staff across multiple disciplines Act as technical authority for design delivery and approvals Oversee production of integrated design packages to quality, cost, and programme requirements Ensure compliance with relevant standards, regulations, and client requirements Drive safe, efficient, and value-engineered design solutions Support use of digital engineering tools including BIM and 3D modelling Interpret and apply technical standards and updates Manage design change control and documentation Support planning and estimation of design activities Promote continuous improvement in design processes Requirements Strong experience in multidisciplinary engineering design in regulated environments Experience leading engineering teams and design delivery Understanding of civil, mechanical, electrical, instrumentation, control, and process interfaces Chartered Engineer or working towards chartership Experience in structured engineering design environments Strong leadership and communication skills Ability to mentor and develop engineers Degree, HND, or equivalent engineering qualification Full UK driving licence preferred Additional Information Experience in water, utilities, or infrastructure sectors is preferred Experience with BIM and digital design tools is advantageous Strong focus on quality, safety, and engineering excellence