Senior Design Engineer
Full time, office based Norwich or Aberdeen
At Aquaterra Energy we specialise in providing engineering solutions and equipment to the global offshore energy industry – helping clients drive efficient and sustainable offshore operations from drilling and field development, to decommissioning, carbon capture and storage, renewable, and hydrogen projects.
This is an excellent opportunity for an experienced engineer to play a leading role in the design and development of innovative equipment and engineered solutions for the global oil and gas industry. Working across a diverse portfolio of offshore and subsea projects, you will lead mechanical design activities from concept through to manufacture, testing and final delivery of safe, reliable and cost effective products that meet industry and client requirements.
Role:
- The Senior Mechanical Design Engineer is responsible for leading the design, development, analysis and qualification of mechanical equipment and engineered systems for the oil and gas industry, including subsea production systems, well intervention equipment, pressure-containing components, connectors and structural assemblies.
- The role involves taking engineering projects from initial concept through detailed design, verification, manufacture, testing and final delivery. The postholder will provide technical leadership, ensure compliance with applicable industry standards, and deliver safe, reliable and cost-effective engineering solutions.
- The Senior Mechanical Design Engineer is accountable for the technical quality and integrity of assigned design activities. The role includes responsibility for identifying design risks, ensuring appropriate verification and maintaining engineering traceability.
- Formal approval of designs, calculations and technical deliverables shall be exercised in accordance with the company's engineering authorisation and delegated approval procedures.
Key Responsibilities:
Mechanical Design and Development
• Lead the conceptual and detailed mechanical design of equipment, components and assemblies.
• Develop 3D CAD models, engineering layouts, manufacturing drawings and bills of materials.
• Design pressure-containing components, mechanical connectors, load-bearing structures and associated tooling.
• Perform design calculations for pressure, tension, bending, torsion, fatigue and combined loading.
• Select appropriate materials, manufacturing processes, surface treatments, seals and fastening systems.
• Optimise designs for strength, weight, manufacturability, reliability, cost and ease of maintenance.
• Ensure designs account for installation, operation, retrieval, transportation and maintenance requirements.
Engineering Analysis and Verification
• Perform or supervise engineering calculations and finite element analysis (FEA).
• Assess stress, deformation, fatigue life, buckling and failure modes.
• Establish design acceptance criteria and appropriate factors of safety.
• Prepare design verification plans, calculation reports and technical justification documents.
• Review analysis assumptions, boundary conditions, mesh quality and results to ensure engineering validity.
• Identify technical risks and implement appropriate mitigation measures.
Standards, Compliance and Qualification
• Ensure designs comply with relevant international standards, codes and client specifications
• Apply applicable requirements from API, ISO, ASME, DNV and other relevant industry standards.
• Support design qualification, type testing, factory acceptance testing (FAT) and system integration testing.
• Conduct standards gap assessments and develop qualification plans where required.
• Ensure design records, calculations, drawings and verification evidence are controlled and traceable.
• Support compliance with applicable health, safety and environmental requirements.
Project and Technical Leadership
• Lead mechanical design activities and coordinate engineering deliverables against project schedules
• Provide technical direction, mentoring and guidance to engineers and designers.
• Review and approve engineering calculations, drawings and technical documentation within delegated authority.
• Coordinate with project engineering, manufacturing, procurement, quality assurance, welding and testing teams.
• Manage design changes, technical queries, concessions and non-conformance investigations.
• Identify technical risks, resolve complex engineering issues and escalate critical matters when necessary.
• Communicate design status, technical risks and resource requirements to project management.
Manufacturing and Testing Support
• Provide engineering support during fabrication, machining, welding, assembly and inspection.
• Review manufacturing drawings, tolerances, fits, weld details and inspection requirements.
• Support material selection, material traceability and welding procedure qualification.
• Resolve manufacturing issues and assess proposed deviations from design requirements.
• Attend design reviews, manufacturing readiness reviews, FATs and equipment qualification tests.
• Investigate equipment failures and implement corrective and preventive design improvements.
About you:
Essential:
• Degree in Mechanical Engineering or a closely related engineering discipline.
• Significant experience in mechanical design and engineering, typically 7–10 years or more.
• Demonstrable experience taking mechanical equipment from concept through detailed design, manufacture and testing. • Strong understanding of engineering mechanics, strength of materials, pressure design and structural integrity.
• Proficiency in 3D CAD software such as SolidWorks, Autodesk Inventor.
• Experience with engineering calculations and FEA tools such as ANSYS or equivalent.
• Experience interpreting engineering drawings, manufacturing specifications and industry standards.
• Proven ability to lead technical activities and provide engineering guidance to others.
• Strong written and verbal communication skills.
This role requires the unfettered right to work in the UK, this role is not a sponsored role within our organisation.
Desirable:
• Experience in subsea equipment, offshore systems, well intervention or drilling equipment.
• Knowledge of pressure-containing equipment, mechanical connectors, locking mechanisms and sealing systems.
• Experience with combined loading, fatigue assessment and qualification.
• Familiarity with relevant API, ISO, ASME and DNV standards.
• Experience with welding, material selection, corrosion, sour-service requirements and NACE/ISO 15156.
• Experience preparing design qualification plans, FEA reports and technical assurance documentation.
• Knowledge of manufacturing processes, tolerancing, GD&T and design for manufacture.
• Experience supporting offshore operations, installation and equipment commissioning.
• Professional registration, such as CEng or IEng, or working towards registration.
At Aquaterra Energy we believe that all employees have the opportunity to contribute positively to our sales targets be it through direct client interactions or the provision of their work internally. An understanding of the sales process and customer focus is an expectation for every employee and therefore appropriate training will be provided and must be attended by all.
BENEFITS:
- Private Health Insurance
- Matching pension contribution
- Life cover x 4 basic salary
- 25 days Paid 25 days annual leave plus bank holidays
- Option to purchase additional holidays
- Training & Development and commitment to CPD
- Reduced gym membership
- Employee assistance scheme
- Funded sports, social and charity events
- Cycle to work scheme
- Electric car scheme
- Retail benefit scheme
As an equal opportunity employer, we welcome applications from all suitably qualified persons regardless of their sex, religion, race, age, sexual orientation, marital status, gender reassignment, pregnancy or maternity status, disability or neurodivergent status. Our people are valued, respected and encouraged to be their unique selves. We are committed to creating an environment where everyone has an equal opportunity to reach their potential, to be heard, included and to inspire great new ideas, to help Aquaterra Energy build a fantastic place to work. We are committed to accelerating our efforts supporting inclusion and diversity in our workplaces and communities to drive change.