Principal Mechanical Engineer

Job Title: Principal Mechanical Engineer

Location: Bristol or Warrington Cheshire

Compensation: Competitive Salary Benefits

Role Type: Full time / Permanent

Role ID: SF66879

Drive Innovation in Defence Nuclear Engineering

At Cavendish Nuclear were working to create a safe and secure world together and if you join us you can play your part as a Principal Mechanical Engineer at one of our key locations: Warrington (Cheshire) or Bristol.

The role

As aPrincipal Mechanical Engineer youll have a role thats out of the ordinary. This role will contribute to a high-impact public sector Defence Nuclear infrastructure initiative focused on enhancing operational resilience and sustainability across critical systems. The project involves complex mechanical systems integration requiring innovative engineering solutions within a multidisciplinary team.

Day-to-day youll lead multidisciplinary engineering teams oversee the delivery of complex technical solutions and act as a key point of contact for customers ensuring high standards of safety quality and performance while mentoring others and driving continuous improvement across projects.

• Lead and manage multidisciplinary engineering teams to deliver high-quality technical solutions aligned with customer requirements and project scope.
• Supervise and mentor engineers and technical specialists ensuring effective performance development and adherence to engineering standards.
• Act as a key liaison with customers fostering strong relationships and ensuring transparent communication on technical progress and delivery.
• Oversee the production review and approval of engineering outputs including calculations specifications and reports ensuring compliance with relevant codes and standards.
• Champion health safety and environmental standards across engineering activities promoting a culture of best practice and continuous improvement.

This role is full time 37 hours per week provides hybrid working arrangements with 3 days in the office/onsite at one of our key locations: Warrington (Cheshire) or Bristol.

Essential experience of the Principal Mechanical Engineer:

• Extensive experience leading multidisciplinary engineering teams and delivering complex technical projects within agreed scope timeframes and quality standards.
• Proven ability to supervise and mentor engineers and technical specialists fostering professional development and ensuring high performance.
• Strong background in producing reviewing and approving detailed engineering outputs including calculations specifications and technical reports.
• Demonstrated expertise in applying relevant procedures codes and standards to ensure compliance and technical integrity across engineering activities.
• Track record of effective customer engagement including managing relationships resolving technical issues and supporting business development initiatives.

Qualifications for the Principal Mechanical Engineer:

• Engineering degree (or equivalent qualification) in relevant engineering discipline with significant demonstrable experience.
  
  

Security Clearance

The successful candidate must be able to achieve and maintain Standard (BPSS) / Security Check (SC) security clearance for this role. Further details are available at United Kingdom Security Vetting: clearance levels - ()

What we offer

• Generous holiday allowance
• Matched contribution pension scheme with life assurance
• Access to a Digital GP annual health check and nutritional consultations through Aviva DigiCare
• Employee share scheme
• Employee shopping savings portal
• Payment of Professional Fees
• Reservists in the armed forces receive 10-days special paid leave
• Holiday Trading is a benefit that allows UK Cavendish employees to buy additional leave or to sell up to one working week of annual leave from their annual entitlement. This Window opens February through to March annually.
• Be Kind Day enables employees to take one working days paid leave a year (or equivalent hours) to undertake volunteering work with their chosen organisation or registered charity
• Excellent development opportunities and benefits package including an employee assistance programme supporting physical mental and financial wellbeing.

Cavendish

Were Cavendish Nuclear a team of c5000 specialists and a core part of Babcock International Group.

Here youll be part of something bigger. Across clean energy defence and civil decommissioning your work will contribute to projects that are critical to energy security and national protection. Together were shaping a future that lasts not only through the impact we make but through meaningful careers that respect your work-life balance.

Join us and discover how far we can go together.

We are a disability confident committed employer. If you have a disability or need any reasonable adjustments during the application and selection stages please email with the subject header Reasonable adjustments requirement. Were committed to building an inclusive culture where everyones free to thrive. We are happy to talk about flexible working please ask about alternative patterns of work at interview.

Closing date: 28/04/2026

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