Principal Design Engineer

  • Prospectus IT Recruitment
  • May 12, 2026
Full time Engineering

Job Description

Hampshire (Hybrid - 3 days onsite)

£65,000 - £85,000 + Benefits + Relocation + Visa Sponsorship (if required)

Work on real climate-impact engineering. Not theory.

We're hiring a Principal Design Engineer to join a fast-growing maritime technology company developing propulsion systems that reduce fuel consumption and emissions across global shipping.

This is a hands-on leadership role where you'll own key subsystems from concept through to production.

What you'll be doing
  • Lead mechanical and structural design of critical subsystems
  • Own wing geometry development - balancing performance and manufacturability
  • Develop and manage load cases (real-world + classification)
  • Translate requirements into robust, production-ready designs
  • Perform and oversee FEA and structural analysis
  • Act as technical lead with classification societies such as DNV and Lloyd's Register
  • Be the go-to expert for stress and fatigue analysis
  • Work hands-on with CAD tools to develop and refine designs
  • Support and mentor junior engineers
What you'll need
  • Degree in Naval, Mechanical, Structural or Marine Engineering
  • 5-10 years' experience designing marine structures within classification-approved environments
  • Strong marine engineering background with experience working on large steel structures
  • Familiarity working with classification societies such as DNV, Lloyd's Register (LR), NK or similar
  • Strong 3D CAD experience (NX, Inventor or similar)
  • Solid FEA and hand calculations experience
  • Strong understanding of DFMA and structural integrity
  • Comfortable being hands-on with design and engineering delivery
Bonus points if you have
  • Fatigue, buckling, or large welded structures experience
  • Exposure to aero-structures or performance-led design
  • Structural testing and validation experience
Why this role stands out
  • Work on real clean-tech hardware
  • Join a scaling engineering business
  • Own designs from concept to production
  • Genuine career progression as the company grows