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Mechanical Design Engineer

Location: Aldermaston, Berkshire (onsite parking available)

Due to the classified nature of the work involved, there are limited opportunities to work from home in this role. It is anticipated that the successful candidate will spend most of their time (~80%) working on site at AWE Aldermaston

Package: £37,860- £56,800 (depending on suitability and level of experience)

About Us

Join AWE's 'One Engineering' culture and you will benefit from a supportive, friendly, and flexible environment that powers your career to chartership (if desired) and onwards to reach your professional goals. Achieve your full potential through mentoring, tailored training, and horizon-expanding secondments. Bring your unique perspective to our critical mission.

Let us introduce the role:

The Nuclear Physics Package (NPP) Engineering Group design, build, test and substantiate the safety and effectiveness of the UK's nuclear deterrent maintaining the UK Continuous At Sea Deterrent through pioneering science and computational methods. We also use our nuclear know-how and technical expertise to provide innovative solutions that support the UK's nuclear threat reduction activities.

Due to an increase in workload, we are currently recruiting for several roles across engineering. Below is a summary of the different opportunities within the Group.

Product Design Team - working with multi-discipline teams across the business to deliver innovative design solutions to a variety of unique engineering challenges, from concept to substantiation and providing through life engineering support for current and future systems.

Hydrodynamic Trials - design, build and field the extraordinary engineering tests and trials that underpin the pioneering science and computational methods that substantiate the safety and effectiveness of the UK's Nuclear Deterrent. This role will give successful candidates the opportunity to design complex systems with unique materials, build and test them in extreme environments at unique test facilities in the UK and abroad.

A Typical day may include:

Working with our customers to translate requirements into engineering solutions to contribute to the delivery of conceptual designs, detailed designs, manufacturing specification, product specifications, operational documentation, and validation evidence.

Supporting the progress of these design solutions through Product Lifecycle Management (PLM) whilst engaging with stakeholders and subject matter experts to ensure compliance with safety, security, and performance. This could include contributing to the delivery of high-level technical reports and presentations, working alongside senior and Principal engineers and design managers.

You may also be asked to contribute to the planning and execution of tasks to deliver agreed objectives on time, demonstrating control of quality and cost whilst considering business improvements and efficiencies.

Organising personal training and development under the guidance of a certified professional mentor.

For this role we need you to have:

A Degree, HND/HNC or an equivalent vocational qualification in a mechanical engineering discipline

Experience of producing mechanical designs for manufacture using 3D CAD software

Experience of preparing technical reports and documentation

Awareness of the development, testing and evaluation of Engineering designs

Experience/understanding of any of the following would be advantageous, but not essential as role specific training will be given:

Product Lifecycle Management (PLM)

Computer Aided Design (CAD) software

Engineering drafting to BS8888 with GD&T

Substantiating engineering designs for safety and performance

Finite Element Analysis (FEA) and its limitations

Manufacturing processes and technologies

Some reasons why we think you'll love it here:

AWE has a range of benefits to suit you. These include:

9-day working fortnight - every other Friday off work with 208 hours of annual leave plus Bank Holidays.

Family friendly policies: Maternity Leave - 39 Weeks Full Pay and Paternity Leave - 4 Weeks Full Pay.

Consideration for flexible working arrangements so that your work may fit in with your lifestyle.

A market leading contributory pension scheme - we will pay between 9% and 13% of your pensionable pay depending on your own contribution.

Employee Assistance Programme and Occupational Health Services with an award-winning Wellbeing network

Professional Career Development that includes funding of annual membership of a relevant professional body, access to mentors and training.

Special Leave Policy including paid time off for volunteering, public service (including reserve forces) and caring for your family.

Life insurance of 4 x your annual salary.

Discounts - access to savings on a wide range of everyday spending savings.

Important things you need to know:

You must be a UK citizen who has been resident in the UK for the past 10 years.

Interviews will be 90 minutes in length and will be held over Microsoft Teams. You will be required to prepare a 10-minute presentation in advance.

Due to the nature of this position, any successful applicant would be expected to be based on-site at our Aldermaston site with only limited ad-hoc remote work possible, but all flexible working pattern requests will be considered.

Candidates must be willing and able to obtain and maintain the necessary security clearance for the role. This will be organised and funded by AWE