Design Engineer

Your Company:

A well-established and innovative engineering organisation has partnered with the team at NET Recruit to recruit a capable and collaborative Maritime Design Engineer to join its team in Southampton. Working within a complex maritime engineering environment, the organisation is involved in the development of next-generation vessels, with a strong focus on technical excellence, safety, regulatory compliance and innovative design solutions. With projects involving multiple engineering disciplines, suppliers and technical stakeholders, this is an excellent opportunity to contribute to the design and delivery of sophisticated maritime projects. The successful candidate will play an important role in ensuring engineering designs meet the required specifications and technical standards, while working closely with project teams and external partners to resolve challenges and maintain progress. This position would suit an engineer who enjoys combining technical design expertise with project coordination and collaborative problem-solving.

Your Role and Responsibilities :

While in this position your duties may include but may not be limited to :

• Supporting the delivery of engineering design activities across a portfolio of maritime projects, ensuring solutions meet agreed specifications, project requirements and technical standards.
• Working closely with Project Managers to coordinate engineering activities, provide technical input and help maintain progress against project milestones.
• Developing, reviewing and assessing engineering designs, drawings, specifications and technical documentation to ensure accuracy, quality and compliance.
• Ensuring design solutions align with contractual requirements, relevant classification society standards and applicable international maritime regulations.
• Coordinating design activities across internal engineering teams, shipyards, suppliers and other technical stakeholders to support the successful integration of engineering solutions.
• Facilitating effective communication between project teams and external partners, ensuring technical decisions, dependencies and actions are clearly understood and progressed.
• Preparing and reviewing engineering calculations, technical reports, design documentation and supporting information required for design validation and project approval.
• Supporting classification submissions, technical approval processes and certification activities, ensuring the appropriate documentation is available and maintained.
• Applying sound engineering judgement to investigate and resolve design challenges, technical conflicts and compliance issues while maintaining the integrity of the overall design.
• Contributing to design reviews, technical discussions and risk assessments to identify potential issues and improve safety, efficiency and engineering outcomes.
• Monitoring design progress and highlighting technical risks, delays or outstanding actions to the relevant project stakeholders.
• Supporting the coordination of interfaces between different engineering disciplines to ensure design solutions are consistent and fit for purpose.
• Ensuring engineering deliverables are completed to the required quality standards and within agreed project timescales.
• Contributing to the standardisation of engineering designs, sharing lessons learned and identifying opportunities to improve processes across projects.

What You Will Need to Apply:

• A degree in Mechanical Engineering, Naval Architecture, Structural Engineering or another relevant engineering discipline.
• Previous experience in engineering design within the maritime, marine, offshore, energy or a comparable engineering environment.
• Experience producing, reviewing and managing engineering drawings, calculations, specifications and technical documentation.
• An understanding of engineering design standards, regulatory requirements and technical compliance processes.
• Knowledge of international maritime standards and regulations, including relevant IMO and ISO requirements.
• Experience working with classification societies or contributing to technical approval and certification processes.
• Strong technical and analytical skills, with the ability to assess complex engineering issues and develop practical, compliant solutions.
• Excellent organisational and time management skills, with the ability to manage multiple activities and competing priorities.
• Strong communication and stakeholder management skills, with the confidence to work effectively with internal teams, suppliers and external technical partners.
• A collaborative approach, with the ability to contribute effectively within multidisciplinary engineering and project teams.
• A proactive and delivery-focused mindset, with the confidence to raise concerns, challenge constructively and follow through on outstanding actions.
• A high level of attention to detail and a commitment to producing accurate, high-quality engineering work.

What You Will Get in Return:

The successful candidate will receive a salary of up to £70,000 per annum, alongside the opportunity to join an innovative engineering organisation working on complex and technically challenging maritime projects. Based in Southampton, this role offers the opportunity to contribute to the development of sophisticated vessel designs while working alongside experienced engineering professionals, project teams and external technical partners. You will gain exposure to multidisciplinary engineering activities, design validation, regulatory compliance and technical approval processes, allowing you to apply and develop your expertise across a varied project portfolio. The position offers a strong balance of technical engineering responsibility and project collaboration, giving you the opportunity to influence design quality, resolve engineering challenges and contribute to the successful delivery of major maritime projects. You will also be encouraged to share knowledge, contribute to continuous improvement and help develop consistent engineering standards across projects.

The role is offered on a full-time, permanent basis, with hybrid working available. The working arrangement is based around three days per week in the Southampton office, including Wednesdays and Thursdays. This is an excellent opportunity for an ambitious engineering professional looking to develop their career within the maritime sector, working on complex design projects where technical expertise, collaboration and high engineering standards are essential.

To express interest in this role and have a confidential chat, please reach out to: Suzi Kocovska - Recruitment Partner E: