Senior Mechanical Engineer

Location: High Wycombe, Buckinghamshire, GB

Employment Type: Regular

The Senior Mechanical Design Engineer is a key contributor to the design, development, and validation of complex electro-mechanical and opto-mechanical systems for next-generation analytical instrumentation. The role provides technical input across the full product lifecycle, from early concept and architectural definition through detailed design, verification, and transfer to production, ensuring mechanical solutions meet performance, thermal stability, reliability, and manufacturability requirements.

Working as a senior individual contributor within a collaborative, multidisciplinary R&D environment, the role involves close interaction with software, firmware, electronics, optics, and manufacturing teams. A strong focus is placed on early technical risk reduction, right-first-time design, and robust engineering practices to deliver high-precision instruments suitable for reliable volume production and long-term field performance.

Responsibilities

• Develop mechanical concepts for precision analytical instrumentation, including opto-mechanical design, precision motion mechanisms, structures, and thermal management.
• Define mechanical architectures to meet performance requirements for stiffness, thermal stability, vibration control, and serviceability.
• Collaborate with systems, optics, electronics, and firmware engineers to define interfaces, packaging, and system trade-offs.

• Produce detailed mechanical designs using SolidWorks or equivalent, including 3D models and 2D manufacturing drawings.
• Integrate electronics, PCBs, cabling, sensors, and optical components within constrained mechanical envelopes.
• Apply GD&T and tolerance analysis to control critical interfaces and ensure precision and interchangeability.
• Select appropriate materials and finishes to meet structural, thermal, environmental, and manufacturability requirements.
• Apply FMEA and participate in peer design reviews to identify potential failure modes and implement mitigation actions.
• Design for manufacturability, assembly, test, service, and cost in line with right-first-time principles.
• Perform engineering analysis, including hand calculations and FEA (structural, modal, thermal), to validate design performance and reduce risk.

• Support prototype builds and verification testing.

• Support transfer of designs to manufacturing, including BOM creation, drawing release, and change control.
• Define and support assembly processes, tooling, and fixtures in collaboration with manufacturing.

Required

• Bachelor’s degree required in Mechanical Engineering or a closely related discipline
• Minimum of 7+ years of recent design engineering experience in a high-technology environment (preferably scientific instrumentation, medical devices, or aerospace).
• Strong Physics Fundamentals and deep understanding of kinematics is essential for this product line.
• Proven track record in the design of complex mechanisms and enclosures involving mixed materials (machined metals, sheet metal, injection moulded plastics).
• Experience with Opto-Mechanical design: Mounting and adjusting optical components (lenses, mirrors, sensors) with high stability.
• Proficiency in 3D CAD modelling (SolidWorks preferred) and PDM systems.
• Strong knowledge of manufacturing processes, surface finishes, and coating technologies.
• Hands-on experience in prototyping, assembly, and testing of mechanical systems.

Desirable

• Experience designing for EMC to protect sensitive internal electronics.
• Knowledge of automation or robotics within an instrument (stepper motors, actuators).
• Familiarity with regulatory standards (e.g., UL, CE, RoHS) relevant to laboratory equipment.
• Experience designing Verification and Validation test for opto-mechanical assemblies.
• Awareness of design thinking methodology.

Preferred Characteristics

• Possessing a task- and goal-oriented mindset.
• Analytical thinking driven by data and physical principles.
• Ability to see both the small (micron-level tolerances) and the big picture (system architecture).
• Possessing strong organizational skills.
• Problem solving aptitude.
• Attention to detail.
• Adaptable to change.