Principal Mechanical Engineer

We're looking for a Principal Mechanical Engineer to lead the design and development of world-leading electro-optical products used in autonomous tracking and drone interception systems.

This is a hands‑on role for someone who enjoys solving complex mechanical challenges with creativity, rigour and teamwork. You’ll take ownership across the full product lifecycle – from initial concepts and CAD modelling to verification, testing and iteration – working closely with our electronics and software teams to bring new products to life.

Who We Are

OpenWorks is a rapidly growing business operating globally with a passion for exceptional engineering and building on a legacy of defence innovation in the North East of England.

Our products provide ultra‑high performance, real‑time detection, tracking, identification and targeting of dynamic aerial threats. They have been deployed internationally to protect high‑profile military and civilian assets, and contribute towards the defeat of nuisance, misguided and maliciously deployed drones during operations.

We are very proud to have supported a wide range of law enforcement and military operators, protecting many of the most high‑profile sites and individuals around the world.

The amazing things we do are only possible because of a dedicated and passionate team.

We're afraid we're unable to sponsor a visa for this post.

Competitive remuneration package

with performance‑related bonuses and clear progression opportunities.

25 days’ holiday + public holidays

with long‑service rewards and the option to buy up to 5 additional days.

Free breakfast and freshly cooked lunches

every day, courtesy of Chef Mark and his team.

Private healthcare

through Aviva, keeping you feeling your best.

Life assurance

for peace of mind.

Salary sacrifice schemes

– including EV car and Cycle to Work options for easy, sustainable travel.

Paid team socials

– from quiz nights and football to board games and more; we love to have fun together.

Pension plan

with up to 4% employer‑matched contributions to help you plan for the future.

A culture that empowers

– we enable change, encourage challenge, and celebrate personal growth.

What you’ll be doing

In your first few months with us, your priorities will include becoming fluent with Autodesk Inventor and our internal design practices, building strong working relationships across the wider engineering team and developing a solid understanding of the Defence Standards relevant to the testing and verification of our products.

• 
  
• Lead the design, development, verification and implementation of technically innovative and commercially competitive new products
  
• Take ownership of the maintenance and improvement of existing products to enhance quality, improve production efficiency and reduce costs
  
• Produce and maintain high-quality technical documentation, including CAD drawings, design calculations, BOMs, costing data and test reports
  
• Mentor and support other mechanical engineers, helping to grow skills and uphold engineering best practice across the team
  
• Set and monitor engineering standards, ensuring consistent processes and high‑quality output across projects
  
• Attend and contribute to design reviews across the full product portfolio
  
• Multi‑task effectively, balancing your own design and development work with supporting others and reviewing wider project work
  
• Quickly develop fluency in Autodesk Inventor and OpenWorks’ design and documentation practices
  

What we’re looking for

• 
  
• A 2:1 or higher degree in Mechanical Engineering
  
• Significant professional experience in product design and development, ideally in a complex, high‑spec environment
  
• Expertise in 3D CAD (preferably Autodesk Inventor) and FEA (ideally Ansys)
  
• Excellent attention to detail
  
• Skilled in creative problem solving and structured engineering processes
  
• Able to manage time effectively and work autonomously
  
• Comfortable mentoring others and contributing to a positive, collaborative engineering environment
  
• Strong self‑awareness and adaptable to fast‑changing R&D demands
  
• Experience working to tight deadlines and budgets with a proven track record of delivering results
  

What you’ll get

• 
  
• Take on exciting engineering challenges: work on some pretty cool products with real‑world impact.
  
• Make a real leadership impact: Mentor others, shape design culture and champion best practices across the mechanical engineering function.
  
• Bring your designs to life: see the direct results of your work as your concepts move from CAD models to fully tested, operational systems.
  
• Work as part of a cross‑functional team: collaborate closely with talented engineers across electronics, software and systems disciplines to create truly integrated solutions.
  

As a small, fast growing company (with just over 80 people), we offer the opportunity for a professional to have autonomy and responsibility. You’ll directly see the impact of your efforts.

More about us
Vision

Help protect the territory and airspace of NATO countries and their allies.

Mission

Be a world‑leading provider of autonomous technology for Surveillance applications and Defence

Values
Be a Good Egg

Earn respect, have mutual trust and be honest

Do cool stuff

We develop cool tech with an awesome team, and we get stuff done

Be empowered

We are autonomous, reliable and take personal responsibility

We are one team

Look out for each other and the team

Things go wrong

Fail fast, learn and move on

Have fun

We’re doing amazing things with passionate people

We encourage you to apply as soon as possible as we may close the role early due to high volumes of applications.

Applicants must have the right to work in the UK, as we are not able to provide visa sponsorship.