Principal Mechanical Engineer

Manchester, England, United Kingdom

• Category: Mechanical Engineering

Description

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Job Description

Principal Mechanical Engineer 

Manchester, Leeds, or Chester - Hybrid (3 days office / 2 days remote)

Full-time - Permanent

Ideally Chartered - Water Sector Experience Required

Help shape the future of water infrastructure with GHD.

We’re looking for a Principal Mechanical Engineer to join our growing UK Water team, based in Manchester, Leeds, or Chester. This is a fantastic opportunity to lead and deliver innovative mechanical design solutions across a wide range of water and wastewater projects.

About the Role

As a Principal Mechanical Engineer, you’ll play a key role in the design, development, and delivery of mechanical systems and infrastructure for water and wastewater treatment facilities. You’ll be responsible for:

Leading the mechanical design of pumping stations, pipelines, treatment works and associated mechanical systems.

Developing engineering solutions that meet client needs in terms of functionality, performance, cost, and sustainability.

Overseeing the installation, operation, and maintenance of mechanical equipment including centralized heat, gas, water, and steam systems.

Ensuring compliance with engineering standards, regulatory requirements, and best practices.

Supporting project delivery through all stages – from feasibility and concept design to detailed design and construction support.

Mentoring junior engineers and contributing to the technical leadership of the team.

Collaborating with multi-disciplinary teams and managing relationships with clients, contractors, and stakeholders.

What You’ll Bring

Extensive experience in mechanical engineering within the UK water sector (clean and/or wastewater).

Strong background in mechanical design including:

Equipment sizing and selection

Hydraulic calculations

P&IDs and layout drawings

Technical specifications and reports

Ideally Chartered Engineer (CEng) or working towards chartership.

Proven ability to lead projects, manage resources, and deliver high-quality outcomes.

Familiarity with relevant software tools (e.g., AutoCAD, Revit, Plant 3D, or similar).

Excellent communication and stakeholder engagement skills.

Why GHD?

At GHD, we’re committed to solving the world’s biggest challenges in the areas of water, energy, and urbanisation. You’ll be part of a collaborative, forward-thinking team that values innovation, sustainability, and continuous improvement.

We offer:

A flexible hybrid working model

Competitive salary and benefits

Professional development and chartership support

A culture that values diversity, inclusion, and wellbeing

Ready to make an impact?

Join us in shaping a sustainable future for water infrastructure.

Apply now to become a Principal Mechanical Engineer at GHD.

Company

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GHD

Our commitments anchor us to what is truly important. They give us insights into the best ways to partner with clients like you to solve the world’s biggest challenges. Commitment is how we grew from a small engineering practice in Melbourne, Australia, in 1928 into a global professional services company today with over 11,000 employees in 160 offices on five continents.

We stand shoulder-to-shoulder with you to make water, energy and communities sustainable for generations to come. This is a commitment for our children, your children, and all those who come after, and is the vision and the purpose behind all our efforts.

No matter where our work takes us around the planet, whether we’re partnering on a local initiative or a global infrastructure project, we’re helping create lasting community benefit. And that’s why our work is more than just a job — it is an unshakable belief in the future we are building.

Our employees own our business. Our projects, like our people, are diverse and global. We take the long view of the climate crisis, geopolitical shifts, industry disruption and even technological advances. Our success in growing GHD over nearly a century gives us the experience to help you unlock opportunities and protect against future shocks, without compromising your competitive edge.

Working with GHD means partnering with our innovative, multidisciplinary, and globally-connected team. Our commitment is to help you go beyond expectations and deliver sustainable outcomes. We are constantly evolving to fulfil that commitment, and we're ready to work with you to transform the areas where you work, live and play.