Principal Engineer, Process, Systems & Industrialisation

Global Market Leader – Engineered Capital Equipment

£85k – £110k Base depending on experience, Attractive bonus, Company Car, Pension, Health.

Overview

A rare opportunity has arisen to join a global leader in the design and manufacture of highly specialised engineered capital equipment.

This is a senior, hands-on engineering role focused on transforming a proven process into a fully engineered, robust, and automated industrial production system.

The underlying process is understood — the challenge is to engineer it properly: delivering a reliable, fully automated, mechanically sound and correctly sized production unit capable of operating at scale.

The Opportunity

You will take ownership of the industrialisation of a next-generation process unit, progressing it from pilot configuration through to full-scale production.

This role requires a strong engineering leader who can bridge mechanical design, process engineering, fluid dynamics, and automation systems, ensuring the final solution is robust, efficient and production-ready.

You will be responsible for delivering a system that is:

• Fully automated and autonomously controlled
• Mechanically robust and fit for demanding operating conditions
• Correctly sized from a hydraulic and fluid dynamics perspective
• Optimised for industrial scale performance and reliability

Key Responsibilities

Automation & Control (Top Priority)

• Define automation philosophy including sequencing, dosing, regulation and safety interlocks
• Specify PLC/SCADA architecture, instrumentation and control systems
• Oversee electrical integration and automation partners
• Ensure autonomous, stable operation with appropriate alarms and data logging

Mechanical Design (Top Priority)

• Lead detailed mechanical design of vessels, piping systems and fluid handling equipment
• Produce and review calculation notes, datasheets, layouts and GA drawings
• Select materials and components suitable for demanding operating environments
• Lead technical design reviews with suppliers and manufacturing teams

Fluid & Hydraulic Engineering (Top Priority)

• Perform full hydraulic sizing (pumps, flow rates, pressure drops, piping and valves)
• Establish and validate system hydraulic balance through engineering calculations
• Address thermal considerations including heating, insulation and energy efficiency

Process Engineering

• Translate process requirements into a robust industrial design solution
• Develop mass and energy balances and define operating windows
• Produce and maintain PFDs and P&IDs
• Integrate separation, recovery and reuse strategies to optimise efficiency

Industrialisation & Continuous Improvement

• Lead scale-up from pilot to full industrial production
• Apply lean principles: standardisation, reliability and maintainability
• Define and design against key performance indicators (energy, uptime, recovery rates)

Project Coordination & Commissioning (Support)

• Coordinate engineering activities, suppliers and subcontractors
• Manage budgets, schedules and project milestones
• Support FAT, commissioning, start-up and performance validation
• Provide hands-on troubleshooting during ramp-up

About You

You will be a highly experienced engineer with deep technical capability and a passion for building real, industrial systems.

• 10+ years’ experience in industrial equipment or process system design
• Strong expertise in mechanical design and engineering calculations
• Proven experience in fluid dynamics and hydraulic system sizing
• Competent in automation and control system definition (PLC/SCADA)
• Strong understanding of process engineering and industrial scale-up

Personal Attributes

• Highly rigorous, structured and autonomous engineer
• Strong end-to-end ownership of design and technical decisions
• Comfortable working across mechanical, process, fluid and automation disciplines
• Pragmatic, delivery-focused and comfortable in both design office and on-site environments
• Strong communicator able to bridge technical functions

Desirable Experience

• Scale-up of pilot systems to industrial production
• Stainless steel fabrication and agitated vessel design
• CAD and process / hydraulic simulation tools
• Additional languages (Spanish or German advantageous)

The Offer

• Six-figure salary (DOE)
• Attractive performance bonus
• Company car
• Competitive pension scheme
• Private healthcare package
• Training and long-term development opportunities
• Permanent position (CDI) within a global market leader

Summary

This is a confidential opportunity to take full technical ownership of a flagship industrial system, guiding it from pilot stage through to full-scale automated production within a world-class engineering organisation