Lead Engineer
| Company: | Ess Employment |
|---|---|
| Salary: | £45,000 - £55,000 |
| Hours: | Full-time |
| Location: | Yate, BS37 4AX |
| Working pattern: | On-site |
| Job type: | Permanent |
| Posting date: | 7 Jul 2026 |
| Closing date: | 22 Aug 2026 |
Summary
LOCATION: Yate, Bristol
START DATE: ASAP
PAY: £45,000-55,000 per annum
PERMANENT
WORKING HOURS: 08.00-16.30 Mon-Thur, 08.00-15.30 Fri
39 hours per week
Vacancy – Lead Engineer
ESS Employment Ltd are looking to recruit a capable and hands-on Lead Engineer to take technical ownership of our clients design and engineering function. The successful candidate will be responsible for leading the technical design process, developing new products, improving existing products, supporting production, and ensuring engineering work is accurate, practical, compliant, and commercially effective.
Duties for the role:
• Responsible for the design, development, validation, and continuous improvement of products, including agricultural and industrial mechanical equipment.
• Working closely with production, quality, purchasing, suppliers, customers, and senior management to ensure products are designed correctly, manufactured efficiently, and supported properly throughout their lifecycle.
• Take technical ownership of engineering design work across the business.
• Report directly to the General Manager.
• Design and develop new mechanical products and product improvements.
• Produce accurate 3D models, assemblies, and 2D manufacturing drawings.
• Carry out FEA and engineering calculations where required.
• Support production with technical queries, build issues, and design improvements.
• Work with quality and production teams to resolve engineering-related problems.
• Review existing designs for manufacturability, strength, cost, and reliability.
• Support product testing, validation, and compliance requirements.
• Liaise with suppliers and customers on technical matters.
• Maintain accurate engineering records, drawings, revisions, and documentation.
• Help standardise and improve engineering processes within the company.
• Ensure designs are practical, safe, cost-effective, and suitable for manufacture.
The successful candidate:
• A strong working knowledge of SolidWorks (Essential)
• Experience with FEA (Essential)
• Strong mechanical engineering background.
• Proven experience in mechanical design, ideally within agricultural, automotive, construction, hydraulic, or heavy equipment sectors.
• Strong SolidWorks experience.
• Good understanding of FEA and structural analysis.
• Ability to produce high-quality manufacturing drawings.
• Practical understanding of fabrication, machining, welding, hydraulics, and assembly.
• Ability to work independently and take ownership of technical decisions.
• Strong problem-solving skills.
• Good communication skills with production teams, suppliers, and customers.
• Commercial awareness and an understanding of cost-effective design.
• High attention to detail.
• Desirable Experience
• Experience with Fusion 360.
• Experience with hydraulic systems.
• Experience with agricultural machinery or mechanical handling equipment.
• Knowledge of compliance, testing, type approval, or product validation.
• Experience improving legacy designs and production processes.
• Familiarity with ERP systems or engineering change control processes.
The benefits:
• Pension scheme
• Free parking
• 25 days holiday
• Cycle to work scheme
If this vacancy is of an interest to you, please do not hesitate to apply!
In order to be considered for the role please email your cv at your earliest convenience to Sam Wilmot - sam@ess-emp.co.uk
ESS EMPLOYMENT Ltd work with clients and candidates from a range of disciplines and place people in permanent, contract and temporary roles. Many of our candidates and clients come to us by recommendation and we are proud of our personal, professional and friendly approach to recruitment. See our website for more information www.ess-emp.co.uk