Principal Engineer in Bedford

Principal Engineer – Mechanical Engineering

Location: Bedford, Bedfordshire
Salary: Up to £80,000 per annum (Depending on Experience)
Industry: Engineering / Manufacturing / Rotating Equipment

The Opportunity

We are currently recruiting for an experienced Principal Engineer to join a well-established engineering and manufacturing business based in Bedford.

This is an excellent opportunity for a senior engineering professional to take a leading role within a specialist engineering organisation, overseeing technical operations, managing an established engineering team and driving innovation across product development and engineering projects.

The successful candidate will have a strong background in mechanical engineering, ideally specialising in rotating equipment, pumps or similar mechanical systems, alongside proven experience in engineering leadership and technical project delivery.

Working closely with senior management, commercial and operational teams, you will play a key role in shaping engineering strategy, improving processes and ensuring the successful delivery of technically complex projects.

Key Responsibilities

• Provide technical leadership and overall management of the engineering department, ensuring projects are delivered to the highest standards.
• Lead, mentor and develop a team of engineers, supporting technical development and continuous improvement.
• Oversee engineering design, development and technical decision-making across a range of mechanical products and systems.
• Manage engineering resources, workloads and project priorities to ensure delivery within agreed timescales.
• Drive research and development initiatives, identifying opportunities for innovation and product improvement.
• Provide technical expertise in the design, analysis and operation of rotating equipment, including pumps and associated mechanical systems.
• Work closely with commercial, production and operations teams to develop cost-effective engineering solutions.
• Lead design for manufacture (DFM), value engineering and product standardisation initiatives.
• Oversee technical specifications, engineering calculations, drawings and design approvals.
• Support root cause analysis and failure investigations, implementing corrective actions and long-term improvements.
• Ensure engineering activities comply with relevant industry standards, regulations and quality requirements.
• Act as the senior technical authority for complex engineering challenges and customer requirements.

The Ideal Candidate

• Degree qualified in Mechanical Engineering or a related discipline.
• Extensive experience in mechanical engineering design and analysis, ideally with 10+ years in a relevant engineering environment.
• Strong technical knowledge of rotating machinery, particularly centrifugal pumps, motors or similar mechanical equipment.
• Previous experience managing, mentoring or leading engineering teams.
• Experience overseeing complex engineering projects from concept through to manufacture.
• Strong understanding of mechanical design principles, hydraulics, materials, structural integrity and mechanical systems.
• Experience working with engineering design software such as SolidWorks, ANSYS or MathCAD would be advantageous.
• Knowledge of relevant engineering standards, including ISO, API and ATEX.
• Strong commercial awareness, with the ability to balance technical requirements, project costs and customer expectations.
• Excellent communication, leadership and problem-solving skills.
• Chartered Engineer status (CEng) would be advantageous but is not essential.

What's on Offer?

• Salary up to £80,000 per annum, depending on experience.
• Company pension scheme with employer matching contributions up to 6%.
• 25 days' annual leave, plus the opportunity to purchase up to one additional week's holiday.
• Life assurance equivalent to 4 times annual salary.
• Senior leadership position within an established engineering and manufacturing business.
• Opportunity to influence engineering strategy, product development and technical innovation.
• A varied and challenging role with significant responsibility and autonomy.
• Opportunity to lead and develop an established engineering team.