Principal / Senior Mechanical Design Engineer

2 weeks ago

Swindon, Swindon, United Kingdom Stark Full time £80,000 - £100,000 per year


About Us

STARK is a new kind of defence technology company revolutionizing the way autonomous systems are deployed across multiple domains. We design, develop and manufacture high performance unmanned systems that are software-defined, mass-scalable, and cost effective. This provides our operators with a decisive edge in highly contested environments.

We're focused on delivering deployable, high-performance systems—not future promises. In a time of rising threats, STARK is bolstering the technological edge of NATO Allies and their Partners to deter aggression and defend Europe—today.

Your mission

As our Senior Mechanical Design Engineer, you will own the mechanical architecture of STARK's next-generation UAV platforms from concept to high-rate production. You will set technical direction, mentor engineers, and work closely with cross-functional teams to deliver highly reliable, certifiable, and field-deployable systems under aggressive timelines.

You will both define mechanical design strategy and dive deep into CAD, tolerance stacks, and Design for Manufacture/Assembly (DFMA) prototypes. You will act as the company's authority on mechanical design for airframes and payload integration, influencing platform-level decisions and ensuring designs are robust, scalable, cost-effective for mass production, and certifiable



Responsibilities
  • Lead mechanical design for UK current and future UAV platforms
  • Define and enforce best practices for parametric modeling, GD&T, and tolerance stack-ups
  • Drive airframe material selection, structural layout, and manufacturability decisions
  • Oversee supplier engagement for structural components, composites, and assemblies
    Collaborate with stress, flight test, and systems teams to ensure structural integrity
  • Support and occasionally lead design reviews with leadership, partners, and certifying authorities
  • Be hands-on with CAD (SolidWorks/CATIA), prototyping, and shop-floor troubleshooting
  • Lead mechanical design for UK current and future UAV platforms, focusing on design-for-manufacture (DFM) and high-rate production methods.
  • Define and enforce best practices for parametric modeling, GD&T, and tolerance stack-ups, with an emphasis on production efficiency.
  • Drive airframe material selection, structural layout, and manufacturability decisions for scalable production.
  • Oversee supplier engagement for structural components, composites, and assemblies, ensuring adherence to high-volume production standards.
  • Collaborate with stress, flight test, and systems teams to ensure structural integrity while optimising designs for mass production.
  • Support and occasionally lead design reviews with leadership, partners, and certifying authorities, presenting trade-offs for production scale.
  • Be hands-on with CAD (SolidWorks/CATIA), prototyping, and shop-floor troubleshooting, with a focus on process and design optimization for rate increase.


Qualifications

  • Mechanical design experience, in ideally in aerospace / UAV / autonomous systems 

  • Proven record of taking structures from concept through verification to high rate production (wing, fuselage, empennage)

  • Expert in SolidWorks (CATIA V5/V6 a plus) and tolerance stack analysis

  • Strong knowledge of composites, 3D printing, machining, injection moulding, and joining methods

  • Familiarity with MIL standards and EASA/FAA certification pathways (SC-Light UAS, CS-23)

  • Excellent communication skills — able to influence at exec and program level

  • Eligible for UK Security Clearance



About us

LEGAL DISCLAIMER

We are an equal-opportunity employer committed to fostering a diverse and inclusive workplace. All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, color, religion, sex, national origin, disability, or any other characteristic protected by law. Due to the nature of our work in the defense sector, candidates must be eligible to obtain and maintain the appropriate security clearance required for the position.

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