Design Engineer

Design Engineer (Hydraulics)

Exeter | £42,000 - £55,000 + Benefits | Permanent | Monday-Friday

ATA Recruitment are supporting an established engineering solutions business in Exeter that specialises in the design, manufacture, installation and servicing of bespoke hydraulic systems. Due to continued growth and increased project demand, they are looking to appoint a Design Engineer with strong hydraulic design experience to join their specialist engineering team.

This is an excellent opportunity to work on complex, bespoke projects for customers operating within aerospace, defence, advanced manufacturing, FMCG and industrial sectors. You'll be involved throughout the full project lifecycle, from concept design through to manufacture, installation and commissioning.

The Role

As a Design Engineer, you'll be responsible for the design and development of hydraulic systems ranging from standalone cylinders through to complete hydraulic power units and bespoke fluid power solutions. Project values typically range from £5,000 to £450,000.

Key Responsibilities

• Design hydraulic power packs and bespoke hydraulic systems for industrial applications.
• Produce detailed 3D models and assemblies using SolidWorks.
• Create manufacturing and assembly drawings for production.
• Perform hydraulic sizing, flow and power calculations.
• Specify hydraulic components including pumps, motors, valves, cylinders, filtration systems and hose assemblies.
• Design supporting fabricated structures including frames, skids, enclosures and bracketry.
• Support projects from initial concept through to manufacture and installation.
• Liaise with suppliers, customers and internal engineering teams.
• Conduct occasional site visits for surveys and equipment measurements.

What We're Looking For

We're keen to speak with Design Engineers, Mechanical Design Engineers, Hydraulic Design Engineers or Project Design Engineers who have experience designing hydraulic systems within a manufacturing or engineering environment.

Essential Requirements

• Proven experience designing hydraulic systems.
• Experience with hydraulic power packs, cylinders, manifolds or fluid power equipment.
• Proficient in SolidWorks or a similar 3D CAD package.
• Ability to carry out hydraulic calculations and component selection.
• Experience producing detailed manufacturing drawings.
• Understanding of fabrication, sheet metal and Design for Manufacture (DFM).
• Strong communication and problem-solving skills.

Desirable Experience

• Mobile or industrial hydraulics.
• Pneumatic systems.
• Special purpose machinery.
• Defence, aerospace or industrial manufacturing projects.
• Pressure systems.
• Fluid power design calculations and technical specifications.

What's On Offer?

• £42,000 - £55,000 basic salary.
• 25 days holiday plus bank holidays.
• Company pension scheme.
• Exposure to a wide variety of bespoke engineering projects.
• Career progression within a growing engineering business.
• Significant autonomy and technical ownership.
• Long-term stability and development opportunities.

Why Apply?

This is a fantastic opportunity to join a well-established engineering business where hydraulic engineering sits at the heart of what they do. Rather than working on repetitive product design, you'll be involved in creating bespoke hydraulic solutions for complex customer challenges, seeing projects through from concept to completion.

If you're a Design Engineer with a strong hydraulics background looking for your next challenge, we'd like to hear from you.

ATA Recruitment are working exclusively on this vacancy. We are reviewing applications immediately and will be conducting initial interviews with suitable candidates before submitting a shortlist to our client.

Contact:
Bav Patel
Recruitment Consultant

ATA Recruitment specialises in Manufacturing, Infrastructure, Civil, Transportation and Engineering recruitment on both a permanent and contract basis.

ATA is committed to creating a diverse workforce and is an equal opportunities employer. We welcome applications from all suitably qualified persons regardless of age, disability, gender, marriage and civil partnership, pregnancy and maternity, race, religion or belief, sex, and sexual orientation