Chief Engineer: Design & Development

(Office based in Thursley, Surrey)

Role Overview:

As Chief Engineer: Design and Development, you will play a leadership role in the delivery of prototypes & products for various applications. Working with the project teams and team leads, to ensure effective and efficient delivery of projects and the consequent growth of profitability whilst re-enforcing the professional and positive external reputation of the company.

There will be a significant focus on internal combustion engine technology design and development for this role, however there are opportunities for leading engineering programmes across Manufacturing, Defence and other industries.  

Your expertise will be focused on leading the rapid pace design, analysis, and optimisation of prototype & small series production systems and the execution and continuous improvement of processes that deliver products that meet key attributes such as performance, efficiency, and durability requirements. You will work with cross-functional teams, including mechanical, electrical, data science, and embedded software engineers to ensure the successful development and implementation of your designs. 

In addition to technical leadership, the Chief Engineer will help establish a structured and disciplined engineering delivery rhythm that supports effective technical decision-making. This includes ensuring plans are technically sound, progress is reviewed regularly, and emerging technical risks or blockers are identified and addressed early to maintain momentum and delivery confidence.

Key Responsibilities:

Design: Lead the design and development of complex, cross-discipline components and systems as required. There will be a focus on leading the design of Internal Combustion Engine technologies, as such a deep understanding of high-performance ICE design is critical to this role. 

Management: Direct and advise project teams on all matters relating to design and development.

Optimisation: Utilise a variety of engineering tools, simulation software, and analytical techniques to optimise the performance (mass, efficiency etc.) of any system. 

Prototyping and Testing: Lead and support the build and testing of component, sub-system and full assembly prototypes, analysing test results to validate design performance and identify areas for improvement. 

Material and Manufacturing Selection: Determine the most appropriate materials and manufacturing processes that meet design requirements and cost targets. Collaborate with suppliers and vendors to source components, materials, and equipment necessary for product development.  

Design Documentation: Prepare detailed engineering drawings, specifications, and technical reports to communicate design intent, requirements, and validation results. Act as final approval for design release to manufacture, including high value, project critical prototype parts. 

Cross-Discipline Alignment: Ensure effective coordination between design, manufacturing, test, and supporting disciplines so that technical inten

t is clearly understood and executed consistently.

Regulatory Compliance: Be aware of current and proposed relevant industry standards and regulations, ensuring designs meet applicable emissions and safety requirements. 

Continuous Improvement: Contribute to the evolution of engineering ways of working—reviews, planning approaches, and communication—to improve technical clarity, rapid delivery, innovation, efficiency, and outcome quality.

Mentorship and Leadership: Provide technical guidance and mentorship to colleagues, supporting their professional development to ensure their potential is realised. 

Engineering Planning & Coordination: Guide the development of clear technical plans and priorities, translating system-level objectives into coherent design, analysis, build, and test activities.

Progress & Technical Reviews: Lead regular technical check-ins to assess progress against plan, review technical outputs, and identify emerging risks, assumptions, or dependencies.

Issue Resolution & Decision-Making: Drive timely technical decision-making by surfacing blockers, trade-offs, and uncertainties early, ensuring they are resolved with appropriate rigour and pace.

Commitment Integrity: Reinforce a culture where technical commitments are realistic, clearly understood, and delivered as agreed, with a focus on engineering credibility and reliability.

Delivery Confidence: Maintain technical oversight of progress to ensure that delivery plans remain achievable, risks are actively managed, and corrective actions are taken where required.

Requirements: