Senior Mechanical Design Engineer (Inclusive Design)

Salary: £35,000 - £42,000, dependent on skills and experience

Hours: 37.5hrs per week

Location: Bath (Hybrid)

We are looking for a Senior Mechanical Design Engineer (Inclusive Design) to play a pivotal role in helping Designability achieve its growth plans by delivering world-class design work. This is an exciting opportunity to help shape the future of inclusive products that make a real difference.

We’re beginning an exciting period of growth in the Design and Innovation team, with a growing portfolio of impactful products and services to deliver over the coming years. Our new research strategy brings a pipeline of new challenges and ideas, leading to corporate partnerships and new opportunities in our design consultancy business.

You’ll be joining a high performing team of inclusive design experts, and you’ll be supported throughout your journey by an experienced leadership team, so you will have guidance as you develop and implement projects that make a genuine impact.

You will have a passion for inclusive design engineering and be driven by achieving excellence in your work, living and breathing the Designability behaviours every day; Reflective, Tenacious, Collaborative, Curious and Honest.

We are looking for someone who has the following essential criteria:

• A degree qualification in a relevant subject such as Mechanical Engineering, Product Design or Industrial Design.
• A minimum of five years’ experience of innovative problem solving, designing physical products.
• Applied experience of materials and manufacturing processes.
• Proven practical knowledge of manufacturing processes including machining, metal forming, plastic moulding, and additive manufacturing.
• Proven track record in the development and design of innovative consumer products.
• Experience in organising or participating in user trials.
• Portfolio showcasing relevant past work & projects and demonstrates the ability to lead a project and deliver success individually and with a team – to be provided as part of application.

All applicants must be willing to undergo safeguarding checks, including checks with the Disclosure and Barring Service and employment references.

A legal right to work in the United Kingdom without the need for visa sponsorship is required – Designability is not able to provide visa sponsorship.

KEY RESPONSIBILITIES

Product Development:

• User-centred design practice, working on projects throughout the full development process. Includes research and requirements setting, concept development, prototyping, design for manufacture.
• Ensure that products meet the specific functional needs of disabled users.
• Use design and engineering best-practices to verify suitability and safety of designs.
• Liaise with suppliers and manufacturers to source standard and custom parts to specification.
• Expertise in designing for small and large-scale production.

3D Modelling & Prototyping:

• Utilise CAD software (e.g. SolidWorks) to create designs that are practical, durable, and suitable for manufacture.
• Construct and test prototypes in the workshop using a range of hand and machine tools

Testing & Evaluation:

• Organise and conduct product testing (including with users), gathering feedback to refine designs for optimal usability and independence.
• Contribute to the writing of evaluation reports and technical documentation.

Collaboration:

• To work individually and as part of a team of a wider organisational team to achieve the greatest possible impact. This could be working with the marketing team on a thought-leadership report, attending an industry event with our therapists, doing on-location visits with our researchers, or getting hands-on in the workshop with our technicians.
• To be committed to the work of Designability and work in accordance with the organisation’s policies, procedures, values and behaviours.
• To conduct such other duties as may be required by the organisation from time to time.
• Willing and able to undertake work outside normal hours and to travel as required.

ABOUT OUR RECRUITMENT PROCESS

Designability is committed to recruiting the best person for the job, based solely on their ability and individual merit as measured against the criteria for the role; through a process that is fair, open, consistent and free from bias and discrimination. All applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, colour, national origin, religion, sexual orientation, gender, gender identity, age, disability status or length of time spent unemployed.

We are proud to be a Real Living Wage employer and accredited as a Disability Confident Employer, committed to making reasonable adjustments.

JOB TIMELINE:

Closing Date for applications: Monday 9th June 2025 at midnight.

First interview dates: Monday 23 – Friday 27 June 2025: online or in person, depending on candidate availability.

The first interview will focus on your CV and include a set of structured questions based on the requirements of the role.

Second interview dates: Monday 30 June – Friday 4 July 2025: in person at the Designability offices.

The second interview will be based on a design task, which we are providing now to allow sufficient time for preparation: Identify a common household object that poses usability challenges for disabled individuals. Describe the issue and propose a practical improvement or redesign.

Candidates will be expected to prepare and deliver a presentation based on their response to the task. The presentation should demonstrate the full development process — from initial concept through to production — highlighting all relevant stages, decisions, and considerations involved in creating an effective and feasible solution.