Mechanical Design Engineer & Draughtsperson
Location: Doncaster
Contract: Permanent
Hours: Monday to Thursday 07:00-16:45, Friday 07:00-12:00, plus overtime opportunities
Salary: £16.00 - £19.00 per hour (dependent on experience) + overtime
About Motorcraft Adventure Developments
Motorcraft Adventure Developments is the UK's leading specialist vehicle manufacturer, designing and building premium expedition, overland and adventure vehicles.
As demand continues to grow across the UK and Europe, we are looking for a talented Mechanical Design Engineer & Draughtsperson to join our expanding team at our Doncaster facility.
This is not a role where you will simply sit behind a CAD workstation producing drawings.
You will be involved throughout the complete engineering process, from an initial idea or engineering challenge through concept development, design, CAD modelling and technical drawings, to manufacture, installation and refinement of the finished product.
Every vehicle we build is different, creating a varied and technically interesting environment for an engineer who enjoys solving problems and seeing their designs become reality.
Working closely with our design, engineering and production teams, you will design mechanical components, assemblies and systems used in the conversion of LGV and HGV chassis into premium expedition and overland vehicles.
Projects may include systems such as:
- Vehicle subframes and our Kinetic Rail systems
- Tail lifts and lifting mechanisms
- Hydraulic and mechanical levelling systems
- Sheet metal components and fabricated assemblies
- Mounting systems, brackets and structural components
- Bespoke mechanical assemblies
- Vehicle modifications and engineering solutions
You will take projects from initial concept through the complete design and manufacturing process.
The role combines office-based engineering and CAD work with practical time in our workshops, allowing you to inspect vehicles and components, work directly with the manufacturing team and see your designs through to completion.
This is a highly varied and dynamic role involving collaboration with virtually every department within the business. No two projects are exactly the same, giving you considerable ownership of your work and the satisfaction of seeing your engineering designs manufactured, installed and operating on the finished vehicle.
Key Responsibilities
- Develop mechanical designs from initial concept through to manufacture
- Design components and assemblies with Design for Manufacture principles at the forefront
- Produce accurate 3D CAD models and detailed manufacturing drawings
- Design sheet metal components and fabricated assemblies using mild steel, aluminium and stainless steel
- Produce technical drawings for fabrication, weldments, machining and manufacturing
- Apply appropriate dimensions, tolerances, material specifications and manufacturing information
- Inspect, measure and reverse engineer existing components and assemblies
- Develop engineering solutions for bespoke vehicle applications
- Work closely with fabrication, machining, assembly and production teams
- Support designs throughout manufacture, installation and testing
- Review manufactured components and identify opportunities for design improvement
- Maintain accurate engineering drawings and design documentation
- Ensure designs consider strength, practicality, serviceability and manufacturability
- Assist with prototype development and testing
- Resolve engineering and manufacturing issues as they arise
- Maintain high standards of accuracy and engineering quality throughout the design process
Essential Skills & Experience
We are looking for someone with a strong practical understanding of mechanical engineering and manufacturing.
You should be able to demonstrate experience or knowledge in:
- Mechanical design and the engineering design process
- Design for Manufacture (DFM)
- 3D CAD, ideally Solid Edge or similar professional CAD software
- Sheet metal design covering approximately 1mm to 10mm material thicknesses
- Designing with mild steel, aluminium and stainless steel
- Fabrication and manufacturing processes
- Producing detailed technical drawings for fabrication and weldments
- Producing manufacturing drawings incorporating appropriate tolerances
- Inspecting, measuring and designing from existing components
- Engineering materials and manufacturing methods
- Good understanding of engineering statics and dynamics
- Translating engineering requirements into practical, manufacturable solutions
- Working accurately from measurements, specifications and design requirements
Practical manufacturing awareness is particularly important. We want designs that work not only on a computer screen, but also in the workshop and on the finished vehicle.
Beneficial Knowledge & Experience
Experience in any of the following would be advantageous:
- CAM and designing components for CNC manufacture
- CNC machining, routing, laser cutting or press brake processes
- Hydraulic systems and components
- Automotive engineering
- Commercial vehicles
- LGV and HGV chassis and vehicle systems
- Vehicle body building or specialist vehicle manufacturing
- Structural or mechanical fabrication
- Prototype development and testing
Skills & Attributes
The right person will have:
- A self-motivated approach to their work
- High personal standards and pride in the quality of their output
- A strong Right First Time mentality
- Excellent attention to detail
- A strong work ethic
- Good problem-solving skills
- The ability to work independently and take ownership of projects
- The ability to work effectively as part of a wider engineering and production team
- Good communication and organisational skills
- A practical and commercially aware approach to engineering
- A willingness to learn, improve and develop new skills
- The confidence to challenge and improve existing designs and processes
- The flexibility to move between CAD, engineering development and practical workshop activity when required
What We Offer
- Permanent, full-time employment
- Competitive hourly rate
- Regular overtime opportunities
- Ongoing training and development
- Opportunity to work on unique, industry-leading vehicle projects
- Significant involvement throughout the complete design and manufacturing process
- A highly varied role with genuine ownership of engineering projects
- Supportive and experienced engineering and production teams
- Long-term career progression within a growing specialist manufacturing business
- Company pension
- Free on-site parking
If you are an engineer who enjoys solving real-world problems, designing practical mechanical systems and seeing your ideas progress from a blank CAD screen to a finished component or complete vehicle, we'd like to hear from you.
For further information, please contact us on 01302 337842.
Job Types: Permanent, Full-time
Ability to commute/relocate
Doncaster DN11 8BZ: reliably commute or plan to relocate before starting work (required)
Language
English (required)
Work Location: In person
Pay: £16.00-£19.00 per hour
Benefits:
- Casual dress
- Company events
- Company pension
- Free parking
- On-site parking
Language:
Work Location: In person
