Mechanical Design Engineer (Contact)

Job Description: Mechanical Design Engineer (Contract – min 3 months)

Location: Southampton Area
Contract Length: Minimum 3 months (possibility of extension)
Role Type: Contract, Building Services / MEP Consultancy

About the role:
We are seeking a skilled Mechanical Design Engineer to join a specialist building services and MEP consultancy on a contract basis. The successful candidate will join a multi-discipline design team delivering mechanical design solutions across a variety of building types (commercial, public sector, mixed-use). The role involves working from concept through to detailed design, integrating mechanical services with other disciplines, and delivering high-quality, practical engineering solutions with a strong emphasis on low-carbon design and BIM collaboration.
Key responsibilities:

• Produce mechanical services design deliverables including heating, cooling, ventilation (HVAC), air-conditioning systems, hydronic systems, chilled beams/fan coils, plant room layouts, ductwork/fan coil sizing, pipework schematics, pump sizing, etc.
• Develop drawings, specifications, schedules and performance calculations for mechanical services systems.
• Coordinate with electrical, structural, architectural and public health disciplines to ensure fully integrated building services design.
• Work within BIM modelling workflows, and assist with clash detection, coordination and inter-discipline design integration.
• Support tender documentation, breakdowns, cost analysis and value engineering for mechanical services.
• Provide input to low-carbon strategy, thermal modelling or overheating assessments as required.
• Participate in site inspections, construction monitoring and commissioning activities (if required).
• Ensure compliance with UK engineering standards and regulations (e.g., CIBSE design guides, Building Regulations, HVAC design best practice).

Essential skills & experience:

• Qualified Mechanical Engineer (BEng/MEng or equivalent) with proven experience (typically 5+ years) in mechanical building services design within a consultancy environment.
• Strong experience of HVAC/heating/cooling/ventilation system design in commercial or public sector building projects.
• Familiarity with design tools such as AutoCAD, Revit MEP, ductwork and pipework sizing software, hydronic calculation tools.
• Experience working within BIM coordinated environments, with ability to collaborate with other disciplines.
• Excellent technical drawing/drafting capability, attention to detail, ability to produce clean design documentation.
• Strong communication and interpersonal skills, able to liaise with clients, contractors and internal design teams.
• Ability to organise and manage tasks effectively in a consultancy environment, meeting deadlines.

Desirable experience:

• Experience of low-carbon and sustainability focused mechanical systems (e.g., heat pumps, thermal stores, chilled beams, displacement ventilation, building optimisation).
• Experience of condition surveys, energy audits or refurbishment of mechanical systems.
• Involvement in site work, commissioning, and handover documentation.
• Membership of professional body (e.g., CIBSE, IMechE) or working towards chartered status.

What’s on offer:

• Minimum 3-month contract with potential to extend, depending on workload and results.
• Work within a well-regarded building services consultancy delivering technically demanding and forward-thinking projects.
• Opportunity for real technical impact, in a supportive and collaborative design environment.
• Exposure to low-carbon design initiatives and Building Information Modelling (BIM) workflows.