Junior Product Design Engineer

Company: Autochair
Apply for the Junior Product Design Engineer
Location: Derbyshire
Job Description:

Junior Product Design Engineer

Location: Alfreton, DE55 7RGSalary: Competitive, DOE Contract: Full-time, Permanent

Help us design products that change lives! 

Our purpose is simple: to change people’s lives by improving their mobility through understanding their needs and providing appropriate solutions.

We're looking for a Junior Product Design Engineer to join our Engineering team and support the development and improvement of innovative products that make a genuine difference to our customers.

Reporting to the Head of Engineering, this is an excellent opportunity for an early-career engineer with around 1–2 years' experience to develop their technical skills, gain hands-on experience across the product development process and progressively take greater ownership of engineering projects.

A Day in the Life

You'll be involved in developing both new and existing products, helping to improve their performance, usability, safety and commercial viability. You'll investigate engineering and installation challenges, create 3D CAD models and manufacturing drawings, support prototype builds and testing, and work closely with colleagues across production, testing, operations, purchasing and engineering.

You'll be encouraged to bring ideas, ask questions and learn from experienced engineers while developing your ability to deliver production-ready designs independently.

What You'll Do

•  Support the design and development of new and existing products, identifying opportunities for improvement.•  Investigate product issues and engineering challenges, developing practical solutions with support from senior engineers.•  Produce accurate 3D CAD models, manufacturing drawings and technical documentation, using SolidWorks.•  Consider design for manufacture, including materials, costs, manufacturability and ease of assembly.•  Support engineering calculations, prototype builds and product testing to validate designs.•  Work collaboratively with production, testing, operations, purchasing and engineering teams to resolve technical queries.•  Maintain accurate drawing, revision control and change management documentation.•  Contribute to value engineering, product improvement and initiatives that enhance customer experience.

What You'll Bring

•  A degree in Mechanical Engineering, Product Design Engineering or a relevant equivalent qualification/experience.•  Approximately 1–2 years' experience in mechanical or product design, ideally within a manufacturing environment.•  Good working knowledge of 3D CAD, ideally SolidWorks.•  The ability to produce clear engineering drawings and technical documentation.•  A basic understanding of materials and manufacturing processes.•  Some experience of prototyping, testing and developing designs from concept towards production.•  Strong analytical and practical problem-solving skills.•  Good communication skills and the ability to work collaboratively across different functions.•  A curious, proactive attitude and genuine willingness to learn and develop.

What We're Looking For

We're looking for someone who is curious, practical and keen to develop. You'll take ownership of your work while understanding when to seek guidance, respond positively to feedback and work collaboratively with colleagues across the business.

You'll also have a customer-focused mindset, considering real-world user and installation requirements when developing engineering solutions.

Most importantly, you'll want to build your technical capability and progressively take on greater responsibility as your experience grows.

Why Join Us

You'll be joining an engineering team where your ideas and contribution can have a real impact. From product innovation and prototyping through to manufacturing and customer experience, you'll gain exposure to the full product development journey while being supported by experienced colleagues.

If you're an early-career engineer looking for an opportunity to develop your design skills while working on products that genuinely improve people's mobility and quality of life, we'd love to hear from you.

Apply today with your up-to-date CV and portfolio.

No agencies please. 

Posted: August 24th, 2026