MERITUS Talent are working with one of Europe's leading defence manufacturers for the recruitment of a Mechanical Architect to join their Stevenage office on a contract basis for an initial 6 month assignment, with extensions likely. The role falls INSIDE IR35, and is paying £60 per hour via an umbrella company.
We're looking for a senior-level Mechanical Architect to join our team working on next-generation missile systems. This is a hands-on technical role, responsible for leading the mechanical architecture of complex defence products from concept through to certification.
You'll be working on projects that are critical to national defence - involving challenging design work, system integration and compliance across high-performance missile platforms.
What you'll be doing:
Define and manage the mechanical architecture of missile systems across all variants
Develop and own the Airframe Task Requirements Specification (TRS)
Lead mechanical and thermal interface management across the missile
Ensure architecture is modular and supports reuse across platforms
Coordinate analysis and validation activities to support certification
Interface with internal teams, subcontractors, and end customers
Supervise engineers and manage technical delivery across your scope
Own planning, budgeting and work statements for your area
What we're looking for:
Degree-qualified in Mechanical or Aerospace Engineering (or similar)
Around 10+ years of experience in mechanical engineering, ideally in defence, missiles or aerospace
Strong understanding of:
Missile mechanical systems and airframe design
Static and dynamic analysis
Environmental and thermal management considerations
Experience managing compliance evidence for certification (e.g. Certificate of Design)
Confident leading teams, influencing stakeholders, and managing suppliers
Able to see the big picture while managing the detail
Willingness to travel within the UK and Europe as needed
Why join?
You'll work on mission-critical defence tech in a highly respected team
Flexible and hybrid working options, with every other Friday off
Private health care, bonus schemes and strong career development support
