Principal Mechanical Engineer

Job Description

AECOM is seeking a Principal Mechanical Engineer to join its multidisciplinary engineering team in Bristol.

The role involves leading mechanical design and delivery across infrastructure, energy, and building services projects, ensuring high-quality, compliant, and innovative solutions throughout the project lifecycle.

We undertake projects across the full range of sectors at AECOM, but more specifically in Bristol our teams work on defence, education and commercial projects.

• Healthcare : AECOM is a leading award-winning consultant for the NHS in the UK and internationally, delivering projects ranging from major acute hospitals to primary care and estate refurbishment schemes, while supporting the NHS Net Zero Carbon agenda.
• Decarbonisation : Multiple projects where we have undertaken the feasibility of the removal of boilers and installation of Air Source and Water source heat pumps to provide the heating and cooling for the building. Projects include commercial buildings like 80 – 100 Victoria Street London, British Library, multiple residential buildings in the Royal Borough of Greenwich and even Windsor Castle.
• 10 Dock: Western Europe’s largest naval dockyard in Plymouth, a defence project of enormous scale and multiple components that must come together as a solution to meet a new capability.
• Education. AECOM's South West team has delivered a range of impactful education projects, including campus developments, refurbishments, and innovative academic facilities. Key highlights include achieving sustainability goals like BREEAM ratings, integrating cutting-edge technologies, and enhancing student living environments.

AI4Engineering is part of AECOM's broader commitment to innovation and sustainability in engineering. By embracing AI, AECOM not only enhances its service offerings but also contributes to the industry's evolution towards more intelligent and automated solutions. This initiative reflects AECOM's dedication to delivering high-quality, efficient, and environmentally responsible engineering services.

In particular, we are experiencing an increase in defence work across the region so the ability to obtain Security Clearance (SC) is a must.

Key Responsibilities

• Lead the mechanical design and successful delivery of major building services projects across the healthcare, education, transport, and data centre sectors.
• Provide technical leadership on complex projects, ensuring designs comply with Irish and international standards, regulations, and industry best practice.
• Coordinate multidisciplinary design teams, working closely with electrical, structural, civil, architectural, and specialist engineering disciplines.
• Develop innovative, energy-efficient, and low-carbon mechanical engineering solutions that support sustainable building design.
• Build and maintain strong client relationships, acting as a trusted technical advisor throughout all stages of project delivery.
• Manage project schedules, resources, budgets, and commercial performance to ensure successful project outcomes.
• Review and approve engineering calculations, technical reports, specifications, and design documentation.
• Mentor, coach, and support the professional development of junior engineers and graduates within the team.
• Support business development by contributing to proposals, client presentations, and project interviews.
• Drive continuous improvement initiatives and promote engineering excellence and best practice across the Building Services team.

What We're Looking For

We're seeking a highly motivated mechanical engineer with strong technical expertise, leadership capabilities, and experience delivering complex building services projects. You'll have excellent communication and stakeholder management skills, a collaborative approach to problem-solving, and a passion for delivering sustainable engineering solutions that create lasting value for our clients and communities.

Ready to push the limits of what's possible?

We're looking for an experienced and driven engineering professional who is passionate about delivering high-quality mechanical building services solutions and leading multidisciplinary teams on complex projects.

To be successful in this role, you will have:

• Extensive experience in the design and delivery of mechanical building services projects across a variety of sectors.
• A proven track record of leading multidisciplinary design teams and successfully delivering complex engineering projects.
• Strong technical expertise in HVAC systems, public health engineering, heating and cooling plant, low-carbon technologies, and sustainable building services design.
• Experience delivering projects within one or more of the following sectors:
• Healthcare
• Education
• Railway stations and transport infrastructure
• Mission-critical data centres
• Excellent communication, leadership, and stakeholder management skills, with the ability to build strong client relationships and collaborate effectively across multidisciplinary teams.
• A thorough understanding of Irish Building Regulations, CIBSE guidance, relevant British Standards, European Standards, and industry best practice.
• Strong commercial awareness, problem-solving abilities, and a commitment to delivering innovative, sustainable engineering solutions.

Qualifications

• A degree in Mechanical Engineering, Building Services Engineering, or a related discipline.
• Chartered Engineer (CEng) status or be working towards chartership with Engineers Ireland or an equivalent recognised professional institution.

Additional Information

At AECOM, we are committed to maintaining a secure and trustworthy recruitment process and take any fraudulent hiring activity seriously. To support this commitment, all newly hired employees are required to attend an in-person Day 1 onboarding at an AECOM office location as a condition of employment.

About AECOM

AECOM is the world’s trusted infrastructure consulting firm, delivering professional services throughout the project lifecycle – from advisory, planning, design and engineering to program and construction management. On projects spanning transportation, buildings, water, new energy and the environment, our public- and private-sector clients trust us to solve their most complex challenges. Our teams are driven by a common purpose to deliver a better world through our unrivaled technical and digital expertise, a culture of equity, diversity and inclusion, and a commitment to environmental, social and governance priorities. AECOM is a Fortune 500 firm and its Professional Services business had revenue of $16.1 billion in fiscal year 2025. See how we are delivering sustainable legacies for generations to come at aecom.com and @AECOM.

Freedom to Grow in a World of Opportunity 

You will have the flexibility you need to do your best work with hybrid work options. Whether you’re working from an AECOM office, remote location or at a client site, you will be working in a dynamic environment where your integrity, entrepreneurial spirit and pioneering mindset are championed.

You will help us foster a safe and respectful workplace, where we invite everyone to bring their whole selves to work using their unique talents, backgrounds and expertise to create transformational outcomes for our clients.

AECOM provides a wide array of compensation, benefits and well-being programs to meet the diverse needs of our employees and their families. We’re the world’s trusted global infrastructure firm, and we’re in this together – your growth and success are ours too.

Join us, and you’ll get all the benefits of being a part of a global, publicly traded firm – access to industry-leading technology and thinking and transformational work with big impact and work flexibility. As an Equal Opportunity Employer, we believe in each person’s potential, and we’ll help you reach yours.

We are a Disability Confident Employer and will offer an interview to applicants who have a disability or long-term condition, who meet the minimum/essential criteria for the role. Please let us know using this email address [email protected]  if you would like to apply through the Disability Confident Interview Scheme.

All your information will be kept confidential according to EEO guidelines.