calfordseaden is a leading multi-disciplinary construction and property consultancy. We provide a comprehensive range of services across the built environment, including Architecture, Building Information Management (BIM), Building Safety, Engineering, Fire Safety, Health and Safety, Surveying, Sustainability, and more.

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Senior Mechanical Engineer

Location: London/Hybrid

Hours: Full Time

The role and responsibilities:

We are seeking an experienced and motivated Senior or Principal Mechanical Engineer to join our dynamic team. This role focuses on the refurbishment, upgrade, and decarbonisation of existing buildings, and requires a practical, client-facing engineer who thrives in both technical and on-site environments. You’ll play a key role in the delivery of mechanical engineering services from feasibility through to detailed design and construction.

What you’ll be doing:

• Lead mechanical engineering design for projects involving HVAC, domestic water services, and renewable energy systems in existing buildings.
• Conduct condition surveys, asset assessments, and lifecycle costing.
• Deliver decarbonisation analysis, energy audits, and retrofit strategy development.
• Produce technical reports, specifications, and feasibility studies.
• Undertake detailed engineering calculations to inform design and decision-making.
• Liaise with contractors, clients, and stakeholders throughout the project lifecycle.
• Fulfil Contract Administrator duties including managing valuations, contractor performance, and change control procedures.
• Apply knowledge of contract management, especially JCT contracts.
• Conduct regular site inspections, oversee commissioning, and support issue resolution.
• Collaborate closely with electrical engineers, architects, sustainability specialists, and quantity surveyors.
• Mentor and support the development of junior engineering staff.

Qualifications

• Building Services Engineering qualification
• Actively working towards chartership (IMechE or CIBSE preferred)

Experience

• Proven experience in mechanical design, delivery, and project leadership on existing building projects.
• Familiarity with maintenance contracts, including performance monitoring and lifecycle planning.
• Demonstrated experience writing and contributing to procurement documentation for public or private sector projects.
• Proficiency in writing technical reports, developing specifications, drawings, calculations and conducting feasibility studies.
• Extensive experience working within the social housing sector, as well as across a broad range of public sector environments, including educational facilities (e.g. schools and academies), healthcare buildings, and commercial properties. This includes a strong understanding of the specific challenges, compliance requirements, and stakeholder engagement needs associated with these settings—such as budgetary constraints, phased works in occupied premises, and alignment with government or local authority frameworks and funding criteria.
• Experience in asset data collection, including on-site surveys to identify and log mechanical and electrical systems, capturing equipment condition, operational status, and compliance with relevant standards to support lifecycle planning, maintenance strategies, and investment decisions.
• Knowledge of construction risks, including how to identify and manage them effectively across project stages.
• Experienced in reporting resource and financial information to Partners and senior management, ensuring visibility on project performance and forecasts.

Knowledge

• Thorough understanding of building services systems including HVAC, hot and cold water, and controls.
• Working knowledge of UK Building Regulations, CIBSE guides, BREEAM, and other sustainability frameworks.
• Experience with maintenance contract planning and service level agreements.
• Familiarity with public procurement processes, contract law, and compliant documentation.
• Familiarity with energy and carbon reduction strategies, including low/zero carbon technologies.
• Contract knowledge, particularly JCT forms of contract and contract administration processes.
• Understanding of government funding schemes

Skills

• Strong communication skills – able to lead client meetings and present complex information clearly.
• Analytical thinking – capable of problem-solving and value engineering on live projects.
• Proficient in relevant software such as AutoCAD, and Microsoft Office Suite. An understanding of Revit and IES is desirable.
• Effective time and resource management, with a proven ability to deliver to deadlines.
• Collaborative team player with leadership capability and mentoring experience.

What we offer

People are at the heart of everything we do, which is why we invest in them at every stage of their career. We are proud to hold the Investors in People Gold award, which we believe demonstrates our commitment to nurturing our people. Structured Apprenticeships and work experience opportunities are available across the organisation to support those at the beginning of their careers. We also have career development pathways to help you understand and structure your professional development.

We provide a range of benefits including hybrid working, the option to buy and sell annual leave, enhanced annual leave for long service, sponsorship for qualifications, a recruitment referral bonus scheme, enhanced family leave policies, an employee assistance programme, and more!

Who we are

We’re a multi-disciplinary property and construction consultancy with offices in Orpington, London, Birmingham, Essex, Cambridge, and Hampshire. With 80 years of experience of delivering award-winning projects across all major sectors, we’re committed to making a positive difference in the communities we serve.

Our vision is to be identified as a trusted client advisor; national in reach, local in service, and selected for our quality and expertise in the built environment. Our brilliant team consists of individuals who are passionate about delivering the best results and continuously demonstrate why our clients choose us to help bring their projects to life. You can find out more about our work on our website www.calfordseaden.com

Our values are integral in everything we do. They shape the way we work with clients and each other. Our values are:

• Collaboration - Being one team and supporting each other to achieve the best results and maximise our potential.
• Authenticity - Being true to ourselves and others and celebrating our differences.
• Giving Back - Recognizing and embracing the need for our work to have a positive social impact.
• Excellence - Striving to be up with the best and at the forefront of what we do.
• Support - Providing investment, encouragement and support to bring out the best in our People.
• Integrity - Being honest and doing the right thing

If you are a talented individual, with a commercial mind, and align to our values, please apply. If this job isn’t quite right for you but you would like to start or progress a career within our construction consultancy, please connect with us so you can be notified about relevant future vacancies.

calfordseaden is an Equal Opportunities Employer and is committed to supporting the principles of equality of opportunity in employment, training, and service delivery.