engineering jobs in Swindon

THE LAST FRONTIER

Arctic Research and Development (ARD) was founded on a paradox. The Arctic is both the next great economic frontier and one of the most hostile environments on Earth. Rich in resources and strategically vital, yet bone-chillingly cold, dark for months, and fundamentally inhospitable to humans. This paradox - an explosion of activity in a place that resists human presence - is why we exist.

Our solution is autonomy.

We build systems that operate reliably and intelligently in the Arctic, so that humans don't always have to.

Founded by record-holding pioneers with decades of polar experience, we take calculated risks on hard problems that matter. If you want to build and deploy ground-up technology with real-world impact, at an inflection point in history that won’t reappear, we’d like to talk.

THE ROLE

ARD is growing and we’re looking for a Junior Mechanical Engineer to support the design, build and deployment of our ruggedized hardware products - from-field ready energy systems to autonomous surface and subsurface platforms.

You'll join our mechanical engineering team, which designs, builds and tests the hardware that has to operate reliably in the Arctic. You'll report to our Lead Mechanical Engineer and work closely with our Mechanical Engineer and CTO. You'll start hands-on, building and testing units, then feed what you learn back into design updates. Within your first 6-12 months, your work will let us build and test properly, and expand bandwidth to launch further products in parallel.

* Please note: this role is not eligible for visa sponsorship *

CORE RESPONSIBILITIES

• Build and assemble product units through our first multi-unit production run, taking on hands-on workshop tasks to get units completed to standard and on schedule.

• Run test phases alongside each build and record the results, so issues are found and fixed before units reach customers.

• Turn what you learn on the workshop floor into design improvements, working with our Senior Mechanical Engineer on updates to parts and assemblies.

• Produce engineering drawings and CAD models, and carry out the calculations on loads and forces that support design decisions.

• Move on to additional products once builds of our current product are established, applying the same build, test and improvement cycle.

ABOUT YOU

You're a mechanical engineer who understands a design best by building it. You're happy doing practical work in the workshop, and you want to grow into design engineering, using what you learn hands-on to make the next version better. You might be coming from an engineering degree apprenticeship, a graduate development programme, or a technician or shop-floor role where you've started taking on design work.

REQUIREMENTS

Essential

• A degree in mechanical engineering (BEng or above), a completed engineering degree apprenticeship, or equivalent engineering training.

• Hands-on experience building, assembling or fabricating mechanical assemblies in a workshop or production setting.

• Ability to understand how forces and loads act on a design and carry out engineering hand calculations.

• Ability to produce engineering drawings and 3D models in CAD.

• Willingness to make practical build and technician work a core part of your role, alongside design work.

• Comfortable owning tasks on a project with guidance from senior engineers, and raising problems early when a build or test doesn't go to plan.

Desirable

• Experience planning or running physical tests on mechanical hardware and writing up the results.

• Experience building products in small batches or repeat runs, rather than one-off prototypes.

Future Security Clearance Requirements

As our business scales into the defense and security sectors, the responsibilities of this role are expected to evolve to include projects requiring UK Security Check (SC) clearance.

While an active clearance is not required to apply or start in this role, candidates must be willing and eligible to undergo UK Government security vetting in the future should project requirements dictate it.

To meet the standard eligibility criteria for UK standard SC vetting, you must typically have resided in the UK for the past 5 continuous years, hold a valid passport, and be capable of passing comprehensive background, financial, and criminal record checks.

Why ARD

The mission - The Arctic is the fastest-changing region on Earth. You'll build the intelligence layer that helps understand and steward it — an early-warning system for the planet's coldest edge.

Early stage, real influence - ARD is at an exciting early stage. You'll join while our products, team and culture are still taking shape, and your ideas will directly influence where we go next.

Ownership and accountability - We give people real responsibility from day one. You'll own your work end to end, be trusted to make decisions, and be accountable for delivering results that ship and get used.

A small but growing team - You'll work closely with experienced colleagues across science, software and hardware, with no layers in between. As we grow, you'll help build the team and the ways of working that come next.

WHAT WE OFFER

• Competitive compensation

• Private Health Insurance from Day 1

• Dental & Vision

• Equity - meaningful options as an early employee at an early-stage company

• Real field exposure - travel to Arctic sites and Outposts when needed

• Mission-driven culture - focus on impact, not hours logged

ARD is an equal opportunities employer. We hire on merit, based on skills, experience and potential, and welcome applications from everyone regardless of age, disability, gender reassignment, marriage or civil partnership, pregnancy or maternity, race, religion or belief, sex or sexual orientation. We know great candidates sometimes hold back unless they tick every box, so if this role excites you but your experience doesn’t match every point, we’d still love to hear from you, especially if you bring a background or perspective that is under-represented in science and engineering. If you need any reasonable adjustments during the application or interview process, just let us know at careers@arcticrd.com.

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