NGPartners
Head of Mechanical Engineering (Wearable Systems & PPE)
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Head of Mechanical Engineering (Wearable Systems & PPE)
Up to £130K+
Will need to be onsite 3 days a week in Reading/London
About our client
Our client is a leading Augmented Reality technology company based in London. They have developed the world's first AR Head Mounted Display (HMD) for Construction that aims to eliminate 2D plans. This allows builders, for the first time, to walk on site and use AR/3D models to construct from start to finish, enabling the possibility to "Build it right, First time!"
They are developing the next generation of wearable technologies for the construction industry, combining advanced sensing, augmented reality, localisation, and digital construction workflows into products capable of transforming how major infrastructure and construction projects are delivered.
The Role
Our client is seeking an experienced Head of Mechanical Engineering to lead the mechanical architecture, certification strategy, and industrialisation of their wearable technology platforms.
This is a senior technical leadership role responsible for defining and driving the company’s mechanical engineering strategy across product development, certification, manufacturing readiness, and deployment. The successful candidate will provide expertise in helmet systems, wearable product development, impact protection, certification, manufacturability, production engineering, and supplier engagement.
Working closely with the Head of R&D, Head of Hardware, Head of Production, and multidisciplinary engineering teams, the Head of Mechanical Engineering will ensure that products are safe, certifiable, manufacturable, and scalable for commercial deployment.
The successful candidate will serve as the company’s technical authority for mechanical engineering, wearable systems, PPE certification, and product industrialisation while leading and developing a growing mechanical engineering team.
Benefits
By working at our clients, all staff enjoy the following benefits:
- Playing a valuable part in revolutionising the construction industry
- Competitive Salary + Stock Options
- Hybrid working arrangement
- Free refreshments and fruit
- 25 days paid holiday plus bank holidays
- Great location, easily accessible
- Modern friendly environment, summer & Christmas parties, plus other fun events throughout the year
Responsibilities
Mechanical Engineering Leadership
- Lead the Mechanical Engineering team and provide technical direction across all mechanical development activities.
- Define and maintain the mechanical engineering roadmap supporting current and future product generations.
- Mentor, develop, and support the growth of the mechanical engineering team.
- Establish engineering standards, design practices, and product development processes.
- Provide technical leadership across mechanical design, certification, manufacturing readiness, and industrialisation activities.
- Collaborate with R&D, Hardware, Production, and Operations teams to align engineering activities with company objectives.
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Wearable Product Development
- Lead the development of wearable technology platforms for industrial and construction environments.
- Define system-level mechanical architectures covering helmets, optics integration, electronics packaging, thermal management, batteries, sensors, antennas, ergonomics, and manufacturability.
- Evaluate and select materials, manufacturing processes, and product architectures.
- Ensure designs balance safety, comfort, performance, durability, usability, manufacturability, and cost.
- Support concept development, prototyping, testing, validation, and product release activities.
Helmet & PPE Engineering
- Lead development of helmet-based and wearable products requiring compliance with industrial safety standards.
- Define impact protection strategies and integration approaches for wearable electronic systems.
- Evaluate shell materials, suspension systems, energy absorption systems, and protective structures.
- Drive engineering decisions relating to safety, certification, and long-term product reliability.
Certification & Compliance
- Own certification strategy for wearable products.
- Act as the primary engineering interface to certification bodies and testing laboratories.
- Lead certification programmes relating to:
- ANSI Type I
- ANSI Type II
- EN397
- Additional international safety standards as required
- Interpret standards requirements and translate them into engineering requirements and product designs.
- Lead certification testing, failure investigations, root-cause analysis, and design improvements.
Product Industrialisation
- Lead products from concept through prototype, certification, pilot production, and full-scale manufacture.
- Drive DFM, DFA, DFT, and DFR activities.
- Define production validation requirements and manufacturing acceptance criteria.
- Support manufacturing scale-up and continuous improvement initiatives.
- Work closely with Production to ensure successful transition from development to manufacturing.
Supplier & Partner Management
- Develop and manage relationships with:
- Helmet manufacturers
- PPE suppliers
- Certification bodies
- Testing laboratories
- Tooling suppliers
- Contract manufacturers
- Specialist engineering partners
- Support supplier selection, qualification, and technical management activities.
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Skills, Knowledge & Experience
Essential
- Degree in Mechanical Engineering, Product Design Engineering, or related discipline.
- 10+ years of product development experience.
- Significant experience designing helmet systems, PPE products, safety equipment, or other wearable products.
- Demonstrated experience leading products from concept through certification and production.
- Direct experience with ANSI Type I and Type II certification programmes.
- Experience working with EN397 or equivalent international safety standards.
- Strong understanding of impact protection systems, structural design, materials engineering, and product safety.
- Experience working directly with certification bodies and testing laboratories.
- Experience managing suppliers, manufacturers, and external engineering partners.
- Expert-level CAD capability using SolidWorks or equivalent.
- Excellent technical communication and leadership skills.
Highly Desirable
- Wearable electronics integration
- Augmented reality or head-mounted display products
- Optical systems integration
- Camera, sensor, antenna, and battery integration
- Thermal management of embedded electronics
- Injection moulding, tooling, and production scale-up
- Defence, aerospace, motorsport, industrial equipment, or safety-critical product development
- International compliance and certification programmes
- Experience supporting products through global market deployment
Personal Attributes
- Recognised technical authority within mechanical engineering and product development
- Strong engineering judgement and decision-making capability
- Practical and hands-on approach
- Excellent leadership and mentoring skills
- Strong organisational and stakeholder management abilities
- Comfortable operating across concept development, certification, manufacturing, and production
- Positive and collaborative team player
- Passion for building innovative products and high-performing engineering teams
Success in the Role
The successful candidate will:
- Lead the company’s mechanical engineering activities and certification strategy
- Develop wearable products that balance safety, performance, manufacturability, and user experience
- Build strong relationships with suppliers, certification bodies, and manufacturing partners
- Drive products successfully through development, certification, industrialisation, and production
- Grow and mentor a high-performing mechanical engineering team
- Support our client’s long-term vision of deploying advanced wearable technologies at scale within the construction industry
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