Design Engineer

The Whittan Group is the largest manufacturer of steel storage products in the United Kingdom. Operating with a number of market-leading brands, we design, manufacture and install storage solutions for commercial and industrial environments across the UK and Europe.

We are looking for a Design Engineer to join our busy and growing organisation. This role is focused on creating practical, cost-effective storage solutions that meet customer requirements while supporting strong commercial outcomes. The Design Cost Estimator plays a key role in enabling sales success through accurate costing, attention to detail, and a structured, process-driven approach.

This is an excellent opportunity for someone who is customer-focused, commercially conscious, and enjoys problem-solving within a collaborative and supportive environment. We offer structured initial training alongside ongoing coaching and development.

Key responsibilities:

• Develop storage solutions
 Create practical and compliant storage solutions based on customer requirements, ensuring designs are fit for purpose and commercially viable.

• Prepare accurate cost estimates
 Produce detailed and accurate costings and Bills of Materials (BOMs) for system entry, ensuring all components are correctly specified and priced.

• Process-driven design support
 Follow defined internal processes to ensure consistency, accuracy, and efficiency in all estimates and design outputs.

• Support commercial performance
 Work closely with the sales team to provide timely, commercially aware cost information that supports quotation, conversion, and margin targets.

• Customer-focused collaboration
 Maintain a strong customer mindset, ensuring proposed solutions balance customer needs, operational feasibility, and commercial outcomes.

• Problem solving
 Identify and resolve design or costing challenges, offering practical solutions while maintaining attention to detail.

• Cross-functional collaboration
 Collaborate with sales, operations, and factory teams to ensure smooth handovers and high levels of internal and external satisfaction.

Required experience / skills / qualifications:

Essential:
 • Strong attention to detail and numerical accuracy
 • Commercial awareness and understanding of cost-driven decision making
 • Problem-solving skills with a practical, solution-focused approach
 • Good IT literacy, including MS Word, Excel, and Outlook
 • Ability to work effectively within and outside of defined processes

Desirable:
 • CAD experience (AutoCAD or equivalent)
 • Experience within a manufacturing, engineering, or construction-related environment
 • Knowledge of storage or racking systems (pallet racking, shelving, mezzanine)

Training and development:

• Structured onboarding and initial role-specific training
 • Ongoing coaching and development to build technical and commercial capability
 • Supportive management and collaborative team environment

The Whittan Group offers a positive, supportive, and collaborative working culture, where people are encouraged to develop, contribute ideas, and succeed together.

The Whittan Group promotes equality of opportunity and is committed to treating all employees and applicants fairly, regardless of gender or gender reassignment, age, ethnic or national origin, nationality, race, colour, marital or civil partnership status, pregnancy or maternity, disability, sexual orientation, religion or belief.