Principal Design Engineer

About the role

The Principal Design Engineer will lead the creation and development of automotive components and bullbars for commercial vehicles. Based in Durban, this full‑time on‑site position oversees the product lifecycle from concept through to production release, ensuring safety, performance and regulatory compliance.

Key responsibilities

• Develop detailed mechanical designs and CAD models for components and assemblies.
• Produce and review engineering drawings and documentation.
• Perform mechanical calculations, tolerance and stress analyses.
• Collaborate with production, quality, procurement and testing teams to validate designs.
• Support prototype builds, testing activities and resolve shop‑floor design issues.
• Drive continuous improvement of design processes and product architecture.
• Mentor junior engineers and contribute to long‑term technology strategy.

Required profile

• Bachelor’s degree or higher in Mechanical Engineering, Design Engineering or a related discipline.
• Strong background in design engineering and product design, preferably in automotive or heavy‑industrial environments.
• Proven ability to lead complex component and assembly projects.
• Excellent problem‑solving, communication and cross‑functional collaboration skills.

Required skills

• Mechanical Engineering principles.
• Computer‑Aided Design (CAD) for modeling, drafting and analysis.
• Mechanical design calculations.
• Tolerance analysis.
• Stress analysis.