Senior Design Engineer / Technical Design Lead

Image Showers is seeking an experienced Senior Design Engineer / Technical Design Lead to join our team in Kilkenny. This is a key role within the business, suited to someone who has strong technical design experience, excellent manufacturing knowledge, and the confidence to take ownership of projects from initial concept through to final production.

The successful candidate will play an important role in the design, development and improvement of our shower enclosure ranges, including standard products, bespoke solutions, and new product development. This role requires someone who is highly organised, technically strong, hands-on, and comfortable working closely with production, sales, customer service, suppliers and customers.

A strong understanding of measurement, site conditions and practical installation requirements is essential. The ideal candidate will also be capable of attending site where required to measure for bespoke or complex projects and provide technical guidance.

Key Responsibilities

Product Design & Development

• Create, develop and maintain detailed 3D CAD models, assemblies and technical drawings.
• Design and develop new shower enclosure products, components and bespoke solutions.
• Produce accurate manufacturing drawings for production, fabrication and assembly.
• Prepare and maintain Bills of Materials for standard and bespoke products.
• Support the development of products from concept stage through prototyping, testing, production and launch.
• Review and improve existing product designs for efficiency, quality, ease of manufacture and ease of installation.
• Work closely with production teams to ensure designs are practical, cost-effective and suitable for manufacturing.

Bespoke & Site Measurement

• Attend customer, trade or project sites where required to measure for bespoke shower enclosures.
• Assess site conditions, including out-of-square walls, floor levels, ceiling slopes, tray positions and installation constraints.
• Translate site measurements into accurate technical drawings and production-ready specifications.
• Provide practical technical advice to customers, sales representatives, installers and internal teams.
• Identify potential issues early and recommend suitable design or installation solutions.

Manufacturing & Technical Support

• Provide technical support to the manufacturing team on drawings, specifications and production queries.
• Work with production to resolve design, quality or assembly issues.
• Support continuous improvement across product design, production processes and quality standards.
• Assist in prototyping, testing and validation of new products and design changes.
• Ensure all drawings, specifications and technical documentation are accurate, controlled and up to date.

Project Ownership & Leadership

• Take ownership of technical projects from brief through to completion.
• Manage multiple design projects at the same time, ensuring deadlines are met.
• Liaise with internal departments including sales, customer service, purchasing, production, quality and installation teams.
• Support senior management with technical insight for product development, customer requirements and business improvements.
• Help develop better systems, processes and standards within the design function.
• Act as a senior technical point of contact within the business.

Customer & Sales Support

• Support the sales team with technical drawings, bespoke product queries and project specifications.
• Communicate clearly and professionally with trade customers, merchants, installers, designers and contractors when required.
• Assist with technical queries relating to product suitability, measurements, installation and bespoke requirements.
• Provide a high level of customer service while ensuring technical accuracy and practicality.

Essential Experience & Skills

• Strong experience in a design engineering role, ideally within a manufacturing environment.
• Proficient in CAD software, preferably SolidWorks.
• Experience working with 3D assemblies and Bills of Materials.
• Ability to create clear, accurate and complex manufacturing drawings.
• Strong understanding of manufacturing processes, including concept development, prototyping, testing, production and quality assurance.
• Excellent measurement and technical drawing interpretation skills.
• Ability to attend site and accurately measure for bespoke or non-standard jobs.
• Strong problem-identification and problem-solving ability.
• Hands-on, practical approach with a good understanding of how products are manufactured and installed.
• Excellent organisational skills and ability to manage multiple projects.
• Strong communication skills, both written and verbal.
• Confident dealing with internal teams, customers, suppliers and site contacts.
• High attention to detail and accuracy.
• Full clean driving licence.

Desirable Experience

• Experience in the bathroom, glazing, shower enclosure, construction, interiors or architectural product sector.
• Experience with bespoke or made-to-measure products.
• Knowledge of glass, aluminium profiles, hardware, fixings or similar manufactured products.
• Experience using rendering software would be an advantage, but is not essential.
• Experience supporting product launches or new product development.
• Previous experience in a senior, lead or supervisory technical role.

The Ideal Candidate

The ideal candidate will be more than a CAD technician. They will be a confident, experienced and practical design professional who can take responsibility, solve problems and help drive the technical side of the business forward.

They will understand that good design is not just about how a product looks on screen, but how it is manufactured, assembled, installed and used in real-life settings. They will be comfortable moving between the office, factory floor and customer sites, and will have the confidence to make sound technical decisions.

What We Offer

• A senior role within an established Irish manufacturing company.
• The opportunity to work on standard, bespoke and new product development projects.
• A hands-on role with real influence across design, production and product improvement.
• A supportive, experienced team environment.
• The opportunity to contribute to the continued growth and development of Image Showers.