Principal Systems Engineer (Refrigeration)

AERIUS Marine UK, a subsidiary of AERIUS Marine GmbH and part of the Heinen & Hopman Group, is a leading marine engineering specialist delivering advanced HVAC, chilled water, and refrigeration systems for naval, commercial, and offshore renewable vessels worldwide.

Recognised as a market leader in turnkey marine climate control solutions, our expertise spans bespoke shipboard chilled water plants, refrigeration packages, and fully integrated cooling systems engineered for the demanding conditions of the marine environment.

As we continue to expand our engineering capability, we are now seeking an accomplished Principal Systems Engineer to join our technical leadership team and help drive the next generation of marine refrigeration solutions.

As Principal Systems Engineer, you will act as the technical authority for the design and development of marine refrigeration systems. Your primary focus will be on shipboard chilled water plants, but you will also oversee the design of refrigeration systems for onboard cold store applications.

This role requires a strong blend of engineering leadership, regulatory expertise, and hands on design capability. You will support early stage concept development and bids, while also driving engineering quality throughout detailed design, manufacturing, testing, and commissioning.

Your primary responsibilities will include:

Technical Leadership & Design

• Lead the design of marine refrigeration plants, including chilled water systems for naval and commercial vessels.
• Develop refrigeration solutions for onboard cold store applications.
• Act as the subject matter expert for thermodynamic design, component selection, system integration, and performance optimisation.
• Produce and review engineering documentation, calculations, P&IDs, specifications, and design reports.

Compliance & Standards

• Ensure all refrigeration designs comply with:

UKCA requirements for chiller plants and associated equipment.

Classification society rules (Lloyd's Register, DNV, ABS, BV).Naval standards and defence specific environmental, shock, vibration, and EMC requirements.

Commercial marine legislation, environmental regulations, and refrigerant handling standards.

• Oversee hazard assessments, design verification, and quality assurance processes.

Project Delivery

• Provide engineering governance throughout the full project lifecycle: concept, detailed design, build, FAT/SAT, and commissioning.
• Work closely with manufacturing, test, and commissioning teams to ensure system integrity and performance.
• Support the sales and commercial teams with technical input for bids, proposals, and concept development.
• Provide engineering insight during customer discussions, design reviews, and solution development workshops.

Stakeholder Engagement

• Collaborate with customers, suppliers, classification societies, and internal teams to ensure alignment and successful project outcomes.
• Mentor and guide junior engineers, contributing to capability development within the refrigeration discipline.

Required skills and qualifications:

• Bachelor's degree (minimum) in Mechanical Engineering, Refrigeration Engineering, Marine Engineering, or a closely related discipline.
• Master's degree preferred for senior technical authority roles.
• Chartered Engineer (CEng) status or working towards chartership is highly advantageous.
• Strong understanding of:

Thermodynamics and heat transfer principles.

Refrigeration system design and modelling.

Marine environmental and regulatory frameworks.

• Demonstrable experience ensuring compliance with UKCA, Lloyd's Register, and other classification society requirements for refrigeration and chiller systems.

What we offer:

• Opportunity to act as the technical authority for a critical engineering discipline.
• Involvement in high profile naval and commercial marine projects.
• A collaborative environment with strong engineering, manufacturing, and project delivery teams.
• Competitive salary and benefits package.

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