On race day, podium places come down to the finest details. Each Formula 1 car is made up of around 17,000 components, and they need to be in tip-top shape if we’re to achieve our ambitions of climbing back to the top of the grid. That’s where design engineers come in.
At Atlassian Williams Racing, our design engineering jobs make sure all the components of our F1 cars are up to the task. As a workplace where innovation is allowed to thrive, our engineers think flexibly and harness the power of new ideas to come up with the best solutions.
We spoke to some of our expert engineers to find out how they create our winning formula in this role. Read on for some insight into what design engineers do and what a typical day looks like.
What do design engineers do in F1?
Design engineers in F1 are the backbone of every car’s performance. A multifaceted role, at its heart, it's about developing, testing, and refining car components to be at their peak when they come together on the track. From the rear wing to the throttle pedal, they’re also tasked with making sure each part is compliant and meets performance standards.
Design engineer jobs are as rewarding as they come. There’s nothing quite like the feeling of watching the car hit the track, knowing the part you’ve played in driving its performance.
Alisha Hardie, a mechanical design engineer, gave us a glimpse into her day-to-day responsibilities and what gives her pride in her role:
“I’m a mechanical design engineer, and today I’ve been designing the upcoming throttle pedal for next year. My favourite moment is always the first fire-up of the new car. It’s always pretty exciting to see all your work finally get made that you’ve been working on for months; it’s pretty cool. The best thing about being a design engineer is getting to see your work on track every weekend.”
A typical day as an F1 design engineer
Becoming an F1 engineer means days full of problem-solving, collaboration, and innovation. We spoke to Alex Seed, a design quality engineer, who took us through what his role looks like while the Formula 1 season is in full flow:
“I’m based in the factory here in Grove, and on every race weekend, you’ll find me working with the race team, which has meant some late starts. I help to build the car digitally and help to declare submissions for the FIA. Whenever we use a new component, we have to make sure we declare it.
My work helps toward our success in making sure we’re as compliant with the regulations as possible and also helps to improve our business processes so we can get to the track more efficiently. The results at the end of the weekend and seeing how your work actually improves the car are what motivate me in this role.
It’s quite a varied role as a design engineer; at the moment I’ve been doing a lot of stuff relating to legality and declaring parts of the car for technical regulations. I’ve always wanted to work in F1, and I have a master’s degree in design engineering. What I do helps the car go faster by increasing the efficiency of our processes; that’s where the performance comes from.”
Why become a design engineer at Atlassian Williams Racing?
A design engineer job is perfect for anyone with a love of motorsport and a passion for engineering. Alex went on to share his experiences as a key member of the team as well as some of the highlights of his time as a design engineer at Atlassian Williams Racing:
“The drive of everybody here and the willingness of everyone to push forward and keep moving up the grid is the best thing about working here. I’ve had really good support from colleagues, especially on some late-night calls I’ve had helping out on the track, and they all drive us to be the best we can and support us every step of the way.
A few weeks ago, I managed to have lunch with James Vowles, which showed appreciation for the work we’ve been putting in, and equally I’ve managed to go into the garage at Silverstone twice, which has been really amazing. There’s definitely opportunities for growth and development as well.”
For Henry Mansfield, senior design engineer, the opportunities you get while working at the top of Formula 1 make it the ideal place to carve out a career as a racing fan:
“I’ve been pretty fortunate to go to a couple of trackside events in my time with Williams. I went to Hungary a couple of years ago and got to do the grid walk before the race, which was a pretty special moment both professionally and as a fan.
The best thing about working at Williams is the general culture that we have here; everyone’s so passionate and bought into the same mission to get Williams to the front of the grid again.”
Explore our design engineer jobs
A day in the life of an F1 design engineer is fast-paced and highly rewarding. In a design engineer job, it’s all about pushing boundaries and working together to push us closer back to where we belong. This is the role where you can make real impact.
Ready to be a part of our future? Check out our design engineer jobs today or join our talent community to stay up to date with our latest opportunities.
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