Shahrooz Akhtar
West Yorkshire
Summary
Results-driven Mechanical Engineer with experience across zero-emission commercial vehicles, automotive systems, industrial products, aerospace exposure, and biomedical-related projects. Highly proficient in mechanical design, CFD and FEA-led validation, and design for manufacture, with hands-on experience across the full product lifecycle. Demonstrated ability to streamline processes, improve system efficiency, and reduce lead times. Skilled in cross-functional collaboration, root cause analysis, and supplier engagement. Passionate about sustainable engineering and currently working towards IMechE chartership.
Overview
9
9
years of professional experience
Work History
Mechanical Design Engineer
Electra Commercial Vehicles
09.2024 - Current
- Designed and released detailed CAD assemblies and 2D manufacturing drawings in SolidEdge, compliant with BS/ISO standards.
- Conducted CFD analysis using ANSYS Fluent to assess airflow and thermal behaviour, enabling faster design decisions and reducing development lead time by replacing early-stage physical testing.
- Used simulation results to validate and support numerical calculations, improving confidence in design robustness.
- Improved metalwork and structural component designs to enhance durability, reliability, and performance in high-load, high-vibration operating environments.
- Collaborated closely with electrical, chassis, battery, and thermal teams to optimise packaging, weight distribution, and thermal performance.
- Participated in DFMEA sessions, DVP&R creation, and prototype build phases, supporting design validation and issue resolution.
- Liaised with suppliers on custom components, tolerancing strategies, and manufacturability considerations.
- Applied DFM/DFA principles to ensure designs were production-ready and cost-effective.
Design Engineer (Placement Year)
TecnAir
09.2021 - 09.2022
- Managed complete design lifecycle for pneumatic valves and actuator components across diverse applications.
- Developed designs with Autodesk Inventor, utilizing Autodesk Vault for structured data and revision control.
- Achieved calibration accuracy of 97% through process improvements and quality controls.
- Collaborated with manufacturing teams to ensure design feasibility and production readiness.
R&D Team Member (Work Experience)
Cummins Turbo Technologies
07.2017 - 07.2017
- Enhanced test data collection efficiency by 30% and accelerated delivery speed by 50%.
- Conducted thorough tests on turbocharger systems, providing actionable insights for project success.
Education
MSc - Advanced Mechanical Engineering
University of Leeds
Leeds, LDS09.2024
BEng - Mechanical Engineering (with Industrial Placement)
University of Huddersfield
Huddersfield, KIR07.2023
Skills
- 3D CAD and detailing: SolidEdge, SolidWorks, Inventor, AutoCAD
- Geometric dimensioning and tolerancing (GD&T)
- Tolerance analysis
- DFM/DFA design
- Prototype development
- Bill of materials (BOM) creation
- Design release processes
- CFD analysis
- Simulation analysis
- Design optimisation
- Cross-functional collaboration
- Project coordination expertise
- Problem-solving abilities
- Design optimisation
Projects
- Conducted a CFD-based aerodynamic investigation of C-D riblets in turbulent flow, using a Design of Experiments approach to assess geometric effects on drag and lift, with validated simulations indicating potential lift improvement in selected geometries.
- Designed and evaluated a Problem-Based Learning (PBL) engineering project for undergraduate students, bridging engineering theory and real-world practice through structured technical analysis and design activities.
Hobbies and Interests
- Automotive enthusiast with hands-on experience in vehicle maintenance and modifications.
- Football team captain, demonstrating leadership, organisation, and teamwork.
- Regular boxing and gym training, building physical resilience and mental discipline.
References
Available upon request.
Timeline
Mechanical Design Engineer
Electra Commercial Vehicles
09.2024 - Current
Design Engineer (Placement Year)
TecnAir
09.2021 - 09.2022
R&D Team Member (Work Experience)
Cummins Turbo Technologies
07.2017 - 07.2017
MSc - Advanced Mechanical Engineering
University of Leeds
BEng - Mechanical Engineering (with Industrial Placement)
University of Huddersfield