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Mechanical engineer: CV and cover letter examples

2 fully written cover letters, a ready CV with a placeholder portrait and practical tips – open the example and replace the details with yours.

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Cover letter examples

Each example is written for a different starting point. Borrow the structure, not the sentences – your own examples and numbers are what make a letter work.

1Graduate with an industry dissertationEntry level

Lina Carter
40 Jesmond Road
Newcastle NE2 1NL
030 23125 465 · lina.carter@example.com

Northern Gear Systems Ltd
Hansen
80 Riverside Way
Newcastle NE6 1BU

DD Month YYYY

Application for the position of Graduate design engineer (drivetrain)

Dear Mr Hansen,

my master’s dissertation, written with a wind turbine supplier, was a fatigue life calculation for a planetary gearbox under variable loads. The method I developed is now used by the team for two further product ranges.

I studied mechanical engineering with a focus on design and drivetrains, and I am confident with 3D CAD and finite element analysis. Your marine propulsion gearboxes are exactly the field I want to go deeper into.

Yours sincerely,

Lina Carter

Enclosures
CV
Degree certificate

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2Experienced special-purpose machine designerExperienced

Tom Ruddock
30 Kirkstall Road
Leeds LS3 1LH
0221 4710 539 · tom.ruddock@example.com

Precision Automation Ltd
Peters
10 Canal Road
Leeds LS12 2PL

DD Month YYYY

Application for the position of Senior design engineer

Dear Ms Peters,

forty special-purpose machines in eight years, from specification to customer acceptance: that is my record at a builder of assembly systems. I have learned that the best design is the one a fitter can build without asking a question.

I am an incorporated engineer, work daily with 3D CAD and data management, and for the last two years I have technically led a team of three designers. Your work for the medical sector, with its strict requirements, is what draws me.

Yours sincerely,

Tom Ruddock

Enclosures
CV
References

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All people, companies and contact details in the examples are fictional.

CV example

A complete CV for the role – with an illustrated placeholder instead of a photo.

Preview of the CV of Lina Carter in the Modern design
Read the CV as text

Lina Carter

MEng Mechanical Engineering

40 Jesmond Road, Newcastle NE2 1NL · 030 23125 465 · lina.carter@example.com

Placeholder portrait: replace it with your photo in the editor, or remove it.

Work experience

  • 03/2025 – 02/2026
    Dissertation placement
    Windtech Components, Blyth
    • Fatigue life calculation for a planetary gearbox
    • Method adopted for two further ranges
  • 2022 – 2024
    Summer placements, design office
    Tyne Cranes, Newcastle

Education

  • 2021 – 2026
    MEng Mechanical Engineering, First
    Newcastle University, Newcastle
    • Exchange semester in Aalborg, Denmark

Skills

3D CAD, FEA, Drivetrains, Fatigue analysis

Languages

English (Native), Danish (B1 – intermediate)

Interests

Sailing, climbing

Use this CV template

Good to know

Your application in three steps

  1. Add your own photo – or none

    The example uses an illustrated placeholder. Replace it under “Choose photo” in the editor, or remove it: in the UK, US and many other countries a CV photo is not expected.

  2. Replace the details

    Name, contact, jobs, skills: everything is filled in and can be overwritten field by field.

  3. Save as PDF

    The PDF is created in your browser. Nothing is uploaded, no account needed.

What employers look for

Mechanical engineers design, calculate, test and support products into production. Employers look at your field, projects, tools and industry knowledge. Describe a technical problem you solved and what came of it.

  • Degree in mechanical engineering or similar

  • CAD, calculation, simulation

  • Project experience

  • Clear technical communication

  • Working with production and sales

Tips for your application

Do

  • Name your field and projects with results.
  • List tools and methods you have used.
  • Connect to the company’s products.

Don’t

  • List software without projects.
  • Praise the company as an “innovation leader”.
  • Dwell on grades.
Typical interview questions

Prepare a short, honest example from your own work for each one.

  1. Explain your dissertation in three minutes.
  2. How do you handle a trade-off between cost and quality?
  3. How do you work with production?
  4. Which tools do you use?

Salary expectations

If the advert asks for your salary expectations, give an annual gross figure or a range you have researched – through pay scales, salary surveys from public sources or people who do the job. If it does not ask, leave pay out of the letter; it will come up in the interview.

Frequently asked questions
Do I need chartered status?

Not to start. Many engineers work towards chartered or incorporated status after graduating, often with employer support.

Should I put a photo on my CV?

It depends on the country. In the UK, Ireland and the US a photo is usually left out to avoid bias, and many employers prefer CVs without one. In Germany and some other countries it is common but optional. If you use one: recent, friendly, plain background, dressed as you would be on a good day at work.

Can I copy the example letters?

Yes, they are free to use. But recruiters read a lot of letters – one with your own examples, numbers and a real reason for choosing this employer will always do better. Use the examples as scaffolding and write the sentences yourself.

Is my data stored anywhere?

No. The CV and the letter are created in your browser. Nothing is stored unless you switch on “Save the draft” in the editor – and then only on your device.

Related jobs

Finish your application

Cover letter and CV as PDF, certificates added, all in one file – small enough for any job portal.