Joseph Bell (4 May 1861 – 15 April 1912) was a British engineer who served as chief engineer of the RMS Titanic during the ship's ill-fated maiden voyage. All the engineers died in the sinking; his body, if recovered, has never been identified.

Joseph Bell was born in May 1861 in Farlam, Cumberland. He was the first son of John Bell Sr. and Margaret Watson, both agricultural entrepreneurs. He had three siblings: Jane (born 1864), Richard (1865) and John Jr. (1868). His mother, Margaret, died shortly after giving birth to her last child.

After the death of his mother, he moved with his father and brothers to Carlisle, in Eden Town, Stanwix. There, he and his siblings attended a boarding school in Earl Street. In 1876, after leaving Stanwix, Bell moved to Newcastle upon Tyne, serving his engineering apprenticeship as an engine fitter at the Tyneside works of Robert Stephenson and Company.

In 1885, Bell was hired by the White Star Line and worked in the engineering department of many ships carrying cargo and passengers to New Zealand and the United States. In 1889, he was appointed 3rd engineer of RMS Teutonic. The next year, he was appointed 2nd engineer of RMS Majestic. The year after that, he was promoted once again to chief mechanical engineer of SS Coptic.

Bell became one of the White Star Line's most trusted engineers and was sent to Belfast to oversee the construction and installation of the engines of a number of new White Star liners, including SS Laurentic and SS Megantic in 1908 and 1909. He subsequently took each of these liners out for their first few voyages, serving as Chief Engineer. During Olympic's building, Bell had remained in Belfast throughout the process, superintending construction, overseeing the installation of the ship's powerplant, and "making any suggestions which he thought would lead to improvements."

Bell served as Chief Engineer during the maiden voyage of RMS Olympic. He then returned to Belfast, and Robert Fleming, another White Star senior engineer, was promoted to chief engineer on Olympic.

Bell was present as the engines of RMS Titanic were constructed and assembled at the yard Engine Works. He formally signed on to the ship on 2 April, when the sea trials began. As Chief engineer, he was head of the engineering department which consisted of over 300 crewmembers including engineers, coal trimmers, greasers, and firemen. Assisting him was William Farquharson, the Senior Second Engineer.

Following a coal bunker fire in Boiler Room No. 5, extinguished on 13 April, Bell ordered Leading Fireman Frederick Barrett to arrange an inspection of the watertight bulkhead. While anchored in Queenstown, White Star Line Chairman J. Bruce Ismay called Bell to his cabin and discussed the matter of the ship's performance.