Machine Design Engineer

Job Title: Machine Design EngineerJob Description

The Machine Design Engineer designs and develops custom automated equipment, primarily for the automotive industry. This role uses FEA, GD&T, and 3D CAD tools to concept, design, and test complex machinery that integrates both mechanical and electrical components such as gearboxes, electric motors, and load cells. In addition to design work, the engineer supports manufacturing and machine assembly across multiple projects, ensuring timelines are met and design changes are implemented effectively while collaborating closely with customers and suppliers.

Responsibilities

• Concept, design, and develop custom automated equipment for automotive industry applications using 3D CAD, FEA, and GD&T.

• Collaborate with customers to understand project requirements and translate them into practical machine concepts and detailed designs.

• Design systems that incorporate mechanical and electrical components, including gearboxes, electric motors, load cells, hydraulics, and pneumatics.

• Perform analysis and validation of designs using FEA and GD&T to ensure performance, reliability, and manufacturability.

• Research, quote, and select appropriate components for automated equipment, balancing performance, cost, and availability.

• Create and maintain accurate engineering documentation, including bills of materials and design specifications, for each project.

• Support the manufacturing and assembly process by working closely with shop floor teams to monitor progress and address design-related issues.

• Visit the manufacturing floor daily to review build status, verify design intent, and make necessary design adjustments to keep projects on schedule.

• Coordinate with suppliers to evaluate component options and ensure that selected parts meet project requirements.

• Participate in project reviews and provide technical input to help ensure successful execution of automation projects.

• Contribute to continuous improvement of design standards, processes, and tools within the engineering team.

Essential Skills

• Bachelor of Science in Mechanical Engineering (BSME) with 3+ years of machine design experience, or 5–10 years of machine design experience without a degree.

• Hands-on experience in machine design for custom automation equipment.

• Proficiency with 3D CAD software such as SolidWorks or Inventor.

• Experience performing finite element analysis (FEA) on mechanical components and assemblies.

• Strong knowledge and practical application of geometric dimensioning and tolerancing (GD&T).

• Experience with hydraulics or pneumatics in machine and automation system design.

• Background in designing custom automation equipment for industrial applications, ideally including automotive.

• Ability to research, quote, and select mechanical and electrical components for automated equipment.

• Experience creating and managing bills of materials (BOM) for complex machinery.

• Ability to work on multiple projects simultaneously while maintaining quality and meeting timelines.

• Strong communication skills for interacting with customers, suppliers, and internal manufacturing teams.

Additional Skills & Qualifications

• Experience using SolidWorks for mechanical design and modeling.

• Background in automation equipment specifically for the automotive industry.

• Experience creating detailed and structured bills of materials for automated systems.

• Professional Engineer (PE) license in engineering is a plus.

• Master’s degree in engineering or a related field is a plus.

• Familiarity with electric motors, gearboxes, and load cells in automation applications.

• Comfort working in a fast-paced environment with a growing engineering team.

• Interest in overseeing projects from concept through manufacturing and assembly.

Work Environment

This is an onsite role that primarily involves working at a computer to perform design and engineering tasks using 3D CAD and analysis tools. The position requires daily visits to the manufacturing floor to review the build process, verify that equipment is being assembled according to design, and collaborate with production staff to resolve issues. The environment combines office-based engineering work with hands-on interaction in a shop or production setting, offering close involvement in the full lifecycle of custom automated equipment for the automotive industry.

Job Type & Location

This is a Contract to Hire position based out of Grand Rapids, MI.

Pay and Benefits

The pay range for this position is $43.00 - $50.00/hr.

Individual compensation offered for this position within this range will depend on many factors, including qualifications, skills, relevant experience, job knowledge, geographic location, internal equity, and other pertinent job-related factors.

Eligibility requirements apply to some benefits and may depend on your job classification and length of employment. Benefits are subject to change and may be subject to specific elections, plan, or program terms. If eligible, the benefits available for this temporary role may include the following: • Medical, dental & vision • Critical Illness, Accident, and Hospital • 401(k) Retirement Plan – Pre-tax and Roth post-tax contributions available • Life Insurance (Voluntary Life & AD&D for the employee and dependents) • Short and long-term disability • Health Spending Account (HSA) • Transportation benefits • Employee Assistance Program • Time Off/Leave (PTO, Vacation or Sick Leave)

Workplace Type

This is a fully onsite position in Grand Rapids,MI.

Application Deadline

This position is anticipated to close on Sep 10, 2026.

About Actalent

Actalent is a global leader in engineering and sciences services and talent solutions. We help visionary companies advance their engineering and science initiatives through access to specialized experts who drive scale, innovation and speed to market. With a network of almost 20,000 consultants and 5,000 clients across the U.S., Canada, Asia and Europe, Actalent serves many of the Fortune 500. We are proud to be an Engineering News-Record (ENR) Top 500 Design Firm for our engineering design services and a ClearlyRated Best of Staffing® winner for both client and talent service.

The company is an equal opportunity employer and will consider all applications without regard to race, sex, age, color, religion, national origin, veteran status, disability, sexual orientation, gender identity, genetic information or any characteristic protected by law.

If you would like to request a reasonable accommodation, such as the modification or adjustment of the job application process or interviewing process due to a disability, please email View email address on click.appcast.io for other accommodation options.

San Francisco Fair Chance Ordinance: Pursuant to the San Francisco Fair Chance Ordinance, for all positions located in the city and county of San Francisco, we will consider for employment qualified applicants with arrest and conviction records.

Massachusetts Lie Detector: It is unlawful in Massachusetts to require or administer a lie detector test as a condition of employment or continued employment. An employer who violates this law shall be subject to criminal penalties and civil liability.

Use of Artificial Intelligence (AI): We may use Artificial Intelligence (AI) to support parts of our hiring process, including sourcing, screening, and evaluating candidates. AI helps assess applications and qualifications, but final decisions are made by our hiring team. By applying, you acknowledge and agree that your application may be reviewed using AI tools.