Senior Mechanical Engineer

Job Title: Advanced Mechanical Engineer

Job Description

The Advanced Mechanical Engineer will lead the design and development of mechanical and electromechanical products and systems for the packaging equipment industry. This role combines hands-on mechanical design with supervisory responsibilities, including guiding engineering workloads, supporting manufacturing and assembly, and ensuring products meet performance, safety, and quality standards throughout the full product lifecycle.

Responsibilities

• Research, plan, and design mechanical and electromechanical products and systems for packaging equipment applications.
• Design new products and modify existing designs to meet customer, performance, and cost requirements.
• Provide guidance and technical support to manufacturing and assembly teams during initial new product builds.
• Direct activities related to fabrication, operation, application, installation, and repair of mechanical and electromechanical products and systems.
• Collaborate with management, production, and marketing teams to assess engineering feasibility, resource requirements, cost effectiveness, and market demand for new products.
• Support the development of owners manuals for new products and assist in the creation and maintenance of quality standards.
• Maintain a thorough working knowledge of relevant safety policies, regulations, and best practices, and ensure designs comply with these requirements.
• Allocate engineering workloads to appropriate resources to achieve production milestones and project deadlines.
• Mentor and support other engineers by providing technical leadership, feedback, and guidance throughout the design and release process.
• Apply lean manufacturing principles and cost-conscious design practices to improve efficiency and reduce product costs.
• Oversee design release to manufacturing, ensuring documentation, models, and drawings are complete, accurate, and aligned with OEM standards.

Essential Skills

• Strong experience in mechatronics, with the ability to integrate mechanical, electrical, and control systems in machine design.
• Experienced SolidWorks user with at least 3 years of experience specifically in machine design.
• Packaging equipment design experience, including at least 1 year of custom packaging equipment design.
• Proven ability to manage projects, work under defined timelines, and deliver engineering outputs on schedule.
• Experience designing OEM equipment, including familiarity with design standards, documentation, and release processes.
• Experience & understanding of lean manufacturing principles and their application in product and process design.
• Experience designing for cost, including the ability to make trade-offs that balance performance, manufacturability, and affordability.
• Demonstrated experience mentoring others or providing technical leadership within an engineering team.
• Proficiency in mechanical engineering and machine design, including structural, motion, and mechanism design for automated equipment.
• Ability to work hands-on throughout the product lifecycle, from concept through build, test, and support.

Additional Skills & Qualifications

• Automation experience, including exposure to automated machinery and integrated systems.
• Experience with packaging equipment and related mechanical and electromechanical systems.
• Familiarity with mechatronics concepts such as sensors, actuators, and control interfaces in machinery.
• Project management skills, including planning, prioritizing, and coordinating engineering tasks across multiple projects.
• Experience working with OEM equipment environments, including design release processes and collaboration with production teams.
• Understanding of lean manufacturing tools and methods to improve workflow, reduce waste, and enhance efficiency.
• Cost-conscious mindset, with the ability to identify opportunities for cost reduction without compromising quality or performance.
• Mentorship orientation, with a desire to support the growth and development of less experienced engineers.

Work Environment

The role is part of a smaller engineering team composed of four mechanical engineers and a director, providing a close-knit, collaborative environment with high visibility and impact. The majority of time will be spent in an office setting performing design tasks in SolidWorks and related engineering tools. The position also offers regular opportunities to be on the shop floor, interacting directly with builds, supporting assembly, and seeing designs through to physical realization. The work centers on highly engineered, custom packaging equipment, offering exposure to complex, hands-on projects and cross-functional collaboration with production and other departments throughout the entire product lifecycle.

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

The pay range for this position is $38.46 - $48.08/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)

This is a fully onsite position in Jackson,MI.

This position is anticipated to close on Oct 16, 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.