Mechanical Engineer I

Mechanical Engineer I

Join us as we empower the world to work out, creating healthier lives together. Are you a Mechanical Engineer, passionate about fitness, and looking to gain hands-on experience and grow your skills? Life Fitness / Hammer Strength is looking for a Mechanical Engineer I to join our team. You'll be part of a team responsible for the design, analysis, and release of components and assemblies used in industry-leading cardio and strength fitness equipment, from concept through production launch. The role is ideal for a candidate with strong CAD skills, particularly in SolidWorks, and a willingness to learn and grow in part design and product development. The engineer will also support existing products by assisting in resolving field, service, and manufacturing issues as needed. This is a hybrid role based out of either our manufacturing facility in Owatonna, MN, or the Nieto-Jones Innovation Center in Schaumburg, IL. M/F remote and T-Th are in-office collaboration days.

As a Mechanical Engineer at Life Fitness / Hammer Strength, you will:

• Design and develop components and assemblies using SolidWorks CAD software
• Create 3D models, detailed drawings, and engineering documentation for manufacturing
• Support product development activities, including concept generation, prototyping, and design validation
• Collaborate with cross-functional teams including Product Management, Manufacturing, Reliability, Purchasing, and suppliers
• Assist in developing product specifications, timelines, and test plans
• Support prototype builds, testing, and iterative design improvements
• Develop and release production Bills of Materials (BOMs)
• Help resolve design-related issues for existing products in manufacturing and the field
• Travel up to approximately 20% to support supplier visits, prototyping, and production activities
• Follow Mechanical Engineering procedures and contribute to continuous improvement efforts

What Life Fitness / Hammer Strength is looking for in our Mechanical Engineer:

• Bachelor's Degree in Mechanical Engineering or related field (or equivalent experience)
• 0–3 years of experience (entry-level candidates encouraged to apply)
• Strong proficiency in 3D CAD software (SolidWorks preferred)
• Understanding of 2D drawing creation and drafting standards
• Basic knowledge of Geometric Dimensioning and Tolerancing (GD&T)
• Knowledge of plastic part design, including; injection molding, Part design for manufacturability (DFM), draft, ribs, bosses, and wall thickness considerations
• Knowledge of metal part design, including; sheet metal, weldments, castings, machined components and aluminum extrusions
• Exposure to engineering analysis methods (FEA or hand calculations preferred)
• Strong willingness to learn and develop technical skills in product design and manufacturing
• Effective communication and collaboration skills
• Strong attention to detail and problem-solving capability

Preferred Skills (Not Required):

• Internship, co-op, or academic project experience involving CAD design
• Exposure to plastic component design or consumer product development
• Familiarity with PLM systems (e.g., Teamcenter)
• Hands-on experience with prototyping or fabrication
• Basic knowledge of Design for Six Sigma (DFSS) principles

At Life Fitness / Hammer Strength, we think customer first, play as one team, and raise the bar on fitness innovation—in the gym and in every corner of our facilities. We persevere and get it done, with a clear purpose to inspire each other to live healthier lives. If you're ready to bring out the best in people while powering the future of fitness manufacturing, we invite you to apply.

Life Fitness / Hammer Strength takes pride in our talented employees and believes in providing opportunities for further growth and advancement. We encourage you to test your strengths, push your limits, and unleash your potential.

Life Fitness / Hammer Strength is an equal opportunity employer. All qualified applicants are considered for employment without regard to race, color, religion, age, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, national origin, citizenship status, disability, protected veteran status, or any other category protected by applicable federal, state, or local laws.

There continues to be a significant increase in phishing attempts across all industries where fraudsters are impersonating real employees and sending fictitious job offers to applicants in a scheme to obtain sensitive information. Please note that Life Fitness/Hammer Strength will never ask for your financial information at any part of the interview process, and will only correspond through "@lifefitness.com" or "@indoorcycling.com" domain email addresses or "View email address on click.appcast.io" for U.S. opportunities.

Life Fitness / Hammer Strength has been inspiring the world to work out for more than 55 years. Every day, exercisers in more than 150 countries log in 1+ million workouts on the company's connected fitness equipment – proving daily that Life Fitness/Hammer Strength is the world's workout partner of choice. By seamlessly bringing innovative, high-performance and reliable equipment, wherever and whenever they work out, Life Fitness/Hammer Strength aims to inspire healthier lives.