Senior Mechanical Designer

Job Description

Job Description

SUMMARY

We are seeking a hands-on Senior Mechanical Designer to combine mechanical design expertise with project ownership, technical leadership, and customer collaboration to develop safe, reliable, and manufacturable equipment from concept through fabrication, testing, installation, and commissioning.

Reporting to the Director of Equipment, this engineer will work closely with mechanical, electrical, controls, purchasing, fabrication, assembly, and field service teams. The ideal candidate brings strong engineering judgment, advanced CAD capabilities, and the ability to translate complex customer requirements into practical equipment solutions while managing scope, schedules, costs, and technical risks.

RESPONSIBILITIES

• Design and deliver custom mechanical equipment and integrated systems from initial concept through manufacturing, testing, installation, and commissioning.
• Develop equipment concepts, layouts, 3D models, and detailed fabrication and assembly drawings using SolidWorks, Inventor, or equivalent CAD software.
• Perform and document engineering calculations for structural loading, shafts, drives, conveyance systems, lifting mechanisms, thermal systems, and fluid-handling systems.
• Select and size mechanical components, including motors, gear reducers, bearings, pumps, fans, cylinders, valves, heaters, and related equipment.
• Develop and maintain accurate bills of material, specifications, drawing packages, design revisions, and engineering change documentation.
• Manage assigned project scope, engineering hours, schedules, budgets, milestones, and deliverables; identify technical risks and communicate changes or resource needs.
• Lead and participate in concept, design, and release reviews; verify calculations, component selections, drawings, and mechanical interfaces before manufacturing release.
• Ensure equipment designs meet customer requirements, applicable codes and standards, machine safety expectations, and performance, reliability, serviceability, and cost objectives.
• Apply design-for-manufacturing principles to weldments, sheet metal, machined components, material selection, tolerances, and assembly access.
• Coordinate technical interfaces across engineering, controls, purchasing, fabrication, assembly, and field service; resolve issues during equipment build and testing.
• Develop functional descriptions and sequences of operation to support controls engineering, equipment sequencing, and automation integration.
• Serve as a technical contact for customers and suppliers, clarifying requirements and communicating project status, design decisions, risks, and corrective actions.
• Lead equipment testing, troubleshooting, root-cause analysis, and technical support for installation, startup, commissioning, and field concerns.
• Provide technical guidance and mentorship to engineers, designers, drafters, technicians, and assembly personnel.
• Support sales and applications engineering through concept development, estimating, technical proposals, and scope clarification.
• Improve engineering standards, design checklists, calculation methods, documentation, and release practices; contribute to reusable designs and equipment standardization.

REQUIREMENTS

• Bachelor's or associate degree in mechanical engineering, engineering technology, mechanical design, or a related field; equivalent relevant experience will be considered.
• 6–15 years of engineering experience related to the design and manufacture of custom industrial equipment, machinery, automation, conveyance systems, or industrial process equipment.
• Demonstrated experience owning mechanical designs and coordinating equipment projects through multiple stages of the project lifecycle.
• Proficiency with SolidWorks, Inventor, or equivalent 3D CAD software, including large assemblies, configurations, weldments, sheet metal, and detailed manufacturing drawings.
• Strong understanding of dimensioning, tolerancing, GD&T, bills of material, drawing release, and engineering change practices.
• Strong analytical skills in mechanical, structural, thermal, and fluid systems, including engineering calculations and component sizing.
• Experience with drive systems, motion control, hydraulics, pneumatics, thermal equipment, and fluid-handling systems.
• Working knowledge of fabrication, welding, machining, materials, and assembly methods, with the ability to translate concepts into manufacturable designs.
• Understanding of controls integration, sequence-of-operation development, equipment risk assessment, and machine safety principles.
• Ability to lead design reviews, make sound technical decisions, troubleshoot complex equipment issues, and guide cross-functional teams.
• Strong customer communication, collaboration, organization, prioritization, and problem-solving skills.
• Ability to manage multiple priorities independently while maintaining accountability for quality, cost, and delivery.
• Ability to travel approximately 10–15%, including occasional travel, to support customer meetings.