Product Engineer

Electro-Mechanical Engineer

This role focuses on designing, integrating, and validating powered drive wheel assemblies and related electromechanical systems that are reliable, manufacturable, and high performing. You will contribute across the entire product development lifecycle, from initial concept and detailed engineering design through prototype build, testing, troubleshooting, validation, and transition to production. The position is ideal for a practical, hands-on engineer who enjoys moving between CAD design, laboratory testing, and the manufacturing floor, and who takes ownership of building and troubleshooting the systems they design.

Responsibilities:

• Design and develop powered drive wheel assemblies and related electromechanical systems that meet performance, reliability, and manufacturability requirements.
• Develop mechanical components and assemblies such as wheels, hubs, shafts, bearings, housings, and mounting systems.
• Select and integrate motors, motor controllers, encoders, sensors, and other electromechanical components into complete drive systems.
• Perform engineering calculations related to torque, speed, load capacity, traction, acceleration, duty cycle, thermal performance, efficiency, and service life.
• Create detailed 3D CAD models, assemblies, drawings, and specifications to support design, manufacturing, and quality activities.
• Apply GD&T and sound mechanical design practices to both new and existing products.
• Participate in design reviews, DFMEA, risk assessments, and design verification activities to ensure robust and reliable designs.
• Build and assemble prototype powered drive wheel systems and test fixtures to evaluate design concepts.
• Wire motors, controllers, sensors, encoders, switches, and other electrical components in prototype systems.
• Develop and modify prototype wiring harnesses and electrical connections to support testing and integration.
• Configure and integrate motor controllers and associated hardware to achieve desired system performance.
• Modify mechanical and electrical designs based on prototype performance, test results, and feedback from cross-functional partners.
• Collaborate closely with engineering technicians, machinists, fabricators, suppliers, and manufacturing personnel to build and refine prototypes.
• Develop and execute performance and durability testing for powered drive wheel systems.
• Test and evaluate traction, rolling resistance, load capacity, torque, speed, acceleration, duty cycle, temperature, wear, and durability.
• Develop test fixtures and instrumentation required to evaluate product performance accurately and repeatably.
• Collect, analyze, and document test data to support design decisions and validation activities.
• Establish test methods, acceptance criteria, and validation requirements for new products and design changes.
• Investigate failures, determine root causes, and document findings and corrective actions.
• Recommend and implement design improvements based on test results, field feedback, and validation outcomes.
• Support product qualification and production validation testing to ensure readiness for launch and ongoing production.
• Troubleshoot mechanical and electromechanical problems in prototype and production systems.
• Diagnose issues involving motors, controllers, sensors, encoders, wiring, connectors, bearings, wheels, and mechanical interfaces.
• Use electrical and mechanical test equipment to identify, isolate, and resolve system issues.
• Perform structured root-cause analysis and develop corrective actions to prevent recurrence.
• Support field and customer-related technical investigations when needed.
• Support the transition of new designs from prototype to production, ensuring a smooth handoff.
• Develop assembly procedures, work instructions, test procedures, and engineering documentation for production.
• Support DFM/DFA activities and identify opportunities to improve manufacturability, assembly, reliability, and cost.
• Work with manufacturing teams and suppliers to resolve design and production issues in a timely manner.
• Support development of production test equipment and end-of-line testing processes.
• Assist with supplier evaluation and technical development of motors, controllers, wheels, bearings, sensors, and other components.
• Contribute to new product induction and development efforts, helping to launch and ramp up a new product line.

Essential Skills:

• Bachelors degree in Mechanical Engineering, Electromechanical Engineering, or Mechatronics Engineering.
• Experience designing and developing mechanical and electromechanical products using SolidWorks.
• Strong mechanical engineering fundamentals, including stress, dynamics, materials, and kinematics.
• Ability to read and create mechanical drawings and electrical schematics.
• Hands-on experience building and troubleshooting prototypes using test equipment.
• Demonstrated problem-solving and root-cause analysis skills applied to mechanical and electromechanical systems.
• Experience working with motors, motor controllers, sensors, and encoders in integrated systems.
• Ability to perform engineering calculations related to torque, speed, load capacity, duty cycle, and thermal performance.
• Proficiency in developing detailed 3D CAD models, assemblies, and engineering documentation.
• Comfort working in both office and manufacturing environments, including hands-on work with hardware.

Additional Skills & Qualifications:

• Experience with motors, motor controllers, sensors, and encoders in product development and testing environments.
• Familiarity with GD&T and application of sound mechanical design practices.
• Exposure to DFMEA, risk assessments, and design verification processes.
• Experience collaborating with cross-functional teams including technicians, machinists, fabricators, and suppliers.
• Interest in new product induction and development, including ramping up new product lines.
• Motivation to continuously develop skills, including leveraging online learning platforms when available.

Work Environment:

The role is based in a fast-paced manufacturing environment focused on new product development and ramp-up of a new product line. You will work closely with a small, collaborative engineering team that includes another Product Engineer and two Engineering Technicians. The typical work week is 40 hours, with a standard schedule of approximately 8:00 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. Time is split between hands-on work in a manufacturing setting and desk-based activities such as CAD design, documentation, and data analysis, with a heavier emphasis on hands-on work with products and test setups. You will regularly interact with the manufacturing floor, laboratory-style test areas, and office spaces, using tools such as SolidWorks, mechanical and electrical test equipment, and production test fixtures. As a consultant in this role, you receive 10 days of paid time off and 6 standard holidays. After six months, you gain access to an online learning platform to further develop your technical and professional skills.

Job Type & Location:

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

Pay and Benefits:

The pay range for this position is $40.87 - $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)

Application Deadline:

This position is anticipated to close on Oct 29, 2026.

Workplace Type:

This is a fully onsite position in Saint Joseph, MI.

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