Mechanical Design Engineer

Job Title: Mechanical Design Engineer

Job Description

This role offers the opportunity to own the full lifecycle of custom industrial baking equipment, from initial concept and design through installation, commissioning, and customer training. As a Mechanical Design Engineer, you will blend mechanical design, project management, and field work to deliver innovative technical solutions for grain-based food production facilities. You will collaborate closely with customers to understand their process needs, translate those requirements into practical designs, and oversee successful implementation on site.

Responsibilities

• Collaborate directly with customers to understand their baking equipment needs and process requirements, and translate these into clear design concepts.
• Lead approximately 40% of your time on mechanical design, creating 3D models and detailed 2D drawings for custom industrial baking equipment.
• Use AutoCAD for 2D drawings, including P&ID diagrams and plant layout drawings, ensuring accuracy and alignment with customer specifications.
• Use 3D CAD tools (such as Autodesk Inventor) to develop and refine mechanical designs and assemblies for complex equipment.
• Manage projects from inception through completion, including quoting, component design, scheduling, and coordination of key milestones.
• Oversee purchasing activities for project components and parts, ensuring timely procurement and alignment with design requirements.
• Build and maintain strong customer relationships throughout the project lifecycle, serving as a primary point of contact for technical and project-related questions.
• Coordinate and manage vendors, ensuring their deliverables meet technical specifications, quality standards, and project timelines.
• Lead and manage the overall project process, including equipment redesign when necessary to meet evolving customer or process needs.
• Coordinate and oversee the work of individuals responsible for installing and commissioning the equipment at customer sites.
• Travel to customer facilities (approximately 20% of the time) to support equipment installation, troubleshooting, commissioning, and follow-up activities.
• Provide on-site training and support to customer personnel on the operation and maintenance of the installed equipment.
• Apply understanding of motor drives, shafts, and mechanical power transmission to ensure robust, reliable equipment performance.
• Contribute to continuous improvement of design standards, project execution practices, and customer service based on field and project experience.
  
  

Essential Skills

• At least 1 full year of professional experience in a mechanical design engineering role, with 2–3 years preferred.
• Associates or technical degree in a relevant field; a Bachelor of Science in Mechanical Engineering (BSME) is preferred.
• Proficiency in AutoCAD for 2D and 3D CAD design, including the creation of detailed mechanical drawings.
• Experience with 3D mechanical design and modeling, such as using Autodesk Inventor or similar tools.
• Hands-on experience with machine design and equipment design in an industrial or manufacturing setting.
• Ability to create and interpret P&ID diagrams and plant layout drawings.
• Experience with project management tasks, including quoting, scheduling, purchasing, and customer communication.
• Understanding of how motor drives and shafts function within machinery and mechanical systems.
• Experience or familiarity with liquid handling systems involving water and edible oils, or comparable experience with piping systems, molten steel, or similar processes.
• Strong ability to manage multiple tasks across design, project management, and field work while maintaining attention to detail.
• Effective communication skills for interacting with customers, vendors, and internal teams.
  
  

Additional Skills & Qualifications

• Bachelor’s degree in Mechanical Engineering or a related four-year engineering discipline is strongly preferred.
• Experience with Autodesk Inventor or similar 3D CAD platforms is a significant plus.
• Background in plant layout design, including equipment placement and process flow optimization.
• Experience with piping design, fluid systems, or other liquid handling applications.
• Internship experience in mechanical design, equipment design, or related engineering roles may be considered in place of full-time experience.
• Demonstrated ability to manage projects from concept through commissioning, including vendor coordination and on-site activities.
• Comfort working in both office and field environments, including time at customer facilities for installation and troubleshooting.
• Ability to build long-term customer relationships through responsive communication and reliable follow-through.
  
  

Work Environment

You will work in a professional office environment with access to modern engineering tools and software, including AutoCAD for 2D and 3D design and Autodesk Inventor for 3D modeling. The role combines office-based design and project management work with approximately 20% travel to customer sites for installation, troubleshooting, and commissioning activities. On-site work will take place in industrial food production facilities, where you will collaborate with installation teams and customer personnel. The company operates as a smaller organization with a close-knit, family-oriented culture and a strong emphasis on collaboration and support. Team members enjoy a great work culture, comprehensive benefits, and performance-based annual bonuses. Once hired directly, engineers receive a salary with additional compensation for hours worked beyond 40 per week, and many team members significantly increase their annual earnings through uncapped overtime opportunities.

Job Type & Location

This is a Contract to Hire position based out of COLUMBUS, OH.

Pay And Benefits

The pay range for this position is $31.25 - $33.66/hr.

Requirements

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 COLUMBUS,OH.

Application Deadline

This position is anticipated to close on May 4, 2026.

Diversity, Equity & Inclusion

At Actalent, Diversity And Inclusion Are a Bridge Towards The Equity And Success Of Our People. DE&I Is Embedded Into Our Culture Through

• Hiring diverse talent
• Maintaining an inclusive environment through persistent self-reflection
• Building a culture of care, engagement, and recognition with clear outcomes
• Ensuring growth opportunities for our people
  
  

Actalent is an equal opportunity employer.

About Actalent

Actalent is a global leader in engineering and sciences services. For more than 40 years, we’ve helped visionary companies advance their goals. Headquartered in the United States, our teams span 150 offices across North America, EMEA, and APAC—with four delivery centers in India led by 1,000 extraordinary employees who connect their passion with purpose every day.

Our Bangalore, Hyderabad, Pune, and Chennai delivery centers are hubs of engineering expertise, with core capabilities in mechanical and electrical engineering, systems and software, and manufacturing engineering. Our teams deliver work across multiple industries including transportation, consumer and industrial products, and life sciences. We serve more than 4,500 clients, including many Fortune 500 brands. Learn more about how we can work together at actalentservices.com.