Senior Mechanical Design Engineer

The Judge Group is seeking a Senior Mechanical Engineer for a growing manufacturer in the State College, Pennsylvania area. This is a hands-on technical leadership role designed for an experienced engineer who can make an immediate impact and develop into the department manager within approximately two years.

COMPENSATION: Up to $140,000 plus bonus

MUST HAVE: Bachelor’s degree in Mechanical Engineering or a closely related field; an equivalent combination of education and experience may be considered

MUST HAVE: 8 years of mechanical design experience with complex electromechanical products or equipment

MUST HAVE: Strong hands-on design leadership, 3D CAD proficiency, and the ability to mentor engineers and progress into department management

RESPONSIBILITIES:

- The Senior Mechanical Engineer will lead the design and development of complex electromechanical products from initial requirements through production release. This role combines hands-on engineering with project-level technical leadership, including design ownership, cross-functional coordination, mentoring, and continuous improvement. The ideal candidate is a strong mechanical designer who can deliver reliable, manufacturable products and grow into leadership of the mechanical engineering function within approximately two years.

- Lead the design and development of electro-mechanical components, assemblies, and integrated systems.

- Serve as the technical owner for mechanical design decisions, ensuring alignment with performance, reliability, and manufacturing requirements.

- Provide technical leadership and mentorship through design reviews, day-to-day collaboration, and establishing best practices across the team.

- Lead cross-functional collaboration with electrical, software, manufacturing, product line management, and quality teams to translate requirements into engineering solutions.

- Support and drive project execution, including task estimation, schedule development, and technical risk identification and mitigation.

- Deliver designs from concept through prototype, validation, and production release in alignment with established development and quality processes.

- Drive effective use of structural, thermal, and flow analysis (analytical and FEA) to enable data-driven design decisions, ensuring appropriate modeling, simulation, and validation methods are consistently applied across projects.

- Define and lead comprehensive verification and validation efforts, including functional, environmental, and performance testing.

- Perform root cause analysis and implement corrective/preventative actions for development, production, and field issues.

- Identify, assess, and drive mitigation of technical risks throughout the product lifecycle.

- Lead and direct prototype builds, including hands-on development, rapid prototyping, and coordination with internal and external resources. Guide prototype iteration strategy to ensure efficient learning cycles and convergence to production-ready designs.

- Lead sustaining engineering efforts, including issue resolution, design improvements, and cost reduction initiatives.

- Drive application of DFM, DFA, DFT, and DFR principles, and work closely with Manufacturing Engineering to ensure successful transition from prototype to production.

- Interface with suppliers and external partners to support component selection, fabrication, qualification, and production readiness.

- Author and review engineering drawings, models, specifications, and technical documentation to ensure alignment with internal standards, product requirements, and quality expectations.

- Drive consistency and standardization of engineering practices and outputs.

REQUIREMENTS:

- Bachelor’s degree in Mechanical Engineering or a related field; an equivalent combination of education and relevant experience may be considered.

- 8 years of progressive mechanical design experience involving complex electromechanical products, components, or equipment.

- Experience designing durable products for demanding operating conditions, including temperature, vibration, moisture, contamination, or other environmental factors.

- Experience working within structured product-development, documentation, quality, and validation processes is preferred.

- Experience gathering stakeholder requirements and translating them into practical, cost-effective engineering solutions is preferred.

- Proficiency with 3D CAD and mechanical drafting; experience with product lifecycle management systems is preferred.

- Hands-on prototyping and test experience, including familiarity with machine shop tools and rapid prototyping methods.

- Background in manufacturing techniques such as CNC machining, sheet metal, injection molding, and/or additive manufacturing.

- Strong understanding of mechanics, materials, heat transfer, fluid dynamics, and general engineering principles.

- Experience with design for reliability (DFR), design for manufacturability (DFM), and working knowledge of FEA tools.

- Ability to author clear technical specifications, requirements, and test plans, and to review/approve engineering documentation.

- Excellent problem‑solving skills and the ability to work both independently and collaboratively.

- Strong communication and presentation skills, including comfort participating in technical design reviews.

BENEFITS:

- Comprehensive benefits package including medical, dental, and vision insurance; paid vacation, sick leave, and holidays; 401(k) with company match; life and disability insurance; flexible spending accounts; and educational assistance.

#JDP