What are the responsibilities and job description for the Senior Mechanical Engineer position at Kirk-Rudy, Inc.?
Job Title: Senior Mechanical Engineer
Company: Kirk-Rudy Inc.
About Kirk Rudy Inc.:
Kirk-Rudy, Inc. Is a global leader in innovative machinery solutions for material handling, printing, mail, and packaging automation. With a commitment to excellence and customer satisfaction, Kirk-Rudy has led the industry for over five decades, delivering cutting-edge technology and unparalleled service to clients worldwide.
Position Overview:
As a Senior Mechanical Engineer at Kirk-Rudy, you will serve as a technical leader responsible for guiding the design, development, and lifecycle support of automated systems and equipment. You will lead cross-functional collaborations across engineering, manufacturing, and service teams to drive continuous improvement, resolve complex technical challenges, and ensure the delivery of high-quality solutions that exceed customer expectations. This role requires strategic problem-solving, effective prioritization across multiple concurrent projects, and a high level of self-direction. You will be expected to mentor others, influence technical direction, and champion innovation, efficiency, and best practices throughout the organization.
Primary Responsibilities:
- Mechanical Design and Development: Lead cross-functional collaboration with Engineering and Production teams to optimize mechanical designs and assembly workflows. Drive initiatives that improve efficiency, quality, and cost effectiveness by setting technical direction and aligning design intent with manufacturing capabilities. Proactively identify opportunities for process improvement, waste reduction, and standardization to increase productivity, shorten cycle times, and support scalable operations.
- CAD Design and Documentation: Own and oversee the development and maintenance of complex mechanical designs using CAD and PLM tools (Creo, Windchill, etc.), ensuring strict adherence to Kirk-Rudy design standards. Establish and enforce best practices for documentation, configuration control, and data organization to support design reuse, knowledge retention, and long-term product scalability.
- Technical Support & Troubleshooting: Serve as a senior technical authority providing expert support to Manufacturing, Service, and Sales teams, and engaging directly with customers when required. Lead the diagnosis of complex mechanical issues, drive root-cause analysis, and implement timely, robust corrective actions. Use insights gained from field and production issues to influence design improvements, strengthen processes, and reduce future risk.
Additional Responsibilities:
- Cross-functional Collaboration: Lead cross-disciplinary collaboration with Electrical Engineers, Software Engineers, and key stakeholders to define and deliver fully integrated system-level design solutions. Drive alignment across mechanical, electrical, and software domains to optimize overall performance, reliability, and cost effectiveness, while balancing technical tradeoffs and long-term product strategy.
- Continuous Improvement: Actively lead and contribute to design reviews, project reviews, and continuous improvement initiatives to elevate product quality, operational efficiency, and innovation. Bring a forward-looking perspective by monitoring industry trends, emerging technologies, and relevant regulatory developments, and translating this knowledge into actionable improvements that strengthen Kirk-Rudy’s competitive position.
- Bill of Materials: Own the development and ongoing integrity of bills of materials for assemblies and machines, providing clear technical leadership over component structures and routings within the ERP system. Ensure data accuracy and configuration discipline to support manufacturing execution, cost control, and scalable production.
Qualifications
- 5-10 years or more experience in Mechanical Engineering and Machine Design, particularly with automated systems such as conveyors, feeders, stackers, packaging equipment, etc.
- Expertise in CAD software. Experience with CREO, Windchill, and CREO sheet metal or other comparable CAD modeling software
- Experience in Project Management and Research and Development (R&D)
- Excellent problem-solving, advance analytical and critical thinking skills
- Ability to guide, motivate, and provide technical direction to others
- Organizational, time management, and prioritization skills a must
- Bachelor’s degree in mechanical engineering or a related field from an ABET accredited program
- Experience in the printing or packaging industry is a plus
- Additional skills such as 3D printing, CNC programming, laser layout, and waterjet technology are beneficial
- Experience creating and managing Standard Operating Procedures (SOP’s)
- Familiarity with CRM systems and CAD data flow
- Proficiency in designing Excel algorithms
What Kirk-Rudy Offers:
- Competitive salary and comprehensive benefits package.
- A leadership role within a dynamic, innovative environment that values forward-thinking and problem-solving.
- Opportunities for personal and professional growth.
- The chance to work at the forefront of automation technology with a company that is a leader in its industry and committed to the latest technologies and highest standards.