Senior Mechanical Project Engineer

Senior Mechanical Engineer

Location: Graniteville, SC

Salary: $100,000–$130,000/year

Additional Compensation: 10% annual target variable compensation

Work Environment: Heavy Industrial Manufacturing | Primarily Onsite

Work Authorization: U.S. Citizens and Green Card holders are eligible

About the Role

We are seeking an experienced Senior Mechanical Engineer to provide mechanical engineering expertise, lead capital projects, and support continuous improvement initiatives within a heavy industrial manufacturing environment.

This role is highly hands-on, with approximately 80% of the time spent on the production floor, 10% on engineering/design work, and 10% in meetings. The position involves working around high temperatures, high noise levels, moving equipment, and heavy machinery.

Key Responsibilities

• Provide mechanical engineering expertise across assigned plant areas.
• Lead continuous improvement and corrective action projects.
• Provide technical support to internal teams and plant operations.
• Manage mechanical capital projects ranging from $50K to $5M.
• Lead projects involving new machine installations, equipment upgrades, and process improvements.
• Analyze project requirements and resolve design and engineering challenges.
• Manage project schedules, budgets, quality, and execution.
• Coordinate internal teams, vendors, and external contractors.
• Serve as the mechanical lead throughout the project lifecycle, including design, fabrication, installation, testing/FAT, commissioning, start-up, and operational support.
• Develop and manage engineering drawings using AutoCAD Mechanical, Autodesk Inventor, and Autodesk Vault.
• Create and finalize designs based on project scope, safety requirements, and operational needs.
• Develop and manage Bills of Materials (BOMs) and spare-parts requirements.
• Conduct equipment and project risk assessments.
• Implement appropriate safety countermeasures.
• Work closely with vendors and contractors to ensure successful equipment installation and commissioning.
• Monitor existing systems, processes, and technologies and recommend improvements to enhance quality, efficiency, and reliability.
• Ensure compliance with applicable safety standards and legal requirements.

Required Qualifications & Experience

• Bachelor's degree in Mechanical Engineering or a related engineering discipline.
• Strong experience in heavy industrial plant engineering or manufacturing.
• Experience managing capital projects up to $5M.
• Hands-on experience with Autodesk Inventor 3D modeling.
• Experience with Autodesk Vault for engineering data management.
• Experience with Machine FAT (Factory Acceptance Testing).
• Strong machine start-up and commissioning experience.
• Experience with Bill of Materials (BOM) management.
• Experience conducting equipment/project risk assessments.
• Experience managing external contractors and vendors.
• Strong mechanical design, project management, and troubleshooting skills.

Preferred Background

• Industrial manufacturing or heavy industrial plant experience.
• Experience leading equipment installation and upgrade projects.
• Experience working directly with production and maintenance teams.
• Strong understanding of industrial machinery, safety requirements, and engineering standards.

Work Environment

This is a hands-on plant-based engineering role. Approximately 80% of the position is spent on the production floor, where employees may encounter high temperatures, high noise levels, moving equipment, and heavy machinery. Appropriate safety equipment, including hearing protection, is required.