Job Description

Our award-winning client is seeking an Mechanical Design Engineer to join their team.This Mechanical Design Engineer - Fluid Power role is responsible for the design and validation of complex hydraulic equipment, encompassing both new designs to meet evolving business needs and redesigns of existing equipment to enhance reliability, safety, and quality. This position requires a deep understanding of fluid power systems and the ability to apply engineering principles to create robust and efficient designs. The engineer will work across multiple plant locations, providing expertise in hydraulic and mechanical design, troubleshooting, and project management.

Responsibilities:

• Mechanical/Hydraulic Design:
• Determine form, fit, function, and specifications of hydraulic and mechanical equipment and components for various applications (presses, mobile equipment, heat treat equipment, machine tools, etc.).
• Research and develop new processes and equipment.
• Design fluid power circuits (logic, system control, and hydraulic schematics).
• Create hydraulic and mechanical layouts of systems and components using SolidWorks (part and assembly modeling).
• Design and/or select fluid power components (hydraulic power units, manifolds, valving, piping, actuators, etc.).
• Calculate equipment operating loads (hand calculations, spreadsheets, and measurement systems & tools).
• Size fluid power systems and components for safety and reliability through comprehensive analysis (hand calculations, spreadsheets, and Finite Element Analysis).
• Select appropriate materials for designed components, specifying manufacturing processes and mechanical properties.
• Detail all component and assembly drawings for manufacturing, including tolerances, fits, dimensional analysis, and GD&T.
• Assist with quoting and procurement of components, preparing necessary documentation for manufacturing/assembly (bills of materials, hardware lists, budgets, costing, ROI, contract review, etc.).
• Manage projects, providing instruction to outside contractors/vendors and internal personnel for timely assembly of hydraulic and mechanical designs.
• Instruct production personnel on proper equipment usage and develop/instruct proper maintenance practices.
• Troubleshoot complex fluid power and control systems.
• Reverse engineer existing hydraulic/mechanical components, analyzing failure modes, accurately measuring components, redesigning (if necessary), and creating blueprints.
• Oversee the startup of new and updated equipment.
• Provide hydraulic and mechanical design and reliability support for equipment across multiple plant locations (including joint venture plants).
• Ensure designs meet or exceed relevant codes, performing analysis, validation, and due diligence to prioritize plant and personnel safety.
• Provide off-shift support to production and technical personnel.

Required Qualifications:

• BS in Mechanical Engineering.
• 1-3 years of specialized experience in Fluid Power Systems.
• Knowledge of how hydraulic design/components impact machine control system performance.
• Hands-on individual with excellent troubleshooting skills.
• Strong mechanical aptitude and creativity.
• Proficient in blueprint reading, tolerances, material selection, and manufacturing processes.
• SolidWorks proficiency (solid modeling for parts, large assemblies, and drawings).
• Experience with Finite Element Analysis (structural linear FEA).
• Strong MS Office skills.
• Excellent communication skills, organization, and attention to detail.