Mechanical Design Leader

waterford executive; Lasalle; On-site; CAD 90,000 - 130,000; Full time

Job summary

Waterford Executive in Lasalle, ON is seeking a Mechanical Design Leader for an on-site role to guide a team of engineers and designers in tooling and automated equipment projects. You will oversee CAD modeling in NX, AutoCAD, Inventor, and related platforms, while estimating design hours and ensuring conformance to customer specs and internal quality standards.

You will drive the complete design lifecycle, coordinate FEA activities, manage releases, and collaborate with cross-functional teams.

Qualifications

• Minimum 8-10 years of progressive mechanical design experience in tooling, automation equipment, machine design, dies, hemming systems, or related manufacturing environments.
• 3+ years of leadership or supervisory experience, managing engineering and design teams.
• University degree or College diploma in Mechanical Engineering, Mechatronics or related engineering discipline.

Responsibilities

• Lead, mentor, and supervise a team of engineers and designers in CAD modeling using NX, AutoCAD, Inventor, and other platforms.
• Estimate design hours for tooling projects and engineering changes.
• Develop innovative solutions for tooling, dies, automation equipment, and mechanical systems.
• Coordinate structural and FEA activities to validate tool performance and durability.
• Manage the complete design lifecycle from concept to release, fabrication, and commissioning.
• Present designs in customer reviews and stage-gate processes to ensure requirements are met.
• Drive projects to completion while adhering to budgets and schedules.

Skills

Leadership

CAD Proficiency

Project Management

Customer Collaboration

Communication

Mentoring

Education

Bachelor's or higher in Mechanical Engineering or Mechatronics

Tools

Siemens NX

AutoCAD

Inventor

Job description

On behalf of our global client, we are actively recruiting for a Mechanical Design Leader to join their team. Location is Lasalle, ON and will be an ON-SITE position. There is opportunity to grow within this position, potentially leading to a managerial role.

Duties

• Lead, mentor, and supervise a team of engineers and designers in the development of CAD models in accordance with customer standards using NX, AutoCAD, Inventor, and other design platforms. Accurately estimate design hours for new tooling projects and engineering changes.
• Serve as a senior technical resource, leveraging extensive mechanical design expertise to develop innovative solutions for complex tooling, dies, automated equipment, and mechanical systems.
• Ensure all designs comply with customer specifications, engineering standards, and internal quality requirements to deliver robust and reliable products.
• Coordinate and oversee structural and finite element analysis (FEA) activities to validate tool functionality, performance, and durability.
• Manage the complete design lifecycle of assigned tooling projects, coordinating the development of CAD models and drawings through internal and external design resources.
• Participate in customer design reviews and stage-gate processes, presenting design concepts and ensuring all technical requirements are met throughout the project lifecycle.
• Drive projects to completion while maintaining strict adherence to budgets, schedules, and overall program objectives.
• Collaborate closely with customers and cross-functional teams to implement design improvements that enhance manufacturability, maintainability, serviceability, and overall product performance.
• Review and verify the completeness and accuracy of CAD models, assemblies, and detail drawings prior to release for purchasing, fabrication, and final data storage.
• Maintain expert knowledge of drawing release procedures and documentation systems, ensuring timely and accurate distribution of engineering deliverables to internal stakeholders, customers, suppliers, manufacturing, controls engineering, and field service personnel.
• Apply and promote Geometric Dimensioning and Tolerancing (GD&T) principles to support effective manufacturing, assembly, and quality control processes across automotive, aerospace, construction, and industrial applications.
• Support and contribute to continuous improvement initiatives through the application of FMEA, 8D problem-solving methodologies, structural analysis, and root cause investigation techniques. Drive corrective actions and design enhancements to improve product quality, performance, and process efficiency.

Qualifications

• Minimum 8-10 years of progressive mechanical design experience in tooling, automation equipment, machine design, dies, hemming systems, or related manufacturing environments.
• 3+ years of leadership or supervisory experience, managing engineering and design teams.
• Proven experience leading the complete design lifecycle, from concept development through design release, fabrication, assembly, and commissioning.
• Experience working directly with customers, including design reviews, project status meetings, engineering change management, and technical presentations.
• University degree or College diploma in Mechanical Engineering, Mechatronics or a related engineering discipline.
• Advanced training or certification in CAD design, project management, FMEA, Six Sigma, Lean Manufacturing, or Continuous Improvement methodologies is an asset.
• Knowledge of applicable engineering standards, customer specifications, and manufacturing best practices.

Skills

• Ability to lead, mentor and develop the team while fostering a collaborative high-performance work environment.
• Strong proficiency in Siemens NX, AutoCAD, Inventor and other CAD platforms.
• Ability to manage multiple projects simultaneously, prioritize workloads, allocate resources and deliver projects on time within budget.
• Excellent communication and relationship building skills with the ability to effectively collaborate with customers, suppliers and cross-functional teams.
• Work Authorization: Must be legally authorized to work in Canada.