Mechanical Design Manager

Ruhlamat Group; Penang; On-site; MYR 180,000 - 240,000; Full time

Job summary

Ruhlamat Group seeks a proactive Mechanical Design Leader in Penang to manage and mentor a design team across multiple automation projects. You will drive conceptual studies, feasibility assessments and cost considerations while ensuring design quality and compliance with customer requirements.

The role covers end-to-end design execution, from 3D modelling and drawings to FAT, with close collaboration to Sales, PM and HQ. Strong English and Mandarin skills are a plus; travel may be required.

Qualifications

• Bachelor's degree in Mechanical Engineering, Mechatronics or related field.
• Minimum 8 years in industrial automation, customized equipment or machine design.
• At least 3 years in a team lead or managerial role.
• Strong experience across concept to FAT lifecycle.
• Proficient in 3D CAD and 2D drawing tools (SolidWorks / Inventor / AutoCAD).
• Good communication and stakeholder management; English required; Mandarin a plus.

Responsibilities

• Lead, coach and develop the mechanical design team with KPIs and performance reviews.
• Plan manpower and balance resources across projects by priority and schedule.
• Review and approve mechanical concepts, proposals and cost inputs before quotation.
• Own mechanical design plans, milestones, deliverables and resource allocation.
• Coordinate interfaces between mechanical, electrical, software, assembly and supply chain teams.
• Provide technical leadership during assembly, FAT, site installation and commissioning.

Skills

People leadership

Full lifecycle delivery

Project coordination

Stakeholder management

Strong English communication

Education

Bachelor's degree in Mechanical Engineering / Mechatronics

Tools

SolidWorks

Autodesk Inventor

AutoCAD

Job description

1. Mechanical Design Leadership & Team Management

• Lead, coach and develop the mechanical design team, including skills assessment, training and succession planning.
• Plan manpower, assign design work and balance resources across projects based on priority and schedule.
• Set clear goals and KPIs, conduct performance reviews and address capability or performance gaps.
• Build a collaborative, accountable and safety-focused engineering culture.
• Support recruitment and onboarding of mechanical design talent as the Malaysia operation grows.

2. Concept Design, Technical Proposal & Quotation Support

• Lead technical evaluation, concept development and feasibility studies for new automation projects.
• Work with Sales, Project Management and HQ to clarify customer specifications, cycle time, layout and technical risks.
• Review and approve mechanical concepts, technical proposals, design assumptions and cost inputs before quotation submission.
• Identify major technical, cost and schedule risks and define practical mitigation plans.

3. Project Design Planning & Execution

• Own the mechanical design plan, deliverables, milestones and resource allocation for assigned projects.
• Review and approve 3D designs, 2D drawings, BOMs, calculations, material selection and engineering changes.
• Ensure designs meet customer requirements, project budget, manufacturing capability and delivery schedule.
• Monitor design progress, resolve constraints and resolve critical risks early to Project Management and management.
• Ensure proper interface coordination between mechanical, electrical, software, assembly and supply chain teams.

4. Design Governance, Quality & Compliance

• Establish and maintain mechanical design standards, checklists, templates and approval workflows.
• Ensure designs follow company processes, internal procedures, safety requirements and customer standards.
• Chair concept, preliminary and detailed design reviews and ensure actions are closed on time.
• Control drawing release, revision, document version and engineering change processes.
• Drive design quality improvement by reviewing errors, rework, lessons learned and recurring technical issues.

5. Cross-Regional & Stakeholder Collaboration

• Act as the main mechanical design contact between the Malaysia team, HQ engineering and other regional teams.
• Align technical direction, design responsibilities, standards and project progress with HQ.
• Lead customer and supplier technical discussions when mechanical design decisions or escalations are required.
• Ensure effective knowledge transfer and localization of HQ designs for Malaysia manufacturing conditions and suppliers.

6. Assembly, Commissioning, FAT & Customer Support

• Provide technical leadership during assembly, debugging, commissioning, FAT and site installation.
• Lead root-cause analysis and corrective action for critical mechanical issues.
• Approve design modifications arising during project execution and ensure related documentation is updated.
• Review project technical summaries, lessons learned and improvement actions after FAT or project completion.
• Drive modular design, reusable standards, value engineering and design-for-manufacturing initiatives.
• Improve design efficiency, component standardization, quality, lead time and project cost.
• Develop and monitor department KPIs and implement corrective actions where performance is below target.
• Support supplier technical development and make-or-buy evaluations when required.

Job Requirements

• Bachelor's degree in Mechanical Engineering, Mechatronics or a related field.
• Minimum 8 years of relevant experience in industrial automation, customized equipment or machine design, including at least 3 years in a team lead or managerial role.
• Strong experience in full project lifecycle delivery, from concept design and quotation through detailed design, assembly, commissioning and FAT.
• Strong skills in 3D CAD and 2D drawing tools such as SolidWorks, Autodesk Inventor or AutoCAD.
• Strong knowledge of machine structures, motion systems, pneumatics, fixtures, tolerances, material selection and design for manufacturing and assembly.
• Able to review complex designs, identify technical risks and make sound engineering decisions.
• Able to lead engineers, manage multiple priorities and deliver projects on schedule and within budget.
• Good communication and stakeholder management skills. Good English is required; Mandarin is an advantage for coordination with headquarters.
• Able to travel locally and overseas when required.