Assembly Engineer

Actalent; Birmingham (AL); On-site; USD 114,616,000 - 143,270,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Medical, dental & vision

401(k) retirement plan

Life Insurance

Paid time off

Job summary

Actalent in Birmingham, AL seeks an Assembly Engineer to design and modify assembly equipment, support installation, and ensure Safe, reliable operation to meet production targets.

You will perform FMEA and downtime analyses, lead root-cause investigations, and collaborate with engineering, production, and maintenance teams. Domestic and international travel may be required.

Qualifications

• Four-year engineering degree in Mechanical or Electrical Engineering or equivalent experience.
• Experience identifying and resolving equipment issues and downtime.
• Hands-on engineering experience in manufacturing or assembly environments.
• Experience with RCA, FMEA, and downtime analysis to improve reliability.
• Proficiency with SolidWorks and AutoCAD for equipment design.

Responsibilities

• Create and modify equipment designs to improve efficiency and manufacturability.
• Supervise installation and modification of equipment, including calibration and testing.
• Support installation through troubleshooting and downtime analysis.
• Lead root-cause failure analysis and implement countermeasures.
• Interpret equipment data to optimize performance and reduce downtime.
• Plan and manage equipment-related investment projects.

Skills

Mechanical design

Root cause analysis

FMEA

Downtime analysis

CMMS experience

Cross-functional collaboration

Travel willingness

Education

Bachelor's degree in Mechanical or Electrical Engineering

Tools

SolidWorks

AutoCAD

PLC controls

Job description

Job Title: Assembly Engineer

Job Description

The Equipment Engineer designs new equipment and modifies existing machinery to improve efficiency, performance, and reliability while balancing cost, materials, and manufacturing constraints. In this role, you support the installation of new assembly equipment, troubleshoot issues, perform downtime analysis, and ensure that equipment operates safely and consistently within production requirements.

Responsibilities

• Create and modify equipment designs to improve efficiency, performance, reliability, and manufacturability while considering cost, materials, and production constraints.
• Supervise the installation and modification of equipment, ensuring proper setup, calibration, and testing prior to operational use.
• Support installation of new assembly equipment by troubleshooting issues, performing downtime analysis, and implementing corrective actions.
• Conduct virtual builds and perform equipment checks during the development of new models to validate design and functionality.
• Lead diagnosis of equipment issues, perform root cause failure analysis, and develop effective countermeasures to prevent recurrence.
• Examine and interpret equipment and production data to identify patterns, optimize performance, and reduce downtime.
• Manage equipment-related projects and design modifications to sustain and improve production capacity.
• Communicate regularly with colleagues, leadership, and cross-functional departments to provide updates on equipment status, maintenance needs, and production issues.
• Lead the identification and resolution of equipment malfunctions, coordinate and conduct preventative maintenance, and supervise repair processes to minimize operational downtime.
• Ensure all equipment complies with applicable safety regulations and internal quality standards.
• Plan and manage equipment-related investment projects, including development, design, specification, and installation.
• Apply failure mode and effects analysis (FMEA) and downtime analysis techniques to improve equipment reliability and maintain production continuity.

Essential Skills

• Four-year engineering degree in Mechanical Engineering (ME) or Electrical Engineering (EE), or equivalent experience.
• 06 years of engineering experience, depending on education.
• Mechanical engineering background with strong understanding of equipment design and operation.
• Experience identifying and resolving equipment issues and CBU-related issues in a timely manner.
• Hands‑on experience with equipment engineering in a manufacturing or assembly environment.
• Proficiency with mechanical and electrical engineering concepts, including root cause failure analysis (RCA).
• Experience with downtime analysis and FMEA to improve equipment reliability.
• Knowledge of assembly equipment and its operational requirements.
• Strong analytical skills with the ability to interpret data and develop effective countermeasures.
• Demonstrated leadership skills in guiding projects, maintenance activities, or troubleshooting efforts.
• Prior experience using a computerized maintenance management system (CMMS).
• Ability to support all shifts and operations, including weekends and holidays, as needed.
• Ability to travel unassisted domestically and internationally based on business needs.

Additional Skills & Qualifications

• Proficiency with SolidWorks for mechanical design and equipment modeling.
• Experience with AutoCAD for equipment layouts and technical drawings.
• background in electrical engineering, including familiarity with PLCs and industrial controls.
• Exposure to robotics and automation in a manufacturing environment.
• Experience in manufacturing engineering and support of production processes.
• Project management skills, including planning, coordination, and execution of equipment-related projects.
• Ability to perform detailed data analysis and lead countermeasure activities to address performance gaps.
• Strong communication and collaboration skills for working with cross‑functional teams in engineering, production, and maintenance.
• Ability to conduct virtual builds and equipment checks during new model development.

Work Environment

This role operates in both office and production areas within a manufacturing environment. You work closely with assembly equipment, production lines, and related mechanical and electrical systems. The position may require supporting all shifts and operations, including weekends and holidays, to meet production and project needs. You must be able to travel unassisted domestically and internationally as business needs dictate. The environment combines desk‑based engineering work, such as design and data analysis, with hands‑on activities on the production floor, including equipment installation, testing, troubleshooting, and maintenance coordination.

Job Type & Location

This is a Contract position based out of Birmingham, AL.

Pay and Benefits

The pay range for this position is $40.00 - $50.00/hr.

Individual compensation offered for this position within this range will depend on many factors, including qualifications, skills, relevant experience, job knowledge, geographic location, internal equity, and other pertinent job‑related factors.

Eligibility requirements apply to some benefits and may depend on your job classification and length of employment. Benefits are subject to change and may be subject to specific elections, plan, or program terms.

• Medical, dental & vision
• Critical Illness, Accident, and Hospital
• 401(k) Retirement Plan Pre‑tax and Roth post‑tax contributions available
• Life Insurance (Voluntary Life & AD&D for the employee and dependents)
• Short and long‑term disability
• Health Spending Account (HSA)
• Transportation benefits
• Employee Assistance Program
• Time Off/Leave (PTO, Vacation or Sick Leave)

Workplace Type

This is a fully onsite position in Birmingham,AL.

Application Deadline

This position is anticipated to close on Oct 9, 2026.

About Actalent

Actalent is a global leader in engineering and sciences services and talent solutions. We help visionary companies advance their engineering and science initiatives through access to specialized experts who drive scale, innovation and speed to market. With a network of almost 20,000 consultants and 5,000 clients across the U.S., Canada, Asia and Europe, Actalent serves many of the Fortune 500. We are proud to be an Engineering News-Record (ENR) Top 500 Design Firm for our engineering design services and a ClearlyRated Best of Staffing® winner for both client and talent service.

The company is an equal opportunity employer and will consider all applications without regard to race, sex, age, color, religion, national origin, veteran status, disability, sexual orientation, gender identity, genetic information or any characteristic protected by law.

If you would like to request a reasonable accommodation, such as the modification or adjustment of the job application process or interviewing process due to a disability, please email [e-mail] for other accommodation options.

San Francisco Fair Chance Ordinance: Pursuant to the San Francisco Fair Chance Ordinance, for all positions located in the city and county of San Francisco, we will consider for employment qualified applicants with arrest and conviction records.

Massachusetts Lie Detector: It is unlawful in Massachusetts to require or administer a lie detector test as a condition of employment or continued employment. An employer who violates this law shall be subject to criminal penalties and civil liability.

Use of Artificial Intelligence (AI): We may use Artificial Intelligence (AI) to support parts of our hiring process, including sourcing, screening, and evaluating candidates. AI helps assess applications and qualifications, but final decisions are made by our hiring team. By applying, you acknowledge and agree that your application may be reviewed using AI tools.