Design Engineer

Actalent; Gray (KY); On-site; USD 46,000 - 53,000; Full time

Job summary

Actalent in Gray, KY is seeking a Design Engineer to design, test, and refine mechanical components for the appliance industry. You will review project instructions, create and refine designs, and collaborate with internal teams and external vendors in a family-oriented environment.

The role is contract-to-hire, onsite in Gray, KY, with a pay range of $33.65–$38.46 per hour and opportunities for growth within a collaborative engineering team.

Qualifications

• Bachelor's degree or equivalent in engineering.
• Multiple years of hands-on design work in mechanical design.
• Experience with mechanical equipment in industrial/appliance environments.
• Team-oriented with family-focused culture.
• Willingness to learn and grow within the Design Engineer career path.
• Strong organizational skills to manage multiple tasks.

Responsibilities

• Review design requirements and specifications to understand design objectives.
• Conduct tests on units to evaluate performance and identify improvements.
• Investigate ways to enhance performance, reliability, and efficiency of mechanical components and equipment.
• Devise, fabricate, and assemble new or modified mechanical components to meet project needs.
• Analyze test results and prepare documentation and recommendations.
• Coordinate fabrication and assembly of prototypes to meet design specs.
• Discuss design changes with staff and vendors to ensure alignment.
• Collaborate with engineering, drafting, and production teams to support project success.

Skills

SolidWorks

AutoCAD

Mechanical design

Design verification

Vendor collaboration

Documentation

Education

Bachelor's degree in engineering

Tools

SolidWorks

AutoCAD

Job description

Job Description

This Design Engineer role focuses on designing, testing, and improving mechanical components and equipment within the appliance industry. You will review project instructions, create and refine mechanical designs, and collaborate closely with internal teams and external vendors. This position offers the opportunity to grow and develop as a Design Engineer while working in a supportive, family-oriented environment.

Job Title: Design Engineer

Job Description

This Design Engineer role focuses on designing, testing, and improving mechanical components and equipment within the appliance industry. You will review project instructions, create and refine mechanical designs, and collaborate closely with internal teams and external vendors. This position offers the opportunity to grow and develop as a Design Engineer while working in a supportive, family-oriented environment.

Responsibilities

• Review project instructions and specifications to understand design requirements and objectives.
• Conduct tests on units and components to evaluate performance and identify opportunities for improvement.
• Investigate and implement ways to enhance the performance, reliability, and efficiency of mechanical components and equipment.
• Devise, fabricate, and assemble new or modified mechanical components to meet project needs.
• Analyze test results of equipment and prepare clear documentation and recommendations based on findings.
• Identify necessary modifications to designs and plan the required fabrication, assembly, and testing activities.
• Coordinate and oversee the fabrication and assembly of prototypes or modified components to ensure they meet design specifications.
• Discuss design changes and technical issues with the rest of the staff to ensure alignment and effective implementation.
• Collaborate with cross-functional team members, including engineering, drafting, and production personnel, to support project success.
• Communicate with vendors to gather technical information, obtain assistance, and ensure components meet design and quality requirements.
• Maintain accurate design, drafting, and engineering documentation using relevant software tools.
• Support continuous improvement initiatives by suggesting design enhancements and process optimizations.

Essential Skills

• Proven experience in design engineering, with a focus on mechanical design and mechanical engineering.
• Strong proficiency in SolidWorks for 3D mechanical design and modeling.
• Experience with AutoCAD for drafting and engineering documentation.
• Ability to perform design, drafting, and engineering tasks related to mechanical equipment and components.
• Solid understanding of mechanical design principles, including materials, tolerances, and manufacturing methods.
• Ability to analyze test results and translate findings into actionable design improvements.
• Strong problem-solving skills with the ability to investigate and resolve design and performance issues.
• Effective communication skills to discuss design changes with staff and interact with vendors.
• Attention to detail in preparing and reviewing design documentation and test reports.

Additional Skills & Qualifications

• Bachelor's degree or equivalent in an engineering or technical discipline.
• Previous experience in a Design Engineering role, with multiple years of hands-on mechanical design work.
• Experience working with mechanical equipment in an industrial or appliance-related environment.
• Ability to collaborate in a team-oriented environment and contribute to a family-focused culture.
• Willingness to learn, develop, and grow within the Design Engineer career path.
• Strong organizational skills to manage multiple design and testing tasks simultaneously.

Work Environment

The work environment is laid back, relaxed, and family-oriented, fostering collaboration and support among team members. You will work primarily in an office setting, spending approximately 75% of the day at a computer screen using design and drafting tools such as SolidWorks and AutoCAD. This contract-to-hire position offers exposure to the appliance industry and provides opportunities for professional growth as part of a close-knit engineering team.

Job Type & Location

This is a Contract to Hire position based out of Gray, KY.

Pay And Benefits

The pay range for this position is $33.65 - $38.46/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. If eligible, the benefits available for this temporary role may include the following:

• 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 Gray,KY. Application Deadline This position is anticipated to close on Sep 4, 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