Engineering Machine Design Lead

Paper Machinery Corporation; Milwaukee (WI); On-site; USD 110,000 - 170,000; Full time

Job summary

Paper Machinery Corporation in Milwaukee, WI seeks a Machine Design Team Lead to drive the design, development, and validation of high-speed industrial machinery. You will lead cross-functional collaboration with Tooling, Controls, Operations, Sales, and Product Management to meet performance, quality, cost, and schedule goals.

The role emphasizes engineering rigor, mentorship of a small team, and hands-on use of CAD and FEA to deliver reliable, manufacturable solutions and continuous

Qualifications

• Bachelor's degree in mechanical engineering or related field.
• 5+ years in a design lead role for high-speed machinery in OEM/manufacturing environments.
• Strong proficiency with 3D CAD software (Inventor or SolidWorks).
• Experience performing and interpreting FEA analysis.
• Experience with design rigor, validation, testing, and documentation.
• Excellent analytical, communication, and project management skills.

Responsibilities

• Lead mechanical design and development of high-speed automated machinery from concept to production release.
• Establish engineering design standards, best practices, and design review processes.
• Ensure designs meet performance, reliability, safety, manufacturability, and cost objectives.
• Mentor and develop a small team to improve performance and growth.
• Apply analytical methods, calculations, simulations, and validation activities.
• Use FEA and other tools to validate designs and enhance performance.
• Develop design verification plans to ensure product requirements are met.
• Collaborate with operations to enable efficient manufacturing processes.
• Work with sales, engineering, and service teams for successful machine integration.
• Provide regular updates and technical recommendations to engineering leadership.
• Drive continuous improvement in processes, tools, and product performance.
• Set clear performance goals and conduct regular reviews.
• Foster a collaborative, accountable, results-driven team culture.

Skills

3D CAD

FEA

Design validation

Analytical skills

Communication

Project management

Education

Bachelor's degree in mechanical engineering

Tools

Inventor

SolidWorks

Job description

Job Overview:

The Machine Design Team Lead is responsible for leading the design, development, and validation of high-speed industrial machinery. This role combines technical leadership, people development, and cross-functional collaboration to deliver innovative, reliable, and manufacturable machine solutions. The Machine Design Team Lead partners closely with the Tooling and Controls Leads, Operations, Sales, and Product Management to ensure projects meet performance, quality, cost, and schedule objectives while maintaining rigorous engineering standards.

Key Responsibilities:

• Lead the mechanical design and development of high-speed automated machinery from concept through production release.
• Establish and maintain engineering design standards, best practices, and design review processes.
• Ensure designs meet performance, reliability, safety, manufacturability, and cost objectives.
• Lead, mentor, and develop a small team to enhance performance and professional growth.
• Apply engineering rigor through analytical methods, calculations, simulations, and structured validation activities.
• Utilize Finite Element Analysis (FEA) and other engineering tools to validate designs and improve performance.
• Develop and execute design verification and validation plans to ensure product requirements are met.
• Partner with operations to ensure efficient manufacturing processes.
• Collaborate with sales, engineering, and service teams to ensure successful machine integration and support in the field.
• Provide regular status updates and technical recommendations to engineering leadership.
• Drive continuous improvement initiatives related to engineering processes, tools, and product performance.
• Establish clear performance goals, monitor progress, and conduct regular performance reviews.
• Foster a collaborative, accountable, and results-driven team culture.

Qualifications:

• Bachelor's degree in mechanical engineering or related engineering field.
• High speed (200-300 cycles/minute) machine design experience in a design lead role within an OEM machinery, packaging, automation, or related manufacturing environment. Would expect 5+ years in a similar role but actual experience, responsibility, and ownership will take precedence.
• Strong proficiency with 3D CAD software (Inventor or SolidWorks)
• Experience performing and interpreting FEA analysis.
• Experience with design rigor, validation, testing, and documentation.
• Excellent analytical, communication, and project management skills.

Preferred Skills:

• Excellent relationship and team building skills.
• Demonstrated success mentoring and developing team members.