Engineering - Senior Mechanical Engineer

Grote Industries, Inc.; Madison, Northern (IN, KY); Hybrid; USD 90,000 - 120,000; Full time

Job summary

Grote Industries, Inc. seeks a Senior Mechanical Engineer to lead the design, validation, and support of heavy-duty headlamp and signal lamp systems for OEM customers. You will guide mechanical design teams, ensure regulatory and performance targets are met, and mentor junior engineers.

The role requires hands-on CAD modeling, GD&T, and collaboration with cross-functional teams including manufacturing, quality, and purchasing.

Qualifications

• Bachelor’s degree in Mechanical Engineering or related field.
• 3–5+ years of mechanical design experience in automotive headlamps and/or signal lamps.
• Experience with injection molding, plastics, and heatsinks.

Responsibilities

• Lead mechanical design of headlamps and signal lamps for OEMs.
• Develop CAD models and drawings with GD&T and tolerancing.
• Coordinate simulations (FEA/CFD) and testing for performance and durability.
• Mentor junior engineers and ensure regulatory and cost targets are met.

Skills

Molded plastics

Heatsink design

Creo/CAD

GD&T

FEM/FEA

Thermal CFD

Mold flow

PolyWorks

Regulatory FMVSS

Regulatory standards

Education

Bachelors in Mechanical Eng

Tools

Ansys Mechanical

FloEFD

MoldEx

MoldFlow

PolyWorks

Job description

Business Title

Senior Mechanical Engineering (Headlamps)

Reports to

Senior Engineering Manager

Leadership Scope

Individual Leader

Company Info

With a heritage of nearly 120 years, we aren’t just a company; we are a brand of trust. But more than anything, we are a collection of individuals who, together, give Grote Industries a decisive competitive advantage. At Grote, our shared vision is clear – to meet the needs of the customers we serve. We accomplish that mission every day by following a set of core values that makes us who we are.

Innovation has been the hallmark of Grote Industries from the start. From durable, easy to see stop lights to the latest in LED lighting technology, Grote has been leading the way in advanced vehicle system solutions from early in the last century right up to today. With these innovations, Grote has helped millions of people throughout North America and the world benefit from the innovation and design excellence of Grote products.

Position Summary

The Senior Mechanical Engineer is responsible for the design, development, validation, and support of automotive headlamp and signal lamp systems for OEM customers in the heavy‑duty market. This role leads mechanical design activities, supports cross‑functional teams, and ensures products meet regulatory, customer, performance, durability, quality, manufacturing, and cost requirements while mentoring less‑experienced engineers.

Position Duties

• Working with project team members to understand/develop requirements and to develop new or improved lamp concepts/designs satisfying regulatory and customer performance, durability, and quality requirements along with meeting internal manufacturing process requirements and cost targets.
• Developing the design of mechanical systems and components for lamps and directing/reviewing the development of the CAD models of all components and assemblies including molded plastic lenses, housings, brackets, and bezels, die cast and stamped heatsinks, fasteners, etc.
• Leading the development of drawings for all components and assemblies ensuring the proper use of GD&T and linear dimensioning/tolerancing as appropriate, that all critical features are defined, that all relevant specifications are noted, completeness and accuracy, etc.
• Performing tolerance stack‑up analysis using statistical methods as appropriate
• Coordinating/reviewing simulations including static and vibration FEA, thermal FEA/CFD, and plastic part MFA.
• Ensuring designs meet all thermal, vibration, corrosion, impact, chemical, abrasion, and other mechanical requirements.
• Performing and/or coordinating testing of lamps and components to ensure the product meets all requirements.
• Developing/improving and documenting design, simulation, and testing standards related to all aspects of lamp mechanical design.
• Researching, interpreting, and applying relevant regulatory requirements and industry standards including FMVSS 108, UN Regulations (R148–R150), SAE Lighting Systems Group standards, and those from ASTM, ANSI, ISO, etc.
• Working with the Manufacturing and Quality teams to troubleshoot and resolve issues related to manufacturing processes and quality controls.
• Working with the Purchasing team in the sourcing of purchased components and validation of suppliers and ensuring that purchased components are properly designed/spec’d to conform to industry standards, minimize cost, and maximize supply chain flexibility.
• Working with the Sales team in the quoting of new or revised business and customer management including the estimation of part and capital costs.
• Mentoring other engineers and team members in all aspects, and optical aspects in particular, of lamp quoting, design, manufacturing, validation, etc.

Requirements

The ideal candidate will have a Bachelor’s degree or higher in Mechanical Engineering or a related technical field and extensive (3-5+ years) mechanical engineering design experience in automotive headlamps and/or signal lamps including familiarity with relevant optical and/or electrical engineering design principles, along with experience with the manufacturing processes relevant to automotive lighting, such as injection molding, plastic part assembly, coatings, etc. Good documentation, communication, and teamwork are essential. Specific relevant skills/experience are listed below:

• Injection molded plastic part design including a thorough understanding of injection mold tooling and plastic part assembly and a range of plastic materials including PC, PMMA, ABS, ASA, nylon, and PP including fillers.
• Heatsink design, specifically utilizing die cast or stamped aluminum or injection molded thermally conductive plastics
• Creo CAD experience is optimal, followed by Catia or NX and then other systems
• Performing and/or coordinating/reviewing the listed simulations/analyses utilizing the listed or similar software:
  • Vibration/Static/Thermal FEA utilizing Ansys Mechanical
  • Thermal CFD utilizing FloEFD
  • Mold flow analysis utilizing MoldEx, followed by AutoDesk MoldFlow
  • Part measurement and dimensional analysis utilizing PolyWorks
• Advanced GD&T application
• Tolerance stack‑up analysis
• Research, review, interpretation, and application of relevant regulatory requirements and industry standards, specifically in relation to FMVSS 108, UN Regulations (R148–R150), and the SAE Lighting Systems Group