Innovation Mechanical Engineer I

Sherman and Reilly Inc; Chattanooga (TN); On-site; USD 65,000 - 75,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Competitive pay

Benefits package: medical/dental/vison

401(k) with matching

Paid time off and holidays

Chattanooga living

Job summary

Sherman + Reilly, Inc. in Chattanooga, TN seeks an Innovation Mechanical Engineer I to tackle early-stage engineering challenges. You will engage with field users, define problems, prototype and test new concepts, and help hand validated ideas to product development teams across Quanta Services.

This role blends shop work with field observations and rapid learning. You will work on technologies such as hydraulics, electrification, sensors, robotics, AI applications, and additive manufacturing,

Qualifications

• Entry level through roughly two years of relevant experience.
• Strong mechanical engineering fundamentals and CAD proficiency; SolidWorks preferred.
• Willingness to work hands-on with prototypes, test equipment, technicians, and field personnel.
• Clear communication and ability to manage several assignments.

Responsibilities

• Define problems from field users into testable hypotheses.
• Design and analyze concepts with CAD, including FEA where needed.
• Prototype, test with technicians, collect data to validate assumptions.
• Document results and hand off concepts to NPD or other teams.

Skills

Mechanical fundamentals

CAD proficiency

Prototype testing

Cross-functional comms

SolidWorks

Tools

SolidWorks

Job description

Description

Join the Innovation Team at Sherman + Reilly

Most engineering jobs start with a spec. This one starts with a challenge.

Sherman + Reilly, a Chattanooga-based manufacturer of tools and equipment for the electric utility industry and part of the Quanta Services family of companies, is seeking an Innovation Mechanical Engineer I for its innovation team. We work upstream of traditional New Product Development to explore emerging technologies, solve field-driven problems, and build practical new equipment for the industry. This is not a design role focused on incrementally improving an existing product line. Projects begin with an operational challenge, an early idea, or an unfamiliar technology, and you work the full cycle from concept through analysis, prototype, test, field evaluation, and technical handoff.

Build, test, break, repeat — Rapid prototyping is how we learn. Simple models and experiments answer the important questions quickly, and we would rather fail early than polish the wrong idea.

Get close to the work — We understand the problem before committing to a solution. You will spend real time with linemen, field personnel, and technicians, see how work is actually done, and develop several concepts rather than converging on the first.

Real influence — We are a small team, and you will have a genuine voice in how it operates. The concepts we prove out can shape Sherman + Reilly’s product portfolio and the company’s performance.

Two responsibilities — Technology Exploration: exploring, developing, and proving next-generation technologies and equipment that may enter our product roadmap or another commercialization pathway. Field Engineering Support: occasional calls into the field for investigations that require critical thinking, observation, and analysis to determine root cause and potential corrective action.

See the environment and people we design for: a tour of Quanta’s Lazy Q Ranch in La Grange, Texas, where crews train on energized lines, robotic arms, and helicopter operations.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ApDbX64SOWg

Our purpose: Getting every lineman home, every night. No exceptions.

You Might Be a Fit If

You have built something that mattered to you, on a Formula or Baja SAE team, in a lab, or in a garage, and you can’t leave a problem alone until you understand it. You would rather learn by building and testing, and you are comfortable saying, "I don’t know yet — here is how I would find out."

What You’ll Do

Define the problem — Engage directly with field users, turn loosely defined problems into testable hypotheses, and research emerging and competitive technologies.

Design & analyze — Compare multiple concepts, including off-the-shelf options, and produce calculations, CAD models, and drawings in SolidWorks, scaling analysis, including FEA, to the technical risk.

Prototype & test — Build prototypes with technicians and suppliers, run bench, structural, and field tests, use sensors and data acquisition to validate assumptions, and iterate.

Communicate & hand off — Document results and lessons learned, present recommendations to engineers, leadership, and field personnel, support occasional field investigations, and help hand validated concepts to New Product Development, other Quanta organizations, or other commercialization pathways.

Projects may involve technologies new to you, including hydraulics, electrification, sensors and automation, robotics, unmanned aerial systems, additive manufacturing, and artificial intelligence and its engineering applications. We expect capable, willing learners, not experts in all of them.

Requirements

• Entry level through approximately two years of relevant experience
• Strong mechanical engineering fundamentals and proficiency with 3D CAD; SolidWorks preferred
• Strong mechanical aptitude and willingness to work hands-on with prototypes, test equipment, technicians, and field personnel
• Clear communication, curiosity about unfamiliar technologies, and the ability to collaborate and manage several assignments

Preferred Qualifications

Experience or interest in machine and structural design, FEA, hydraulics, automation, robotics, or unmanned aerial systems; prototype fabrication and testing; and sensors and data-acquisition systems. Experience using AI tools in an engineering environment, for design exploration and analysis is a plus. Formula or Baja SAE, maker projects, internships, and co-ops all count.

What We Expect of an Innovation Engineer I

• Apply engineering fundamentals to practical problems with guidance from more experienced engineers
• Develop CAD models, drawings, calculations, prototypes, and test setups
• Participate directly in field observation, prototype builds, and testing
• Take increasing ownership of defined portions of development projects

Emphasis: technical growth, curiosity, learning velocity, and the judgment to separate assumptions from facts.

Work Environment & Physical Requirements

The role combines office and CAD work with prototype-shop, test-field, and field observation activity, with some travel to field operations, suppliers, and other Quanta organizations. Candidates should be comfortable working in manufacturing and prototype environments, standing for extended periods, climbing on equipment during testing, using hand tools, occasionally lifting up to 50 pounds, and working outdoors during field testing.

What We Offer

• Competitive compensation;
• a comprehensive benefits package including medical, dental, vision, 401(k) with company match, and paid time off and holidays;
• career growth and development;
• a close-knit team backed by the resources of a Quanta Services company;
• and life in Chattanooga, a city recognized for quality of life, outdoor access, and a lower cost of living.

Sherman + Reilly, Inc. is an Equal Opportunity Employer. All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, color, religion, sex, national origin, disability, veteran status, sexual orientation, gender identity, or any other characteristic protected by applicable law.