Innovation Mechanical Engineer II

Sherman Reilly Inc; Chattanooga (TN); On-site; USD 85,000 - 115,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Medical insurance

Dental insurance

Vision insurance

401(k) with company match

Paid time off

Job summary

Sherman + Reilly, Inc. in Chattanooga, TN, is seeking an Innovation Mechanical Engineer II for its innovation team. You will drive a full development cycle from concept through prototype, test, and handoff, working on next‑generation tools for the electric utility industry.

The role emphasizes independent ownership, hands‑on prototyping, collaboration with field personnel, and applying emerging technologies to real field problems, not incremental product updates.

Qualifications

• Bachelor’s degree in Mechanical Engineering or closely related field.
• Approximately 2–5 years of relevant experience or demonstrated capability.
• Solid grounding in mechanical engineering fundamentals and 3D CAD; SolidWorks preferred.
• Hands-on with prototypes, test equipment, and field personnel.
• Clear communication and ability to collaborate on multiple assignments.

Responsibilities

• Define problems by engaging with field users and turning observations into hypotheses.
• Design and analyze multiple concepts, produce CAD models and drawings, and perform scaling analyses.
• Prototype and test with technicians and suppliers; validate assumptions with data.
• Document results, present recommendations, and hand off concepts to NPD or other teams.
• Work on technologies including hydraulics, electrification, sensors, robotics, and AI in engineering contexts.

Skills

Mechanical design

3D CAD

FEA

Prototyping

Field support

Communication

Education

Bachelor’s degree in Mechanical Engineering

Tools

SolidWorks

FEA software

Job description

Description

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 II 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 a few years of engineering behind you and want more ownership and variety than a single product line allows. You want to take a problem from first field observation through prototype and test, 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

• Bachelor’s degree in Mechanical Engineering or a closely related engineering discipline
• Approximately two to five years of relevant experience, or demonstrated equivalent capability
• 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 II

• Independently execute moderately complex design and development assignments
• Own a problem from understanding through concept, analysis, prototype, and test, even when requirements are incomplete
• Scale analysis and testing to technical risk and recommend next actions
• Work with suppliers, technicians, and field personnel with limited oversight
• Guide junior engineers, interns, designers, and technicians on assigned technical work

Emphasis: Independence, engineering judgment, technical ownership, and turning uncertainty into an executable path forward.

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.