Mechanical Applications Engineer

Actalent; Owatonna (MN); On-site; USD 75,000 - 100,000; Full time

Job summary

Actalent is seeking a Mechanical Applications Engineer in Owatonna, MN to support sales and service of custom mechanical products. The role focuses on designing solutions that meet customer specifications and internal standards, using SolidWorks for detailed models and collaborating with fabrication teams.

The ideal candidate has a engineering degree with heat transfer or fluid dynamics background and at least 2 years of mechanical engineering experience.

Qualifications

• Bachelor's degree in engineering with emphasis in heat transfer or fluid dynamics or equivalent experience
• 2+ years mechanical engineering experience
• Proficient in SolidWorks to create detailed designs
• Experience in fabrication/manufacturing environments and production constraints
• Strong ability to interpret and develop drawings, sketches, and specifications
• Ability to present equipment proposals clearly to customers
• Commitment to safety, quality, and productivity in engineering work
• Team-oriented, cross-functional collaboration
• Documentation skills for engineering records and files

Responsibilities

• Provide engineering support for sales and service of custom mechanical products, ensuring solutions align with customer needs and company capabilities
• Design and document mechanical systems and components for projects, ensuring accuracy and compliance with standards
• Engineer product designs that balance performance, manufacturability, and cost to meet customer specs
• Prepare and present detailed equipment proposals to customers and obtain formal approval
• Use SolidWorks to create detailed designs and models from drawings and descriptions
• Develop specifications for tools and applications to automate basic engineering functions
• Support development, maintenance, and improvement of engineering programs, processes, and tools
• Collaborate across functions to uphold safety, quality, and productivity standards
• Coordinate with fabrication/manufacturing teams to ensure designs are practical and producible

Skills

SolidWorks proficiency

Fabrication/manufacturing experience

Interpret drawings/specifications

Mechanical design

Education

Bachelor's degree in engineering (heat transfer or fluid dynamics)

Tools

SolidWorks

CAD tools

Job description

Job Title

Mechanical Applications Engineer

This role provides engineering support for the sales and service of custom products, with a strong focus on designing and documenting solutions that meet specific project and customer requirements. The Mechanical Applications Engineer develops, refines, and supports engineering programs while promoting a positive, professional work environment and upholding company standards for safety, quality, efficiency, and productivity.

Responsibilities

• Provide engineering support for the sales and service of custom mechanical products, ensuring technical solutions align with customer needs and company capabilities.
• Design and document mechanical systems and components to support specific projects, ensuring accuracy, completeness, and compliance with applicable standards.
• Engineer product designs that meet customer specifications and internal company standards, balancing performance, manufacturability, and cost considerations.
• Prepare and present detailed equipment proposals to customers, clearly explaining technical concepts and obtaining formal customer approval.
• Utilize SolidWorks software to create highly detailed engineering designs and models from drawings, sketches, and written descriptions, ensuring they meet design requirements and customer specifications.
• Develop and provide specifications for tools such as databases and applications that support and automate basic engineering functions.
• Support the ongoing development, maintenance, and improvement of engineering programs, processes, and tools to enhance productivity and quality.
• Demonstrate and promote company values by contributing to a positive, professional work environment and collaborating effectively with colleagues across functions.
• Maintain and uphold company standards for safety, quality, efficiency, and productivity in all engineering activities.
• Collaborate with fabrication and manufacturing teams to ensure designs are practical, manufacturable, and aligned with production capabilities.

Essential Skills

• Bachelors degree in engineering with emphasis, or applicable work background, in heat transfer or fluid dynamics.
• At least 2 years of experience in a mechanical engineering or related engineering role.
• Proficiency in SolidWorks for creating detailed mechanical designs and models.
• Experience in fabrication and manufacturing environments, including understanding of practical production constraints.
• Strong mechanical design skills, including the ability to interpret and develop drawings, sketches, and written specifications.
• Ability to engineer product designs that meet customer specifications and internal standards.
• Capability to prepare and present equipment proposals to customers in a clear and professional manner.
• Commitment to maintaining safety, quality, efficiency, and productivity standards in engineering work.

Additional Skills & Qualifications

• Experience working with coil-related mechanical systems or components.
• Familiarity with CAD tools beyond SolidWorks for mechanical design and documentation.
• background in heat transfer and fluid dynamics, particularly as applied to custom mechanical products.
• Experience developing or specifying tools such as databases and applications to support and automate engineering functions.
• Strong documentation skills for creating clear, complete, and organized engineering records and project files.
• Ability to work collaboratively with sales, service, and manufacturing teams to support customer-focused solutions.

Work Environment

The Mechanical Applications Engineer works in a professional engineering environment that supports collaboration with sales, service, and manufacturing teams. The role relies heavily on SolidWorks and other CAD tools to create detailed mechanical designs and documentation. Work involves close interaction with fabrication and manufacturing operations to ensure designs are practical and aligned with production capabilities. The environment emphasizes adherence to safety, quality, efficiency, and productivity standards, with a culture that values professionalism, continuous improvement, and strong technical support for custom products.

Job Type & Location

This is a Permanent position based out of Owatonna, MN.

Pay And Benefits

The pay range for this position is $75000.00 - $100000.00/yr.

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)

Job Type & Location

This is a Permanent position based out of Owatonna, MN.

Application Deadline

This position is anticipated to close on Nov 3, 2026.

Workplace Type

This is a fully onsite position in Owatonna,MN.

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, national origin, veteran status, disability, sexual orientation, gender identity, genetic information or any characteristic protected by law.

If you would like to request a reasonable accommodation, such as the modification or adjustment of the job application process or interviewing process due to a disability, please email [e-mail] for other accommodation options.

San Francisco Fair Chance Ordinance:

Pursuant to the San Francisco Fair Chance Ordinance, for all positions located in the city and county of San Francisco, we will consider for employment qualified applicants with arrest and conviction records.

Massachusetts Lie Detector:

It is unlawful in Massachusetts to require or administer a lie detector test as a condition of employment or continued employment. An employer who violates this law shall be subject to criminal penalties and civil liability.

Use of Artificial Intelligence (AI):

We may use Artificial Intelligence (AI) to support parts of our hiring process, including sourcing, screening, and evaluating candidates. AI helps assess applications and qualifications, but final decisions are made by our hiring team. By applying, you acknowledge and agree that your application may be reviewed using AI tools.