Mechanical Design Engineer

Hydrograph USA INC; Austin (TX); On-site; USD 90,000 - 140,000; Full time

Job summary

HydroGraph USA INC is seeking an experienced Mechanical Design Engineer to lead equipment and machine design for its Advanced Manufacturing team in Austin, TX. You will design, simulate, and validate new and modified equipment, working with R&D, Process, and Quality to meet scalable product requirements.

The role requires hands-on fabrication experience, strong CAD skills (SolidWorks/NX/Inventor), and the ability to perform CFD/thermal analysis.

Qualifications

• 5+ years of mechanical engineering and hands-on machine design experience.
• Strong knowledge of machine design principles, drawings, and tolerances (GD&T).
• Experience designing and validating equipment such as pressure vessels or machine systems.
• Ability to simulate and validate designs offline (CFD, thermal analysis).
• Experience with IQ/OQ/PQ commissioning for new equipment.
• Willingness to work hands-on on equipment with or without technician support.
• Experience collaborating with fabricators and vendors.

Responsibilities

• Develop and design equipment solutions for new products.
• Develop and design modifications for existing equipment to improve reliability, safety, and throughput.
• Review and collaborate with other Mechanical Design Engineers on drawings and designs.
• Work with R&D, Applications, Process Engineering, and Quality to translate requirements into design criteria.
• Support and lead DFMs and FMEAs.
• Develop documentation and preventive maintenance schedules for designed machines.
• Evaluate and validate off-the-shelf designs as potential solutions and implement accordingly.
• Innovate, design, and validate bespoke designs when off-the-shelf options are adequate.
• Create technical drawings, models, and BOMs.
• Diagnose and resolve mechanical, electrical, and software challenges in integrated manufacturing systems.
• Use design principles and offline modeling to validate and iterate designs.
• Develop safety factors for designed equipment.
• Evaluate, select, and qualify mechanical and mechatronic components for manufacturing.
• Simulate designs using CFD or thermal analysis to validate performance before prototyping.
• Develop throughput calculations and commissioning processes for new equipment.
• Validate performance of purchased off-the-shelf equipment against scale-up requirements.
• Develop and maintain automated control systems that integrate mechanical components with software-driven logic (PLC/SCADA/embedded controllers).
• Work with fabricators and vendors to specify and design machine components.
• Provide hands-on support and ideas to advance Advanced Manufacturing goals.

Skills

Hands-on machine design

3D CAD modeling

GD&T

CFD/thermal analysis

Fabrication/vendor liaison

IQ/OQ/PQ commissioning

Education

Engineering, Materials Science, or Chemistry degree

Tools

SolidWorks

Fusion 360

Siemens NX

Inventor

Ansys Mechanical

Job description

About HydroGraph

HydroGraph is a hyper-growth advanced materials company scaling pristine, high-performance graphene via its patented Hyperion detonation technology. With more than 70 active commercial projects, a growing global footprint, and industry-leading material quality (99.8% pure graphene), HydroGraph is building the next generation of engineered materials for coatings, composites, and energy storage.

Role Overview

We are seeking an experienced Mechanical Design Engineer to join our Advanced Manufacturing team, leading the equipment and machine-design side of our new product introduction and scale-up efforts. This role innovates, models, designs, builds, and validates off-the-shelf, modified, and bespoke equipment, translating engineering principles and simulation into equipment that meets new product requirements. The Mechanical Design Engineer is expected to have a strong, practical understanding of machine design, drawings, and tolerance stack-ups, is comfortable working with fabricators and vendors to specify machine components, and favors off-the-shelf commercial components where practical. This person must be able to simulate designs (e.g., CFD, thermal analysis) to validate performance before any prototype is machined, and must be hands‑on and capable of working directly on equipment, including when technician support isn’t available.

Key Responsibilities

• Develop and design equipment solutions for new products.
• Develop and design modifications for existing equipment to improve reliability, safety, and/or throughput.
• Review and collaborate with other Mechanical Design Engineers on drawings and designs.
• Work collaboratively with R&D, Applications, Process Engineering, and Quality to translate requirements into design criteria.
• Support and lead DFMs and FMEAs.
• Develop documentation and preventive maintenance (PM) schedules for designed machines.
• Evaluate and validate off-the-shelf designs as potential solutions, and implement and commission accordingly.
• Innovate, design, and validate bespoke designs when off-the-shelf options are adequate.
• Create technical drawings, models, and BOM’s
• Diagnose and resolve mechanical, electrical, and software challenges in integrated manufacturing systems
• Use design principles and offline modeling to validate and iterate designs.
• Develop safety factors for designed equipment.
• Evaluate, select, and qualify mechanical and mechatronic components (sensors, actuators, flow meters, solenoids) for manufacturing applications.
• Simulate designs using tools such as CFD or thermal analysis to validate performance before building or machining prototypes.
• Develop throughput calculations and commissioning processes (IQ/OQ/PQ) for new equipment.
• Validate the performance of purchased off-the-shelf equipment against scale-up requirements, and modify as needed to ensure robustness.
• Develop and maintain automated control systems that integrate mechanical components with software-driven logic (PLC, SCADA, or embedded control platforms), serving as the technical interface between mechanical hardware and control software.
• Work directly with fabricators and vendors to specify and design machine components, prioritizing off-the-shelf commercial components where practical.
• Provide hands‑on support and ideas that advance the goals of Advanced Manufacturing as well as the broader organization.

Qualifications

Required

• 5+ years of experience in mechanical engineering, with hands‑on machine/equipment design experience
• Strong understanding of machine design principles, engineering drawings, and tolerance stack-ups (GD&T)
• Experience designing, specifying, and validating mechanical equipment such as pressure vessels or machine systems for safety and design functionality
• Ability to simulate and validate designs offline (e.g., Calculations, CFD, or thermal analysis) prior to building or machining prototypes
• Experience developing throughput calculations and commissioning processes (IQ/OQ/PQ) for new equipment
• Comfortable and willing to work hands‑on with equipment directly, including when technician support isn’t available
• Experience working with fabricators and vendors to specify and design machine components
• 3D CAD / modeling experience such as Solidworks, Fusion360, Seimens Nx, or Inventor

Preferred

• Engineering, Material Science, or Chemistry degree.
• Experience with FEA, FMEA, DFM, and DOE methodologies.
• Experience with Ansys Mechanical, Fluent, CFX, or static thermal analysis tools.
• Experience with control systems, data acquisition, or industrial IoT platforms.
• Proficiency with 3D CAD software (e.g., SolidWorks, similar).
• Experience of machining processes such CNC machining, laser cutting, 3D printing and welding

Key Competencies

• Leadership and team motivation
• Accountability and ownership mindset
• Strategic thinking and business acumen
• Stakeholder management and relationship building
• Conflict resolution and negotiation
• Adaptability and flexibility in dynamic environments
• Decision-making under uncertainty
• Attention to detail and quality focus
• Customer service orientation
• Emotional intelligence and active listening
• Critical thinking and creative problem‑solving

Work Environment

This role operates in an active chemical/process manufacturing environment and requires regular presence on the plant floor. The engineer will be exposed to industrial equipment, chemical agents, and process systems, and must adhere to all applicable safety protocols at all times.

• Environment: Indoor and outdoor process/chemical plant settings; exposure to heat, noise, fumes, and moving machinery is expected. Must be able to occasionally work outdoors in varying weather conditions to operate valves and manage chemical feedstock supply lines, following all chemical handling and site safety protocols.
• Physical Requirements: Must be able to stand and walk for extended periods throughout the shift. Frequent lifting and carrying of equipment, tools, or materials up to 20 lbs; occasional lifting up to 50 lbs with assistance.
• Working at Heights: Must be able to occasionally work at elevations up to 15 ft when troubleshooting and maintaining process equipment, utilizing ladders, platforms, scissor lift or elevated walkways in accordance with site safety requirements.
• Personal Protective Equipment (PPE): Use of PPE is mandatory in designated areas, including but not limited to safety glasses, hard hat, steel‑toed boots, hearing protection, respiratory protection (breathing mask/respirator) when working in areas with chemical exposure or poor ventilation, and fall protection equipment (full‑body harness and lanyard) when working at elevated heights.
• Schedule: Standard business hours, Monday through Friday. Occasional weekend or off‑hours work may be required to support planned maintenance, shutdowns, startups, or urgent production challenges.
• Travel: May require occasional travel to other production facilities, client locations, or vendor facilities.

Why Join HydroGraph

• Lead the core scientific engine of one of the fastest‑growing graphene companies in the world.
• Shape a next‑generation materials platform used across aerospace, energy, infrastructure, consumer goods, and defense.
• Work directly with global partners and world‑class advisors (GEIC, OEMs, DoD).
• Competitive compensation, and career advancement as the company scales.