Mechanical Design Engineer

Actalent; Frederick (MD); On-site; USD 85,000 - 100,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

BCBS PPO medical plans

Delta Dental

VSP vision insurance

Disability insurance

Life insurance

401(k) with 4% match

Paid time off

10 paid holidays

Tuition reimbursement

Paid training opportunities

Job summary

Actalent is seeking a Mechanical Design Engineer in Frederick, MD, to research, develop, and test mechanical and electromechanical HVAC products. You will own projects from concept through release and collaborate with manufacturing, supply chain, and quality to ensure designs are manufacturable and cost-effective.

The role focuses on designing heat transfer and refrigeration systems, creating BOMs and drawings, performing structural and thermal analyses, and delivering documentation for

Qualifications

• Experience with mechanical design of HVAC systems and components.
• Ability to own projects from concept through release.
• Familiarity with design for manufacturing and cost impact.

Responsibilities

• Research and analyze data to determine feasibility of designs.
• Design heat transfer systems and refrigeration-related components.
• Create complete engineering documentation including BOMs and drawings.
• Perform structural, load, and heat transfer calculations.
• Ensure designs meet NEC and applicable codes and standards.
• Support marketing with technical input for literature and applications.
• Evaluate field installations and recommend design improvements.
• Produce operation, maintenance, and repair documentation.
• Provide technical support for testing and validation.
• Independently own projects from concept to release.
• Collaborate with manufacturing, supply chain, and quality teams.

Skills

SolidWorks 3D CAD

3D modeling

Sheet metal design

Project ownership

Mechanical assembly processes

Design for manufacturing

ERP/MRP

HVAC systems knowledge

AutoCAD

Engineering calculations

Tools

AutoCAD

SolidWorks

Job description

Job Title: Mechanical Design Engineer

Job Description

The Mechanical Design Engineer researches, develops, designs, sustains, and tests mechanical and electromechanical products and systems related to commercial HVAC equipment. This role also directs and coordinates activities involved in the fabrication, operation, application, installation, and repair of these products and systems, ensuring they meet engineering standards, customer specifications, and applicable regulatory requirements.

Responsibilities

• Research and analyze data such as customer design proposals, specifications, and manuals to determine the feasibility of designs or applications.
• Design mechanical heat transfer systems, including chilled water systems, air- and water-cooled refrigerant systems, and fluid pumping systems, in accordance with engineering design standards and customer specifications.
• Develop complete engineering documentation, including bills of materials, piping drawings, sheet metal drawings, assembly drawings, installation drawings, and refrigeration drawings.
• Perform structural, load, and heat transfer analyses and calculations to validate designs.
• Review products to confirm they are manufactured in accordance with NEC, internal standards, listing reports, and other applicable codes and standards.
• Support the development of marketing materials for sales literature and custom applications by providing technical input and product information.
• Evaluate field installations and recommend design modifications to mitigate system malfunctions and improve performance and reliability.
• Create and provide operation, maintenance, and repair documentation to support product lifecycle and field service activities.
• Provide documentation and technical support to ensure operational testing conforms to functional specifications, customer requirements, and regulatory requirements.
• Assist test facilities with the design of control apparatus, equipment, and methods used for product testing and validation.
• Independently own and drive projects, products, and designs from concept through release as an individual contributor.
• Collaborate with cross-functional teams such as manufacturing, supply chain, and quality to ensure designs are manufacturable, cost-effective, and aligned with production capabilities.
• Perform other related duties as assigned to support engineering, product development, and continuous improvement initiatives.

Essential Skills

• 25 years of on-the-job experience with 3D CAD, specifically SolidWorks, for mechanical design and modeling.
• Proficiency in 3D modeling for mechanical and electromechanical products used in manufacturing environments.
• Hands‑on sheet metal design experience, including the design of sheet metal enclosures and components.
• Experience as an individual contributor owning projects, products, and designs from concept through completion.
• Knowledge and experience with common mechanical assembly processes, including hardware selection, fasteners, riveting, and welding.
• Experience designing for manufacturing, with an understanding of how design decisions impact production processes, cost, and quality.
• ERP/MRP system experience, including bills of materials, item setup, material management, and routing.
• Mechanical engineering and mechanical design background, with the ability to perform basic structural, load, and heat transfer calculations.
• Experience with HVAC-related mechanical systems or components.
• Proficiency with AutoCAD for drawings and documentation.
• Ability to generate and interpret sheet metal, piping, assembly, installation, and refrigeration drawings in accordance with engineering standards.

Additional Skills & Qualifications

• Refrigeration or HVAC system design experience, particularly with CRAC (computer room air conditioning) or CRAH (computer room air handling) systems.
• Experience designing refrigeration systems and working with components such as fans, compressors, valves, and heat exchange coils (evaporators and condensers).
• Finite element analysis (FEA) experience for evaluating structural performance and optimizing designs.
• Experience with PLM (product lifecycle management) systems to manage product data and engineering changes.
• Experience with PDM (product data management) systems to control CAD data, revisions, and documentation.
• Experience in test stand development for validating mechanical and electromechanical products.
• Demonstrated ability to support marketing and sales teams with technical content for literature and custom applications.
• Strong problem‑solving skills for diagnosing field issues and recommending effective design modifications.
• Ability to work collaboratively across engineering, test, manufacturing, and operations teams while maintaining ownership of assigned projects.
• Motivation to grow within a high‑growth organization that offers upward mobility and professional development opportunities.

Work Environment

This role operates in a professional engineering and manufacturing‑focused environment that supports the development and production of commercial HVAC equipment. Team members typically work standard full‑time hours while collaborating with cross‑functional groups such as test facilities, manufacturing, and operations. The organization offers a comprehensive benefits package, including Blue Cross Blue Shield PPO medical plans with options for 80, 90, or 100% coverage, Delta Dental, and VSP vision insurance. Supplemental Voya accident, critical illness, and hospital indemnity coverage is available, along with flexible spending accounts and a wellness program. Employees have access to an Employee Assistance Program, short‑and long‑term disability insurance, and company‑paid life insurance. A 401(k) plan with a 4% company match supports long‑term financial planning. Paid time off is accrued and complemented by 10 paid holidays each year. The company also provides tuition reimbursement and paid training opportunities, fostering continuous learning and career growth in a high‑growth, upwardly mobile environment.

Job Type & Location

This is a Permanent position based out of Frederick, MD.

Pay And Benefits

The pay range for this position is $85000.00 - $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.

Application Deadline

This position is anticipated to close on Nov 2, 2026.

Workplace Type

This is a fully onsite position in Frederick,MD.

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.