Mechanical Design Engineer

Actalent; Irvine (CA); Hybrid; USD 79,000 - 99,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Medical Insurance

Dental & Vision

401(k) Plan

Life Insurance

Disability Insurance

Health Spending Account

Job summary

Actalent in Irvine, CA is seeking a hands-on Mechanical Engineer to design HVAC and plumbing systems, produce Revit construction documents, and perform calculations for complex healthcare, institutional, and federal facilities.

The role emphasizes direct design ownership and active contribution across disciplines, with a hybrid schedule after onboarding. Candidates should have experience in load calculations and equipment sizing, and be eligible for U.S. project access.

Qualifications

• Hands-on HVAC design experience.
• Hands-on plumbing design experience.
• Revit MEP production experience.
• Experience creating construction documents.
• Mechanical calculation experience including load calculations and equipment sizing.
• Ability to explain systems, calculations, and deliverables you personally designed.
• U.S. Citizenship (required for project access).

Responsibilities

• Design HVAC and plumbing systems for complex facility projects.
• Prepare and develop mechanical construction documents in Revit.
• Perform load calculations, equipment sizing, pump calculations, and related engineering analysis.
• Coordinate directly with architects, electrical engineers, structural engineers, and other design disciplines.
• Support multiple active projects simultaneously.
• Participate in occasional site visits and field verification activities.
• Contribute immediately to project execution with limited ramp-up time.

Skills

HVAC design

Plumbing design

Revit MEP

Construction documents

Mechanical calculations

Explain designs

US Citizenship

Tools

AutoCAD

Job description

Mechanical Engineer

Irvine, CA | Hybrid ScheduleContract-to-HireDesign the Systems. Own the Work. Make an Impact.

If you're tired of being the engineer who only reviews drawings, coordinates consultants, or manages projects from a distance, this opportunity is different.

We're looking for a hands‑on Mechanical Engineer who wants to stay deeply involved in engineering design, calculations, Revit production, and technical problem solving. You'll work on complex healthcare, institutional, federal, and mission‑critical facilities where engineering execution matters and your contributions directly impact project success.

This is an opportunity to join a growing team with a strong backlog of awarded work and immediate project needs.

What You'll Do

• Design HVAC and plumbing systems for complex facility projects
• Prepare and develop mechanical construction documents in Revit
• Perform load calculations, equipment sizing, pump calculations, and related engineering analysis
• Coordinate directly with architects, electrical engineers, structural engineers, and other design disciplines
• Support multiple active projects simultaneously
• Participate in occasional site visits and field verification activities
• Contribute immediately to project execution with limited ramp-up time

This is a production‑focused position requiring direct design ownership. You'll be expected to personally perform the engineering work, not simply oversee it.

What Makes Someone Successful Here

The strongest engineers in this environment:

• Personally design HVAC and plumbing systems
• Own calculations and engineering decisions
• Produce construction documents in Revit
• Work independently with minimal supervision
• Collaborate effectively across disciplines
• Understand both design intent and real‑world constructability
• Take initiative and solve problems without waiting for direction

Required Qualifications

• Hands‑on HVAC design experience
• Hands‑on plumbing design experience
• Revit MEP production experience
• Experience creating construction documents
• Mechanical calculation experience including load calculations and equipment sizing
• Ability to explain systems, calculations, and deliverables you personally designed
• U.S. Citizenship (required for project access)

Preferred Qualifications

• PE or EIT certification
• Federal, military, healthcare, institutional, or public‑sector project experience
• Mechanical controls experience
• Building automation systems exposure
• Sequences of operation experience
• Design‑build project experience
• AutoCAD experience
• Strong communication and coordination skills

What We're Looking For

We're not looking for:

• Project managers who no longer design
• BIM coordinators without engineering ownership
• Engineers who only review drawings
• HVAC‑only specialists with little exposure to plumbing
• Candidates whose experience is primarily oversight‑focused

We're looking for engineers who can confidently answer:

• "What systems did you personally design?"
• "What calculations did you personally perform?"
• "What construction documents did you produce?"
• "What engineering decisions were yours?"

Why This Opportunity Stands Out

• Immediate impact on active awarded projects
• Exposure to highly technical and complex facilities
• Strong project backlog and growth trajectory
• Opportunity to remain hands‑on in design and engineering
• Hybrid work schedule after onboarding period
• Long‑term growth potential
• Collaborative team environment focused on technical excellence

Compensation

Target compensation generally falls within the $120,000-$150,000+ range, depending on experience, technical depth, and demonstrated design ownership. Exceptional candidates with strong production capabilities may be considered outside the typical range.

Ideal Backgrounds

Mechanical Engineer | HVAC Engineer | Plumbing Engineer | Mechanical Design Engineer | MEP Engineer | Building Systems Engineer

Project experience within:

• Healthcare
• Laboratories
• Higher Education
• Government Facilities
• Federal Projects
• Military Facilities
• Industrial Facilities
• Institutional Buildings
• Mission‑Critical Environments

Job Type & Location

This is a Permanent position based out of Irvine, CA.

Pay and Benefits

The pay range for this position is $57.00 - $72.00/hr.

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 Irvine, CA.

Application Deadline

This position is anticipated to close on Nov 13, 2026.

Workplace Type

This is a hybrid position in Irvine,CA.

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.