Mechanical Designer

Actalent; Dolton (IL); On-site; USD 55,000 - 69,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Medical, dental & vision

401(k) Retirement Plan

Life Insurance (Voluntary)

Short and long-term disability

Job summary

Actalent is seeking an experienced Mechanical Designer / Project Specialist to support custom industrial equipment, pump systems, and rotating equipment. You will manage customer and internal jobs from release through completion, coordinating with Engineering, Operations, Purchasing, Sales, and shop personnel.

The role emphasizes hands-on troubleshooting, drawing updates, and production support in a fast-paced environment.

Qualifications

• 35 years of experience within a mechanical, manufacturing, industrial, fabrication, or engineered‑equipment environment.
• Strong mechanical aptitude and understanding of industrial equipment and systems.
• Advanced ability to read and interpret blueprints, drawings, and specifications.
• Experience drafting, modifying, or redlining mechanical drawings using SolidWorks, CAD, or similar tools.
• Experience coordinating complex projects, work orders, production schedules, or manufacturing activities.
• Strong understanding of shop operations, workflows, and scheduling.
• Ability to troubleshoot mechanical and production problems and determine practical solutions.
• Ability to manage multiple jobs and changing priorities in a fast-paced production environment.
• Comfort working both in an office and on the shop floor.
• Ability to coordinate work across departments without direct supervision.
• Strong communication, organization, documentation, and computer skills.

Responsibilities

• Coordinate industrial projects and work orders from release through production and completion.
• Review, modify, and verify drawings and specs for accuracy and manufacturability.
• Create or update drawings using SolidWorks, CAD, or similar software.
• Support projects involving pumps, seals, rotating equipment, and mechanical assemblies.
• Monitor priorities, schedules, material needs, and project status to stay on track.
• Identify bottlenecks and help resolve mechanical, production, or scheduling issues.
• Collaborate with shop personnel during fabrication, assembly, inspection, and troubleshooting.
• Coordinate requirements across Engineering, Operations, Purchasing, Sales, and production teams.
• Translate field measurements into revised drawings and documentation when needed.
• Maintain up-to-date project documentation and work orders.
• Promote safe, organized shop practices and use ERP systems for coordination.

Skills

SolidWorks

CAD

Project coordination

Shop floor

Blueprint reading

Troubleshooting

Multiple projects

Communication

Tools

SolidWorks

CAD software

NetSuite

ERP/MRP

Job description

This role offers an opportunity for an experienced Mechanical Designer / Project Specialist to support custom industrial equipment, pump systems, rotating equipment, repair projects, and manufacturing operations. You will combine mechanical design, project coordination, production support, and hands‑on troubleshooting while managing customer and internal jobs from release through completion. You will ensure that drawings, materials, schedules, fabrication, assembly, inspection, and all project requirements stay aligned. This is not a desk‑only CAD position; you will regularly collaborate with Engineering, Operations, Purchasing, Sales, and shop personnel to solve problems and keep multiple projects moving. A four‑year engineering degree is not required, as practical experience in industrial, manufacturing, pump, fabrication, or engineered‑equipment environments is highly valued.

Job Description: Mechanical Designer / Project Specialist

Responsibilities

• Coordinate industrial projects and work orders from initial release through production and completion.
• Review, interpret, modify, and redline engineering drawings, blueprints, and technical specifications to ensure accuracy and manufacturability.
• Create or update mechanical drawings using SolidWorks, CAD, or similar mechanical design software.
• Support projects involving pumps, seals, rotating equipment, fabricated components, and mechanical assemblies.
• Monitor job priorities, production schedules, material requirements, and overall project status to keep work on track.
• Identify workflow bottlenecks and help resolve mechanical, production, or scheduling issues in a timely manner.
• Work directly with shop personnel during staging, fabrication, assembly, inspection, troubleshooting, and project execution.
• Coordinate project requirements and updates across Engineering, Operations, Purchasing, Sales, and production teams to maintain alignment.
• Translate shop‑floor findings, field measurements, or existing components into drawing revisions and updated documentation when required.
• Maintain accurate and up‑to‑date project documentation, including drawings, specifications, and work‑order information.
• Support and promote safe, organized, and quality‑focused shop and production practices.
• Use ERP or similar systems to assist with project coordination, scheduling, and documentation as needed.

Essential Skills

• 35 years of experience within a mechanical, manufacturing, industrial, fabrication, or engineered‑equipment environment.
• Strong mechanical aptitude with the ability to understand industrial equipment and mechanical systems.
• Advanced ability to read and interpret blueprints, engineering drawings, and technical specifications.
• Experience drafting, modifying, or redlining mechanical drawings using SolidWorks, CAD, or similar mechanical design software.
• Experience coordinating complex projects, work orders, production schedules, or manufacturing activities.
• Strong understanding of shop operations, manufacturing workflows, and job scheduling.
• Ability to troubleshoot mechanical and production problems and determine practical, effective solutions.
• Ability to manage multiple jobs and changing priorities in a fast‑paced production environment.
• Comfort working both in an office setting and directly on the shop floor.
• Ability to coordinate work across multiple departments without direct supervisory authority.
• Strong communication, organization, documentation, and general computer skills.

Additional Skills & Qualifications

• Experience with pump repair, engineered pump systems, seals, or rotating equipment.
• Experience reverse engineering mechanical components or assemblies.
• Experience translating field or shop measurements into drawings or design revisions.
• Hands‑on exposure to machining, welding, fabrication, mechanical assembly, or industrial repair operations.
• SolidWorks experience within a manufacturing or engineered‑equipment environment.
• Experience with NetSuite or a comparable ERP/MRP system.
• Exposure to quality, safety, continuous improvement, and organized shop‑floor practices.
• Practical, shop‑floor‑oriented experience that complements design and project coordination responsibilities.

Job Type & Location

This is a Contract to Hire position based out of Dolton, IL.

Pay And Benefits

The pay range for this position is $40.00 - $50.00/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)

Application Deadline

This position is anticipated to close on Nov 16, 2026.

Workplace Type

This is a fully onsite position in Dolton,IL.

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.