Mechanical Engineer

EPITEC; Chillicothe (IL); On-site; USD 39,000 - 41,000; Full time

Job summary

EPITEC in Chillicothe, IL is seeking a Mechanical Engineer at entry/associate level to support drivetrain development and testing for NPI and CPI projects. The role involves hands-on hardware inspections, data collection, testing, and collaboration with design, analysis, and development teams.

Expect a roughly 50/50 split between office and laboratory work. This 12-month fully onsite contract offers a direct hire possibility.

Qualifications

• 0–2 years of relevant engineering experience; internship experience is accepted.
• Bachelor’s degree in Mechanical Engineering required.
• Master’s degree candidates welcome.

Responsibilities

• Support drivetrain component testing, including pre- and post-test hardware inspection, instrumentation, data collection, and failure analysis.
• Analyze test data and develop technical conclusions, reports, and engineering recommendations.
• Develop and improve test methods, test plans, analysis processes, and safe job procedures.
• Set up and verify data acquisition systems, instrumentation, and measurement equipment throughout testing.
• Support project planning, testing activities, and ISO/IEC 17025 laboratory requirements.
• Collaborate with local and global engineering teams, clients, and test facilities to plan testing, evaluate results, and support product improvements.
• Research historical test results and lessons learned to identify trends and guide testing or design decisions.
• Work in both office and hands-on laboratory/shop environments with occasional local travel to production and testing facilities.

Skills

Engineering fundamentals

Hands-on inspection

Measurement tools

Data acquisition

Test method development

Technical writing

Independent work

Cross-functional collaboration

Communication

Data analysis

Troubleshoot failures

Education

Bachelor's degree in Mechanical Engineering

Master's degree welcome

No two-year degrees accepted

Job description

Recent graduates are encouraged to apply for this entry / associate level position!

Title: Mechanical Engineer

Location: Chillicothe, IL

Details: 12-month contract with ongoing need, opportunity for direct hire, fully onsite role

Pay Rate: $28.40 – 30.10

Job Summary

This position supports the development and testing of drivetrain components for NPI and CPI projects. The engineer will conduct hands-on hardware inspections, execute testing, analyze data, and develop engineering conclusions and recommendations while collaborating with design, analysis, and development teams. The role is approximately 50% office and 50% laboratory/shop-based work.

Responsibilities

• Support drivetrain component testing, including pre- and post-test hardware inspection, instrumentation, data collection, and failure analysis.
• Analyze test data and develop technical conclusions, reports, and engineering recommendations.
• Develop and improve test methods, test plans, analysis processes, and safe job procedures.
• Set up and verify data acquisition systems, instrumentation, and measurement equipment throughout testing.
• Support project planning, testing activities, and ISO/IEC 17025 laboratory requirements.
• Collaborate with local and global engineering teams, clients, and test facilities to plan testing, evaluate results, and support product improvements.
• Research historical test results and lessons learned to identify trends and guide testing or design decisions.
• Work in both office and hands-on laboratory/shop environments with occasional local travel to production and testing facilities.

Years Of Experience And Education

• 0–2 years of relevant engineering experience; internship experience is accepted.
• Bachelor’s degree in Mechanical Engineering or a similar technical engineering field required; two-year degrees are not accepted.
• Master’s degree candidates are welcome.
• Relevant backgrounds may include Test, Development, Controls Development, Project, or Design Engineering.

Skills Required

• Strong engineering fundamentals and technical problem-solving skills.
• Hands-on ability to inspect mechanical hardware, troubleshoot component failure modes, and work with instrumentation.
• Experience with measurement tools such as micrometers and surface profilometers.
• Ability to set up data acquisition systems and perform data reduction and engineering analysis.
• Ability to develop or modify test methods based on findings.
• Strong technical writing skills for documenting test results, conclusions, and recommendations.
• Self-starter capable of independently managing testing needs while collaborating effectively with cross-functional teams.
• Strong communication and follow-up skills with internal and external stakeholders.
• Advanced data reduction, digital filtering, plotting, and engineering analysis experience is preferred.