Mechanical Engineer: Custom Automation & Full Lifecycle

Vaco; Huntington (IN); On-site; USD 85,000 - 95,000; Full time

Job summary

Vaco in Huntington, IN seeks a Mechanical Engineer to own mechanical design from concept through manufacturing for custom automated machinery and material handling systems. This role emphasizes hands‑on CAD, detailed drawings, BOMs, and cross‑functional collaboration to deliver robust solutions across the product lifecycle.

The ideal candidate has 3+ years in full‑lifecycle machine design, strong AutoCAD 2D skills, and experience in an engineered‑to‑order environment, with a bachelor’s degree in

Qualifications

• 3+ years of Mechanical Engineering experience involving full‑lifecycle custom equipment or machine design.
• Experience designing equipment within automation, machinery manufacturing, material handling, or similar engineered‑to‑order environment.
• Hands‑on proficiency with AutoCAD 2D.
• Experience developing detailed mechanical drawings suitable for fabrication and manufacturing.
• Understanding of mechanical component selection, tolerances, materials, assemblies, and manufacturing considerations.
• Ability to troubleshoot mechanical design and assembly issues and develop practical engineering solutions.
• Experience collaborating across engineering, manufacturing, assembly, project, and customer‑facing teams.

Responsibilities

• Design, develop, and detail custom automated machinery and conveyor systems, incorporating standard and custom components to meet project requirements, scope, and schedules.
• Own mechanical designs from concept through manufacturing, assembly, testing, and implementation, providing technical support throughout the project lifecycle.
• Develop machine and mechanism concepts by evaluating functional requirements, loads, speeds, component selection, structural framework, mounting requirements, and system integration.
• Create detailed 2D production and fabrication drawings, including materials, finishes, tolerances, welding requirements, and other manufacturing specifications.
• Collaborate with customers and internal engineering teams to mechanically integrate new systems with existing or new equipment.
• Lead and participate in design reviews, troubleshoot mechanical issues, and implement design changes or improvements when required.
• Develop bills of material and support ERP/BOM activities, including component specifications, quantities, raw materials, and logical subassembly structures.

Skills

Mechanical design

Automation equipment

AutoCAD 2D

Fabrication drawings

Cross-functional collaboration

Troubleshooting

Education

Bachelor's degree in Mechanical Engineering

Tools

AutoCAD 2D

Autodesk Inventor

SyteLine ERP

Job description

Vaco in Huntington, IN seeks a Mechanical Engineer to own mechanical design from concept through manufacturing for custom automated machinery and material handling systems. This role emphasizes hands‑on CAD, detailed drawings, BOMs, and cross‑functional collaboration to deliver robust solutions across the product lifecycle.

The ideal candidate has 3+ years in full‑lifecycle machine design, strong AutoCAD 2D skills, and experience in an engineered‑to‑order environment, with a bachelor’s degree in