Mechanical Engineer (Ph.D.)

Exponent; Chicago (IL); On-site; USD 140,000 - 160,000; Full time

Job summary

Exponent is seeking a Mechanical Engineer in Chicago, IL to join our Mechanical Engineering Practice. You will apply first-principles analysis to evaluate mechanical assets across industries, delivering clear reports and presentations.

The role emphasizes technical rigor, client interaction, and teamwork in a multi-disciplinary environment. You will grow through challenging projects, mentoring, and ongoing learning while contributing to a culture of innovation and excellence.

Qualifications

• Ph.D. in Mechanical Engineering with focused applied mechanics coursework or project experience.
• Excellent verbal and written communication for engineering, business, legal, and related industries.
• Working knowledge of finite element analysis and MATLAB.

Responsibilities

• Apply applied mechanics and creative problem solving to technical problems.
• Demonstrate strong communication with clients, engineers, managers, and non-technical staff.
• Perform field inspections, calculations, and analysis on mechanical components.
• Develop presentations and reports that synthesize engineering findings.

Skills

Applied mechanics

Finite element analysis

Communication skills

Project ownership

Team collaboration

Education

Ph.D. in Mechanical Engineering

Tools

Abaqus

MATLAB

Job description

About Exponent

Exponentis the only premium engineering and scientific consulting firm with the depth and breadth of expertise to solve our clients’ most profoundly unique, unprecedented, and urgent challenges.

Our vision is to engage multidisciplinary teams of science, engineering, and regulatory experts to empower clients with solutions that create a safer, healthier, more sustainable world. For over five decades, we've connected the lessons of past failures with tomorrow's solutions to advise clients as they innovate technologically complex products and processes, ensure the safety and health of their users, and address the challenges of sustainability.

Join our team of experts with degrees from top programs at over 500 universities and extensive experience spanning a variety of industries. At Exponent, you’ll contribute to the diverse pool of ideas, talents, backgrounds, and experiences that drives our collaborative teamwork and breakthrough insights. Plus, we help you grow your career through mentoring, sponsorship, and a culture of learning. Thanks for your interest in joining our team!

Key statistics:

• 950+ Consultants
• 640+ Ph.D.s
• 90+ Disciplines
• 30+ Offices globally

Our Opportunity

We are currently seeking aMechanical Engineerfor ourMechanical EngineeringPractice in Chicago, IL. You will work as part of a team to help our clients solve challenging technical problems which are often urgent and require diverse, multi-disciplinary skills and capabilities, including excellent technical analysis, project ownership, teamwork, and the ability to synthesize large amounts of information and technical results into effective reports and presentations. In this role, you will be responsible for evaluating the performance of mechanical assets across a wide range of industries using a “first principals” approach that is also informed by the governing regulations, codes and standards of that industry. Based on your performance, you will be assigned roles with greater responsibilities and more client-facing interactions.

You will be responsible for

• Applying the principals of applied mechanics and creative problem solving to a wide variety of technical problems
• Demonstrating strong communication skills in interactions with clients, engineers, managers, and non-technical staff
• Performing field inspections, calculations, and analysis to address complex, real-world problems associated with a range of mechanical components
• Developing effective presentations and written reports that synthesize findings and conclusions from engineering analyses
• Demonstrating project ownership and the personal attributes needed to be an effective team member

You will have the following skills and qualifications

• Ph.D. in Mechanical Engineering, Aerospace Engineering, or similar fields with a focused thesis/coursework/project experience in applied mechanics (broadly including solid mechanics, fatigue and fracture, or potentially other areas including fluid mechanics, thermodynamics and heat transfer)
• Excellent verbal and written communication skills with the ability to synthesize and convey technical information to individuals in engineering, business, legal and related industries
• Working knowledge of basic computational platforms and methods, such as finite element analysis (including Abaqus) and associated numerical analysis platforms such as MATLAB
• Experience using and employing industry codes and standards is beneficial
• Professional experience outside of the university setting is a plus
• Willing to work in new technical areas and continually develop new technical skills
• Ability to work within project teams with a strong desire to contribute
• Desire to develop strong technical and project managerial leadership skills
• Willing to travel, sometimes on short notice
• Desire to become a Licensed Professional Engineer (required)
• Presently legally authorized to work in the United States. No immigration sponsorship or processing required.

Life @ Exponent

To learn more about life at Exponent and our impact, please visit the following links:https://www.exponent.com/careers/life-exponent https://www.exponent.com/company/our-impact

Attracting, inspiring, developing, and rewarding exceptional people with diverse backgrounds and expertise are central to our corporate culture. Our diverse team allows us to provide better value to our clients and enjoy an enriched work environment.

Our firm is committed to offering a variety of programs and resources to support health and well-being. We believe that providing competitive benefits as well as compensation and recognition programs empowers our staff to do work that makes a difference.

Work Environment

At Exponent, we have found that in-person interactions deepen employee engagement and are crucial for development, for realizing the full potential of our talented and diverse teams, and for building a more inclusive workplace where all have a sense of belonging. In our offices, you can expect a supportive culture and a collaborative, dynamic, multi-disciplinary work environment. Our consultants engage in-person in the office unless they are traveling for client work or other business activities.

We value the rich lives our colleagues enjoy outside of work and understand that work/life balance is critical to our employees and their well-being. Consultants have the autonomy to balance their work and personal schedules so you can meet with clients, visit inspection sites, attend conferences, and make time for priorities outside of work, too. It is this flexible, agile work style and working hours that allow our teams to drive innovation and results in their own ways, while meeting the needs of clients. #LI-Onsite

Compensation

Our consultants are rewarded for their technical and business contributions and have an opportunity to plan for future success and career growth. Exponent's total compensation plan is consistent with its expectations of the quality and quantity of work performed and with the professional standards set by Exponent. At the Associate and Senior Associate level, total compensation includes base salary, bi-weekly bonuses for high-intensity efforts, annual bonus and 401(k) employer contribution of 7% of base salary.

The base salary range for this position is dependent on experience and capabilities which will be assessed during the interview process.

Salary Range

USD $140,000.00 - USD $160,000.00 /Yr.

Benefits you will enjoy

Access benefits information on our Life@Exponent page:

https://www.exponent.com/careers/life-exponent

Exponent is a proud equal opportunity employer. All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, color, religion, sex, national origin, veteran status, disability, sexual orientation, gender identity, or any other protected status.

If you need assistance or accommodation due to a disability, you may email us at [e-mail].

Job Locations

US-IL-Chicago