Mechanical Engineer - Senior

Phenixfirehelmets; Riverside (CA); On-site; USD 95,000 - 120,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Paid Time Off

401(k) with 4% company match

Profit Sharing

Medical insurance

Dental insurance

Group Life Insurance

AFLAC

Employee Assistance Program (EAP)

Paid professional development

Bonus opportunities

Job summary

Phenix Technology Inc. is seeking an experienced mechanical engineer to drive product development from concept to production release at our Riverside, CA site. You will define requirements, perform analyses, and maintain CAD models while mentoring others and coordinating with manufacturing, quality, and suppliers.

The role emphasizes leadership, rigorous engineering standards, and ongoing improvement in a fast-paced environment with a strong culture.

Qualifications

• Bachelor's degree in Mechanical Engineering required.
• 5+ years of professional mechanical engineering experience.
• Experience with polymers, plastics processing, or PPE design is a plus.
• Strong analytical, problem-solving and communication skills.

Responsibilities

• Lead new product development from concept through production release.
• Develop engineering requirements, criteria, validation plans and tests.
• Perform advanced engineering analyses (FEA, material selection, tolerance analysis).
• Maintain 3D CAD models and engineering drawings in SolidWorks.
• Mentor engineers and collaborate with cross-functional teams.

Skills

Analytical skills

Project leadership

Cross-functional collaboration

Effective communication

Education

Bachelor's degree in Mechanical Engineering

Tools

SolidWorks

MATLAB

Excel

LabVIEW

Job description

EMPLOYMENT TYPE: Full-Time, Exempt
SCHEDULE: Monday - Thursday 7 AM - 5:30 PM
TRAVEL: Minimal (less than 10%) Occasional travel may be required, including day trips, overnight, and out-of-state travel.
LOCATION: Riverside, California (On-site)
SALARY: $95,000 - $120,000
BENEFITS: Paid Time Off, 401(k) with 4% Company Match, Profit Sharing, Medical, Dental, Group Life Insurance, AFLAC, Employee Assistance Program (EAP), Paid Professional Development, Bonus Opportunities, and most importantly—an amazing culture.
*Our products incorporate leather; a material derived from animal sources. Team members in all roles may be required to handle or work near leather materials.*

BETTER PEOPLE. BETTER PRODUCTS. BETTER WORLD.

At Phenix Technology Inc., we don't just manufacture fire helmets—we build products that protect the people who protect others.

For more than 50 years, we've proudly designed and manufactured American-made fire helmets trusted by firefighters around the world. We believe exceptional products begin with exceptional people, which is why we're committed to creating a workplace where employees are empowered to grow, improve, and make a meaningful impact every day.

Our Core Values

Make Excellence Our Habit

Leave the World a Better Place

Create an Environment of Joy

Focus on Continuous Improvement

Who You Are

You're an experienced engineer who enjoys turning ideas into real-world products. You balance technical expertise with practical problem-solving and understand how great engineering impacts every part of the business—from manufacturing and quality to customer satisfaction.

You enjoy leading projects, mentoring others, and collaborating across departments. You're naturally curious, continually looking for better ways to design, manufacture, and improve products.

Most importantly, you're passionate about building products that make a meaningful difference.

You are someone who:

• Thinks strategically while paying close attention to detail.
• Takes ownership of projects from concept through production.
• Enjoys solving complex technical challenges.
• Communicates technical information clearly to both technical and non-technical audiences.
• Collaborates effectively across departments.
• Leads by example and enjoys mentoring other engineers.
• Continuously looks for opportunities to improve products and processes.
• Maintains high engineering standards and quality expectations.
• Is humble enough to ask questions, curious enough to learn, and courageous enough to challenge conventional thinking.

What You'll Do Product Development

• Lead new product development from concept through production release.
• Develop engineering requirements, design criteria, validation plans, and testing protocols.
• Perform advanced engineering analysis including FEA, material selection, tolerance analysis, and design validation.
• Develop and maintain accurate 3D CAD models and engineering drawings.
• Recommend design improvements based on engineering analysis, testing, and customer feedback.
• Evaluate new materials, manufacturing processes, and emerging technologies.
• Comfortable managing multiple concurrent projects and adapting quickly to changing business needs.
• Evaluate emerging technologies, materials, and manufacturing methods while staying current with industry standards, safety regulations, and engineering best practices.

Technical Leadership

• Serve as the technical lead on complex engineering projects.
• Help define project scope, timelines, milestones, and technical objectives.
• Assist with engineering design reviews.
• Mentor and support members of the engineering team.
• Support leadership by communicating project status, technical risks, and recommendations.

Manufacturing & Continuous Improvement

• Drive manufacturability, reliability, and product performance improvements.
• Lead root cause investigations and corrective actions for complex technical issues.
• Collaborate with Manufacturing, Quality, Purchasing, and Operations to improve processes.
• Support Lean Manufacturing initiatives and continuous improvement efforts.
• Ensure engineering documentation remains accurate and up to date.
• Work closely with cross-functional teams throughout product development.
• Interface with suppliers, certification agencies, testing laboratories, and customers on technical matters.
• Support product certifications and regulatory compliance activities.
• Represent Phenix at customer meetings, supplier visits, and industry trade shows as needed.

What Success Looks Like

Success in this role means:

• New products move efficiently from concept to production.
• Engineering projects stay organized, on schedule, and meet technical objectives.
• Products are reliable, manufacturable, and continuously improving.
• Technical issues are identified quickly and resolved effectively.
• Cross-functional teams work collaboratively throughout development.
• Engineering documentation is accurate and maintained to a high standard.
• The engineering team continues to grow through your mentorship.
• You become a trusted technical leader throughout the organization.

What You Bring

We're looking for someone with:

• Bachelor's degree in Mechanical Engineering or a related engineering discipline.
• Five or more years of professional mechanical engineering experience.
• Experience with polymers, plastics processing, injection molding, or compression molding.
• Proficiency with 3D CAD software (SolidWorks preferred).
• Experience using engineering analysis tools such as Excel, MATLAB, LabVIEW, or similar software.
• Strong analytical, problem-solving, and critical thinking skills.
• Excellent communication and presentation skills.
• Ability to lead projects while working independently with minimal supervision.
• Experience collaborating on cross-functional engineering teams.
• Experience leading engineering teams and mentoring other engineers.

The following are preferred but not required:

• Experience with FEA, CAE, CAM, or Product Lifecycle Management (PLM) systems.
• Master's degree in Mechanical Engineering or a related discipline.
• Professional Engineer (PE) license.
• Experience designing injection-molded plastic components.
• Experience developing PPE, helmets, or other safety equipment.
• Understanding of Lean Manufacturing principles, 5S, and the Deadly Wastes.

Why You'll Love Working Here

At Phenix Technology Inc., you'll be part of a company that values people just as much as performance.

We believe in investing in our employees, encouraging professional growth, celebrating successes, and creating an environment where everyone has the opportunity to make a meaningful impact.