Pressure Vessel Design Engineer

R-V Industries, Inc.; Honey Brook (Chester County); On-site; USD 85,000 - 120,000; Full time

Job summary

R-V Industries, Inc. designs and builds custom industrial process equipment, including ASME Section VIII pressure vessels. The Pressure Vessel Design Engineer will lead mechanical design, code calculations, and documentation, progressing toward technical and people leadership.

We welcome adjacent-field candidates and provide training to specialize in code vessel work. This hands-on role requires strong fundamentals, experience with shell/ head sizing, material selection, and fabrication

Qualifications

• 3+ years of progressive design engineering experience.
• Shell, head, nozzle, and flange code calculations.
• Material selection for code construction (carbon steel, stainless, nickel alloys).
• Experience with Compress preferred; PV Elite/Nozzle Pro/Codeware tools also considered.
• Demonstrated leadership potential and willingness to mentor others.

Responsibilities

• Design ASME Section VIII pressure vessels and related components.
• Perform and document code calculations using appropriate software.
• Grow into a technical leader and mentor less‑experienced engineers.
• Own the PO and specification review, plus documentation for build, inspection, and shipment.
• Prepare and maintain calculation sets and regulatory data packages.

Skills

Pressure vessel design

Code calculations

Materials selection

Leadership potential

Documentation

SolidWorks

Inventor

AutoCAD

Communication

Mentorship

Education

Bachelor's degree in Mechanical Engineering

Tools

Compress

PV Elite

Nozzle Pro

Codeware tools

SolidWorks

Inventor

AutoCAD

Job description

R-V Industries is a design and build manufacturer of custom industrial process equipment, including a wide range of ASME Section VIII pressure vessels engineered and fabricated in our own shops. The Pressure Vessel Design Engineer is responsible for the mechanical design, code calculations, and detailed documentation of pressure vessels and related components built to ASME Boiler and Pressure Vessel Code, Section VIII. This is a hands‑on engineering role with a clear growth path: we are looking for someone who brings strong fundamentals, the desire to master pressure vessel design, and the character to grow into a technical and people leader on our team. We are open to training the right candidate from an adjacent field — process equipment, structural, piping, or heat exchanger design — who is ready to specialize in code vessel work.

DUTIES/RESPONSIBILITIES

• Design ASME Section VIII pressure vessels and related components in a manner that supports job specifications, applicable codes, customer requirements, and good engineering practice.
• Perform and document code calculations using Compress (or equivalent pressure vessel software) — including shell and head sizing, nozzle reinforcement, flange design, supports, and external pressure analysis.
• Grow into a technical leader on the team — own the engineering quality of the work you touch, set the example for thoroughness in calculations and documentation, mentor less‑experienced engineers and designers through design reviews and one‑on‑one coaching, raise concerns early and constructively, and represent R‑V's technical position with confidence in front of customers, Authorized Inspectors, and internal stakeholders.
• Own the PO and specification review and all pertinent technical documentation required to build, inspect, test, and ship the vessel. This includes drawings, component specifications, bills of materials, weld maps, and code documentation packages.
• Prepare and maintain the calculation set and U‑1 Manufacturer's Data Report package for Authorized Inspector review and registration with the National Board.
• Assist Sales, Project Managers, Purchasing, Quality, Manufacturing, and Testing with all issues related to the contract, including material selection, fabrication sequencing, NDE requirements, and hydrostatic/pneumatic testing.
• Communicate with customers' technical personnel on all matters related to vessel design, code interpretation, and pertinent technical requirements.

SKILLS/QUALIFICATIONS

Required Skills:

• Minimum of 3 years of progressive design engineering experience, including some or all of the following:
• Shell, head, nozzle, and flange code calculations
• Material selection for code construction (carbon steel, stainless, nickel alloys)
• Experience with Compress is preferred; experience with other pressure vessel software (PV Elite, Nozzle Pro, Codeware tools, or equivalent) will also be considered.
• Demonstrated desire and character to grow into a leadership role at R‑V. We expect a future technical leader to show:
• Sound technical judgment — knowing when to follow the code letter-for-letter, when to ask for guidance, and when to push back on a customer or vendor.
• Ownership mentality — taking responsibility for the full lifecycle of a vessel from design through hydro test, and following through on commitments without being chased.
• Mentorship instinct — willingness to teach calculation methods, code interpretation, and drafting standards to less‑experienced engineers and designers.
• Clear, respectful communication — able to explain technical decisions to non‑engineers, write documentation others can follow, and disagree without making it personal.
• Commitment to continuous improvement — actively learning new codes, materials, and software, and proposing better ways to the work.
• 3+ years of experience with SolidWorks, Inventor, or AutoCAD for fabrication drawings
• Sizing components and creating calculation packages
• Creating complete vessel designs, including general arrangement and detailed drawings
• Writing specifications for buyout components
• Creating Bills of Materials for purchasing and production
• Strong communication, organizational, and interpersonal skills, positive team player, passion for continuous learning and improvement.

Willing to Train the Right Candidate:

• ASME Section VIII code experience (we will train a strong adjacent-field engineer)
• Compress software
• AWS welding symbol understanding and geometric tolerancing
• Support in obtaining PE License (or EIT)

EDUCATIONAL/PHYSICAL REQUIREMENTS

• Bachelor’s degree in Mechanical Engineering or equivalent
• Must be able to perform all essential functions of the job with or without accommodation

R-V INDUSTRIES, INC. IS AN EQUAL OPPORTUNITY EMPLOYER