Project Design Engineer

The Reserves Network; Plainville (CT); On-site; USD 75,000 - 135,000; Full time

Job summary

The Reserves Network is seeking a Project Design Engineer in Connecticut to lead the detailed development, production release, and lifecycle support of mechanical and electromechanical products. You will transform concepts into fully defined, manufacturable solutions and drive ECR/ECO processes.

You will bridge engineering with manufacturing, quality, and supply chain, ensuring documentation is accurate and production-ready.

Qualifications

• Requires a degree in Mechanical Engineering or related field and 3+ years designing mechanical/electromechanical products.
• Proficient with SolidWorks (assemblies, drawings, configurations).
• Experience releasing production-ready products and managing ECRs/ECOs.
• Experience developing and maintaining Bills of Material (BOM).
• Knowledge of machining, molding, casting, fabrication and assembly processes.

Responsibilities

• Lead detailed product design from concept to production release.
• Develop SolidWorks models, assemblies, drawings, configurations, and design tables.
• Create production documentation for manufacturing, assembly, inspection and quality.
• Perform tolerance analysis, material selection, and design trade-offs.
• Coordinate engineering changes across Engineering, Manufacturing, Quality, Supply Chain, and Product Management.
• Develop customer-specific product configurations and maintain BOMs.
• Support new product introductions and production scale-up.

Skills

Attention to detail

Cross-functional collaboration

Engineering change management

Effective communication

Education

Bachelor's degree in Mechanical Engineering

Tools

SolidWorks

Design tables

ERP systems

PIM systems

Job description

Product Realization & Manufacturing Engineering

Employment Type: Full Time

Compensation: $75,000 to $135,000, depending on experience, technical expertise, and location

Bring Products to Life.

We're partnering with an innovative manufacturer seeking a Project Design Engineer to lead the detailed development, production release, and lifecycle support of mechanical and electromechanical products.

This is not a conceptual product development role, nor is it a drafting position.

Instead, you'll take product concepts and transform them into fully defined, manufacturable solutions ready for production. From engineering change management and product configurations to manufacturing support and continuous improvement, you'll play a critical role in ensuring products move successfully from design into production while maintaining accuracy throughout their lifecycle.

If you enjoy solving technical challenges, collaborating across multiple disciplines, and owning products from design realization through manufacturing, this is an outstanding opportunity to make a meaningful impact.

About the Role

As the Project Design Engineer, you\'ll serve as the bridge between engineering, manufacturing, quality, supply chain, and product management.

You'll be responsible for ensuring every product released into production is complete, accurate, manufacturable, and supported with the documentation and data required for long term success.

This position combines detailed mechanical design, engineering change management, product configuration, manufacturing support, and continuous improvement into one highly visible engineering role.

What You'll Do

Product Design & Production Release

• Lead detailed product design from concept handoff through production release
• Develop and maintain SolidWorks models, assemblies, drawings, configurations, and design tables
• Create complete production documentation supporting manufacturing, assembly, inspection, and quality
• Perform tolerance analysis, material selection, and design tradeoff evaluations
• Ensure products are fully defined, manufacturable, and production ready
• Lead Engineering Change Requests (ECRs) and Engineering Change Orders (ECOs)
• Coordinate engineering changes across Engineering, Manufacturing, Quality, Supply Chain, and Product Management
• Implement improvements related to quality, cost, supplier changes, and product lifecycle management
• Maintain complete engineering documentation throughout the change process

Product Configuration & Data Management

• Develop customer specific product configurations and variants
• Maintain engineering and manufacturing Bills of Material (BOMs)
• Ensure product data remains accurate across CAD, PDM, ERP, PIM, and related business systems
• Support configurable product structures and engineering design tables
• Protect the integrity of the digital product record throughout the product lifecycle

Manufacturing Support

• Support new product introductions and production scale up
• Resolve manufacturing, assembly, supplier, and product performance issues
• Collaborate closely with Manufacturing, Quality, and Supply Chain teams
• Update work instructions, BOMs, and engineering documentation as products evolve
• Identify and implement Value Analysis / Value Engineering (VAVE) opportunities
• Apply Design for Excellence (DFx) principles to improve manufacturability, quality, reliability, and cost
• Support Lean Manufacturing initiatives and continuous improvement efforts
• Drive product enhancements throughout the product lifecycle

Qualifications

Required

• Associate\'s or Bachelor\'s degree in Mechanical Engineering or a related discipline, or equivalent experience
• Three or more years of experience designing mechanical or electromechanical products
• Strong proficiency with SolidWorks, including assemblies, drawings, configurations, and design tables
• Experience releasing production ready products into manufacturing
• Experience managing Engineering Change Requests (ECRs) and Engineering Change Orders (ECOs)
• Experience developing and maintaining Bills of Material
• Understanding of machining, molding, casting, fabrication, and assembly processes

Preferred

• Design for Excellence (DFx)
• Value Analysis / Value Engineering (VAVE)
• CAD and PDM integration
• ERP and Product Information Management (PIM) systems
• Industrial or electromechanical products

What We\'re Looking For

The strongest candidates are engineers who enjoy turning partially defined concepts into complete, production ready products.

Successful candidates will typically be:

• Highly detail oriented
• Experienced collaborating with manufacturing teams
• Skilled in engineering change management
• Comfortable managing complex Bills of Material and configurable products
• Passionate about improving product quality, manufacturability, and performance
• Effective communicators who enjoy working across multiple disciplines

Why Join?

This role offers the opportunity to own one of the most critical phases of the product lifecycle, ensuring innovative products are successfully released into manufacturing and continually improved throughout their lifespan.

Highlights include:

• Ownership of products from design realization through production
• Broad exposure across Engineering, Manufacturing, Quality, Supply Chain, and Product Management
• High visibility role with significant product ownership
• Collaborative engineering culture
• Opportunity to influence product quality, manufacturability, and reliability
• Divers e technical challenges across mechanical and electromechanical products
• Long term career growth within a stable and innovative manufacturing environment

Ready to Build What\'s Next?

If you\'re passionate about product realization, manufacturing readiness, and taking ownership of products throughout their lifecycle, we\'d welcome the opportunity to connect.