Senior Design Engineer

Actalent; Crawfordsville (IN); Remote; USD 110,000 - 130,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Medical, dental, and vision insurance

401(k) with company match

Paid vacation and company holidays

Health Savings Account (HSA)

Flexible Spending Accounts (FSA)

Job summary

Actalent, based in Crawfordsville, IN, seeks a Senior Design Engineer to lead the design, development, and sustainment of complex centrifugal pump systems. You will own technical direction, mentor engineers, and drive high-impact initiatives across hydraulic motors and fluid power systems.

The role requires deep expertise in FEA, GD&T, and product validation, with a strong track record in delivering manufacturable solutions. Remote work is supported, with onsite collaboration as needed.

Qualifications

• Bachelor of Science in Mechanical Engineering or Mechanical Engineering Technology.
• 7+ years of engineering experience.
• 5+ years in centrifugal pumps and applied knowledge of hydraulic and electric motors.
• FEA experience required and FMEA experience required.

Responsibilities

• Lead complex product and system design from concept through production launch, focusing on centrifugal pumps.
• Define technical strategy, product architecture, and performance requirements for fluid power systems.
• Apply advanced fluid dynamics and hydraulic analysis to evaluate pump/motor performance, efficiency, NPSH, bearing life, and system curves.
• Demonstrate understanding of hydraulic motors, including torque-speed relationships and efficiency.
• Lead design reviews and critical technical decisions; drive NPD and VAVE initiatives.
• Define testing strategies and oversee validation and qualification activities.

Skills

Technical leadership

Autonomy

Fluid power fundamentals

FEA

FMEA

Mentoring

Problem solving

Hydraulic systems

Education

Bachelor of Science in Mechanical Engineering

Tools

Autodesk Inventor

FEA tools

Job description

Job Title: Senior Design Engineer

Job Description

The role of Senior Design Engineer involves providing technical leadership and ownership for the design, development, and sustainment of complex products and systems, with a primary focus on centrifugal pump applications. The candidate will possess a strong functional and mechanical understanding of hydraulic motors and fluid power systems, including performance characteristics, efficiency, NPSH, and system interactions. The position entails establishing technical direction, evaluating design trade-offs, and driving high-impact initiatives to deliver robust, manufacturable solutions aligned with business and customer requirements. The Senior Design Engineer will serve as a technical authority, mentor, and key contributor to product strategy and continuous improvement.

Responsibilities

• Lead complex product and system design from concept through production launch, with a focus on centrifugal pumps.
• Define technical strategy, product architecture, and performance requirements for fluid power systems.
• Apply advanced fluid dynamics and hydraulic analysis to evaluate fluid handling product performance, efficiency, NPSH, bearing life, axial thrust, and system curves.
• Demonstrate functional understanding of hydraulic motors, including mechanical operation, torque-speed relationships, and efficiency characteristics.
• Evaluate pump and motor interaction within hydraulic systems to ensure proper performance and reliability.
• Lead and approve design reviews and critical technical decisions.
• Drive major NPD and VAVE initiatives with measurable business impact.
• Define testing strategies and oversee validation and qualification activities, including hydraulic and performance testing.
• Apply advanced GD&T, tolerance analysis, and design verification methods.
• Approve engineering designs, drawings, and ECNs.
• Act as subject matter expert across multiple product lines.
• Resolve complex manufacturing, supplier, and field issues through advanced root cause analysis.
• Mentor engineers and provide technical leadership in design best practices and fluid power fundamentals.

Essential Skills

• Bachelor of Science degree in Mechanical Engineering or Mechanical Engineering Technology.
• 7+ years of relevant engineering experience.
• 5+ years of experience with centrifugal pumps and applied knowledge of hydraulic and electric motors.
• Demonstrated technical leadership and mentoring capability.
• Advanced systems-level problem-solving skills.
• High level of autonomy and sound engineering judgment.
• FEA experience required.
• FMEA experience required.

Additional Skills & Qualifications

• Design experience with centrifugal pumps and rotating assemblies.
• Lab testing experience.
• Demonstrated productivity, multi-tasking ability, patience, and dependability.
• Effective and influential communication skills (written, verbal, presentation, and interpersonal).
• Ability to work effectively within a team environment and on solo assignments.
• Highly effective project management skills.
• Experience with Microsoft Office Suite, Autodesk Inventor (expert level), and advanced analysis, simulation, and FEA tools.

Work Environment

This position is based onsite with a work schedule from 7 AM to 3:30 PM, Monday through Friday. The immediate team consists of six people. The role involves 80% work at a computer and 20% on the floor. The candidate will collaborate with R&D, quality, and other teams in a dynamic and hands-on environment.

Job Type & Location

This is a Permanent position based out of Crawfordsville, IN.

Pay And Benefits

The pay range for this position is $110000.00 - $130000.00/yr.

Individual compensation offered for this position within this range will depend on many factors, including qualifications, skills, relevant experience, job knowledge, geographic location, internal equity, and other pertinent job-related factors.

• Medical, dental, and vision insurance
• Prescription drug coverage
• 401(k) with company match and additional company contributions
• Paid vacation and company holidays
• Health Savings Account (HSA)
• Flexible Spending Accounts (FSA)

Job Type & Location

This is a Permanent position based out of Crawfordsville, IN.

Application Deadline

This position is anticipated to close on Oct 16, 2026.

Workplace Type

This is a fully remote position.

About Actalent

Actalent is a global leader in engineering and sciences services and talent solutions. We help visionary companies advance their engineering and science initiatives through access to specialized experts who drive scale, innovation and speed to market. With a network of almost 20,000 consultants and 5,000 clients across the U.S., Canada, Asia and Europe, Actalent serves many of the Fortune 500. We are proud to be an Engineering News-Record (ENR) Top 500 Design Firm for our engineering design services and a ClearlyRated Best of Staffing winner for both client and talent service.

The company is an equal opportunity employer and will consider all applications without regard to race, sex, age, color, religion, national origin, veteran status, disability, sexual orientation, gender identity, genetic information or any characteristic protected by law.

If you would like to request a reasonable accommodation, such as the modification or adjustment of the job application process or interviewing process due to a disability, please email [e-mail] for other accommodation options.

San Francisco Fair Chance Ordinance

Pursuant to the San Francisco Fair Chance Ordinance, for all positions located in the city and county of San Francisco, we will consider for employment qualified applicants with arrest and conviction records.

Massachusetts Lie Detector

It is unlawful in Massachusetts to require or administer a lie detector test as a condition of employment or continued employment. An employer who violates this law shall be subject to criminal penalties and civil liability.

Use of Artificial Intelligence (AI)

We may use Artificial Intelligence (AI) to support parts of our hiring process, including sourcing, screening, and evaluating candidates. AI helps assess applications and qualifications, but final decisions are made by our hiring team. By applying, you acknowledge and agree that your application may be reviewed using AI tools.