Senior Design Engineer

Actalent; United States; Remote; USD 110,000 - 130,000; Full time

Job summary

Actalent in Crawfordsville, IN seeks a Senior Design Engineer to lead the design, development, and sustainment of complex products with a primary focus on centrifugal pump applications. You will shape technical direction, evaluate trade-offs, and drive high-impact initiatives to deliver robust, manufacturable solutions aligned with business and customer requirements.

The role calls for strong hydraulic/motor knowledge, advanced GD&T and FEA, mentoring, and collaboration across R&D, quality, and

Qualifications

• B.S. in Mechanical Engineering or related field.
• 7+ years of relevant engineering experience.
• 5+ years of centrifugal pumps experience and knowledge of hydraulic/electric motors.
• Demonstrated technical leadership and mentoring capability.
• Advanced system-level problem-solving skills.
• High autonomy and sound engineering judgment.
• FEA experience required.
• 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 performance, efficiency, NPSH, bearing life, axial thrust, and system curves.
• Demonstrate understanding of hydraulic motors' operation, torque-speed relationships, and efficiency characteristics.
• Evaluate pump-motor interaction to ensure performance and reliability.
• Lead design reviews and critical technical decisions.
• Drive major NPD and VAVE initiatives with measurable business impact.
• Define testing strategies and oversee validation/qualification activities for hydraulic and performance testing.
• Apply GD&T, tolerance analysis, and design verification methods.
• Approve engineering designs, drawings, and ECNs.
• Serve as SME across multiple product lines.
• Resolve complex manufacturing, supplier, and field issues via root-cause analysis.
• Mentor engineers and promote design best practices in fluid power.

Skills

Fluid power knowledge

Centrifugal pump experience

Leadership experience

Autonomy

Problem solving

GD&T proficiency

Mentoring capability

Engineering judgment

Education

B.S. in Mechanical Engineering

Tools

Autodesk Inventor

FEA tools

Microsoft Office

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.

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 insurancePrescription drug coverage401(k) with company match and additional company contributionsPaid vacation and company holidaysHealth Savings Account (HSA)Flexible Spending Accounts (FSA)

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 withoutregard to race, sex, age, color, religion, national origin, veteran status, disability,sexual orientation, gender identity, genetic information or any characteristic protectedby law.

If you would like to request a reasonable accommodation, such as the modification oradjustment 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 thecity and county of San Francisco, we will consider for employment qualified applicantswith arrest and conviction records.

Massachusetts Lie Detector:

It is unlawful in Massachusetts to require or administer a lie detector test as acondition of employment or continued employment. An employer who violates this lawshall 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 applicationsand qualifications, but final decisions are made by our hiring team. By applying, youacknowledge and agree that your application may be reviewed using AI tools.