Senior Mechanical Engineer

viaPhoton; Chicago (IL); On-site; USD 85,000 - 110,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Health insurance

401(k) match

Paid time off

Holidays

Job summary

viaPhoton is seeking a senior mechanical design engineer to lead the next generation of fiber optic solutions. With 7+ years of experience, you will mentor junior engineers, partner with sales and operations, and drive CAD design, prototyping, and cost-aware development.

You will work across sheet metal, plastics, extrusions, and castings using SolidWorks, build prototypes, source components, and keep projects on time and on budget while communicating technical concepts to both technical and

Qualifications

• Bachelor's degree or equivalent with at least 7 years of practical experience in a similar industry or field.
• Experience in a technical support or customer-facing role.
• Proficient in SolidWorks and able to produce detailed CAD models, drawings, and renderings.
• Ability to summarize technical concepts clearly for less technical audiences and provide succinct instructions.
• Strong analytical and problem-solving skills with ability to generate insights and recommendations.
• Capable of juggling multiple inquiries and prioritizing accordingly.

Responsibilities

• Work with sales, operations, and marketing to develop new products that solve real customer problems.
• Mentor and support junior engineers with tasks and projects, including SolidWorks usage.
• Lead the mechanical product design process, including CAD design, drawings, BOMs, FEA, and cost analysis.
• Investigate and lead technical root cause analyses and failure investigations.
• Design across sheet metal, injection molded plastics, extrusions, and castings using SolidWorks.
• Build prototypes, source components with outside vendors, and collaborate with cross-functional teams to keep projects on time and on budget.

Skills

Mechanical design

SolidWorks

CAD drawings

Mentoring

Root-cause analysis

Cost analysis

Prototype development

Education

Bachelor's degree

Tools

SolidWorks

Job description

Who We Are

We are changing the norm by being customer-focused, technology-led. viaPhoton is reimagining fiber optic manufacturing for the AI era. We design and deliver custom-engineered, end-to-end fiber connectivity solutions for the AI infrastructure, data centers, and 5G networks shaping the next decade, and our customers need them in weeks, not months. In five years we've grown to a team of 200+ and 4x'd our revenue in the last year alone, and we're just getting started. We're looking for people who want to do their best work with a team that's moving fast.

About the Role

You’ll lead mechanical product design for the next generation of our fiber optic solutions. With at least 7 years of experience, you’ll mentor junior engineers, partner with sales and operations, and deliver products that solve real customer problems. You’ll design across multiple manufacturing methods, build prototypes, and explain technical concepts clearly to both technical and non-technical stakeholders.

• Work with sales, operations, and marketing teams to develop new products that solve real customer problems
• Mentor and support junior engineers with tasks and projects, including SolidWorks usage
• Lead the mechanical product design process, including CAD design, drawings, bill-of-materials, FEA, and cost analysis
• Investigate and lead technical root cause analysis and failure investigations
• Design across sheet metal, injection molded plastics, extrusions, and castings using SolidWorks
• Build prototypes, source components with outside vendors, and partner with cross-functional teams to keep projects on time and on budget

What You’ll Bring

• Have a bachelor’s degree or equivalent, with at least 7 years of practical experience in a similar industry or field
• Have experience in a technical support or customer‑facing role
• Are proficient in SolidWorks and can produce detailed CAD models, drawings, and renderings
• Can summarize technical concepts clearly for less technical audiences and provide succinct instructions
• Bring careful analytical and problem‑solving skills and can produce meaningful insights and recommendations
• Are comfortable handling multiple inquiries at once and prioritizing accordingly

What’s In It For You

• Robust health, dental, and vision coverage that starts on day 1
• 401(k) with 4% match, vests immediately after a 90‑day waiting period
• Flexible PTO that grows over time
• 10 paid holidays, including 2 floating holidays
• Monthly team events

Location

Naperville, IL

Schedule

Mon–Fri | Onsite

Compensation

$85,000 to $110,000 base, plus annual bonus

We’re building something big, and we want good people along for the ride. If that sounds like you, we’d love to hear from you.

At viaPhoton, we are committed to furthering our culture of inclusion. We reinforce this through our core values and beliefs as well as our processes and strategic goals. We remind team members to seek various viewpoints, learn and be hungry with curiosity, and gain trust.

We are an equal opportunity employer and make all employment decisions based on merit and qualifications. We do not discriminate on the basis of race, color, ethnic or national origin, religion or belief, sex, pregnancy, sexual orientation, gender identity or expression, age, disability, health condition, genetic information, marital or family status, military or veteran status, socioeconomic background, or any other status protected by applicable law.

We provide reasonable accommodations and adjustments throughout the hiring process. If you need one, please let us know. Any personal data you share with us is handled confidentially and in line with applicable data protection law.