Senior Mechanical Engineer

Bravo Team Engineering Design & Fabrication; Cornelius (NC); Hybrid; USD 110,000 - 140,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

401k matching

Health insurance

Dental insurance

HSA/FSA

Vision insurance

Life insurance

STD/LTD

EAP

PTO

Holiday time off

Schedule flexibility

Professional development

Job summary

Bravo Team Engineering Design & Fabrication in Cornelius, NC, is seeking a Senior Mechanical Engineer focused on automation and machine design to lead the mechanical solution from concept through installation and handover for client projects. You’ll bring 8+ years of experience in machine design, hands-on robotic cells, SolidWorks CAD, and strong safety knowledge.

This full-time, hybrid role requires travel to client facilities and offers relocation support, solid benefits, and professional

Qualifications

• Bachelor’s degree in Mechanical Engineering or related field.
• 8+ years in machine design, automation, or manufacturing equipment development.
• Experience with robotic cells and custom machinery.
• Experience with safety standards and FAT/SAT processes.

Responsibilities

• Lead the mechanical design and integration of automated equipment, robotic cells, and production lines from concept through installation and commissioning.
• Develop line and cell layouts, material flow plans, and equipment arrangements for multi-step manufacturing processes.
• Perform robot reach studies, cycle time analysis, and line simulation to validate throughput and takt time.
• Design custom machines, fixtures, EOAT, and conveyor/material handling systems.
• Size and select actuators, drives, pneumatics, hydraulics, bearings and structural frames.
• Assess existing equipment, identify gaps, and develop upgrade plans.
• Define requirements for purchased equipment and lead FAT/SAT reviews.
• Lead risk assessments and design guarding per standards.
• Perform engineering analysis to confirm performance and safety.
• Collaborate with controls/electrical/software engineers on sensors and sequences.
• Maintain engineering documentation and handover packages.
• Support on-site installation, commissioning, and ramp-up.
• Act as technical authority and mentor junior engineers.

Skills

Mechanical design

Automation

Manufacturing equipment

Robotics

Project leadership

Education

Bachelor's degree in Mechanical Engineering or related

Tools

SolidWorks

Job description

We're Growing and always looking for talented people to join our team!

Position:

Senior Mechanical Engineer - Automation & Machine Design

• Relocation reimbursement may be considered for qualified candidates

Why Join Us?

As part of our team, you’ll work on exciting, high-impact projects across a wide range of industries, and enjoy:

• 401(k) 5% matching, immediately eligible to participate.
• Dental insurance, Health insurance, Health savings account (HSA), Flexible Spending Account (FSA), Vision insurance, and Life insurance.
• Short Term Disability (STD) and Long Term Disability (LTD).
• Employee Assistance Program (EAP).
• Health Advocacy Support
• Mental Health Support
• Fertility and family-building care
• Generous Paid Time Off (PTO) and Holiday time off.
• Schedule flexibility.
• Professional Development Assistance.

Who We Are

Bravo Team is a tech-enabled engineering firm in Cornelius, NC, built to transform complex engineering challenges into breakthrough solutions. Our 16,000 sq. ft. innovation facility houses a 3D print farm, rapid prototyping lab, and a 4,200 sq. ft. machine shop and fabrication shop, purpose-built to move at the velocity of real engineering work.

Our team of engineers, machinists, and fabricators works across mechanical, electrical, and software disciplines, integrating every capability in-house to take ideas from concept to production without losing speed or precision. We are a 3-time Inc. 5000 winner and one of the fastest-growing veteran-owned businesses in the country.

We build our culture the same way we build our solutions: with integrity, precision, and a genuine investment in the people doing the work. If you are motivated by excellence, energized by hard problems, and ready to be part of a team that takes ownership and wins together, Bravo Team is for you.

Your Role

As a Senior Mechanical Engineer focused on automation and machine design, you will lead the mechanical design and integration of production equipment, automated cells, and full manufacturing lines for client-partners in advanced manufacturing. Some projects start from a blank sheet; others mean reworking and upgrading equipment already on the floor. Either way, you will own the mechanical solution from concept layout through installation, commissioning, and handover.

• Production line and cell design
• Custom machine and tooling design
• Equipment integration and commissioning
• Machine safety and documentation

This role is built for an engineer who has stood on a production floor during commissioning, knows what it takes to hit rate, and moves comfortably between a layout review, a robot reach study, and a technical discussion with an equipment manufacturer. You will be the technical lead on your projects, a trusted advisor to our client-partners, and a mentor to the engineers around you.

Key Responsibilities

• Lead the mechanical design and integration of automated equipment, robotic cells, and production lines from concept layout through installation and commissioning.
• Develop line and cell layouts, material flow plans, and equipment arrangements for multi-step manufacturing processes, covering both new installations and retrofits of existing equipment.
• Perform robot reach studies, cycle time analysis, and line simulation to validate throughput, rate, and takt time before equipment is built.
• Design custom machines, fixtures, end-of-arm tooling (EOAT), and conveyor and material handling systems, including equipment that supports forging, pressing, and CNC machining operations.
• Size and select mechanical and electromechanical components: actuators, drives, pneumatics, hydraulics, bearings, and structural frames.
• Assess existing equipment and cells against requirements, identify gaps, and develop remediation and upgrade plans.
• Define requirements for purchased equipment, evaluate equipment manufacturer proposals, and lead technical reviews through factory acceptance testing (FAT) and site acceptance testing (SAT).
• Lead machine and robotic cell risk assessments (ISO 12100, ANSI B11.0, ANSI/A3 R15.06) and design guarding and safeguarding that address the findings.
• Design equipment to applicable industry standards and regulatory requirements (ANSI B11, NFPA 79, OSHA, CE, and others as project-specific).
• Perform and oversee engineering analysis, including structural, deflection, fatigue, and motion and dynamics calculations, to confirm performance, reliability, and safety.
• Work closely with controls, electrical, and software engineers, including client-partner controls and MES teams, to define sensors, I/O, interlocks, and sequences of operation.
• Develop and maintain complete engineering and handover documentation: CAD models, layouts, drawings, BOMs, sequence of operation descriptions, and operation and maintenance (O&M) manuals.
• Support on-site installation, debug, commissioning, and production ramp at client-partner facilities.
• Serve as the primary technical authority and client-partner point of contact on assigned projects: translate user needs into requirements, lead design and feasibility reviews, identify and mitigate technical risks, and contribute technical scope, estimates, and deliverables to proposals and Statements of Work.
• Mentor junior engineers through design reviews, technical feedback, and guidance on engineering best practices.

Requirements

• Education: Bachelor’s degree in Mechanical Engineering, Mechatronics, or a closely related discipline.
• Experience: 8+ years in machine design, automation, or manufacturing equipment development, with a track record of delivering automated equipment or production lines from concept through commissioning.
• Hands-on experience designing robotic cells, custom machines, fixtures, and conveyor or material handling systems.
• Experience with robot reach studies, cycle time analysis, and throughput and takt time validation.
• Working knowledge of machine safety: risk assessment methods (ISO 12100), ANSI B11, ANSI/A3 R15.06 and ISO 10218, and safeguarding design.
• Experience specifying purchased equipment and working with equipment manufacturers through FAT and SAT.
• Expertise in 3D CAD (SolidWorks preferred), including large assembly and layout management.
• Solid foundation in structural mechanics, machine elements, dynamics, pneumatics, and hydraulics.
• Experience with DFM, DFA, and GD&T for machined and fabricated parts.
• Fluency with controls fundamentals: PLCs, sensors, I/O, and safety circuits, and how mechanical design decisions shape the controls architecture.
• Clear, confident communication with client-partner stakeholders, including leading technical reviews.
• Willingness to travel to client-partner facilities for site assessments, installation, and commissioning, including multi-day trips estimated 20%.

Preferred Qualifications

• Robot or line simulation experience (Siemens Process Simulate, RoboDK, FANUC ROBOGUIDE, Visual Components, FlexSim, or similar).
• Hands-on PLC or robot programming experience (Rockwell, Siemens, FANUC, ABB, or similar).
• Experience in an engineering services, systems integrator, or consulting environment supporting multiple client-partners.

One of our greatest strengths is the collaboration of our talented team, which happens best when we are all under one roof. As such, this position requires a minimum of several days weekly in-office. Our work is centered on meeting our client-partners’ needs, which requires us to adapt our duties and responsibilities as necessary. This means that tasks, responsibilities, and activities outlined in this job description may change or evolve over time.

Work Requirements:

Full-time, hybrid. Several days per week in our Cornelius facility are required, plus travel to client-partner facilities for site work.

Compensation:

$110,000 to $140,000 annually, plus benefits. Placement within the range depends on factors such as years of applicable experience and depth of automation and machine design expertise.

Bravo Team is an equal opportunity employer. We are committed to fostering a diverse, inclusive workplace that respects and values different perspectives, backgrounds, and experiences. All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, color, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, national origin, disability, or veteran status.