Senior Mechanical Engineer - Lead Semi-Automated Equipment

GCS Recruitment; Minneapolis (MN); On-site; USD 90,000 - 130,000; Full time

Job summary

GCS Recruitment in Minneapolis seeks a Senior Mechanical Engineer to lead the design and development of complex semi-automated manufacturing equipment. You will own assemblies from concept to commissioning and provide technical leadership across the team.

The role requires strong design expertise, hands-on prototyping, testing, and equipment validation, plus mentoring of junior engineers to drive reliability and manufacturability.

Qualifications

• Bachelor's degree in Mechanical Engineering or related discipline.
• 5+ years of experience designing custom automation or semi-automated manufacturing equipment.
• Advanced proficiency with SolidWorks, including complex assemblies and mechanism design.
• Experience using SolidWorks PDM for file management and revision control.
• Strong knowledge of mechanical drawings, GD&T, and engineering standards.
• Experience specifying and integrating off-the-shelf mechanical components.
• Hands-on aptitude for equipment assembly, testing, and troubleshooting.

Responsibilities

• Lead the mechanical design of complex semi-automated manufacturing equipment using SolidWorks.
• Develop complete machine designs from concept through commissioning.
• Manage design documentation and revision control using SolidWorks PDM.
• Produce detailed 2D engineering drawings including dimensioning and GD&T.
• Select materials and specify mechanical components (bearings, actuators, pneumatics, sensors).
• Design for manufacturability, assembly efficiency, operator usability, and maintainability.
• Support hands-on prototyping, assembly, testing, and qualification activities.
• Collaborate with controls, software, electrical, and process engineering teams for seamless integration.
• Translate process requirements into robust equipment designs.

Skills

Mechanical design

Prototyping

Team mentoring

Cross-functional collaboration

Education

Bachelor's degree in Mechanical Engineering

Tools

SolidWorks

SolidWorks PDM

Job description

We are seeking an experienced Senior Mechanical Engineer to lead the design and development of complex semi-automated manufacturing equipment. This role is responsible for taking equipment designs from concept through commissioning, owning complete mechanical assemblies, and providing technical leadership throughout the development process.

The ideal candidate will combine strong design expertise with hands-on engineering experience, supporting prototyping, testing, and equipment validation while mentoring junior team members.

Key Responsibilities

• Lead the mechanical design of complex semi-automated manufacturing equipment using SolidWorks.
• Develop complete machine designs from concept, detailed engineering, build, and commissioning.
• Manage design documentation and revision control using SolidWorks PDM.
• Produce detailed 2D engineering drawings including dimensioning, tolerancing, and GD&T.
• Select appropriate materials and specify mechanical components such as bearings, actuators, pneumatics, sensors, and linear motion systems.
• Design equipment with a focus on manufacturability, assembly efficiency, operator usability, and maintainability.
• Support hands-on prototyping, assembly, testing, debugging, and qualification activities.
• Collaborate closely with controls, software, electrical, and process engineering teams to ensure seamless system integration.
• Translate process requirements into robust and reliable equipment designs.
• Support deployment and implementation of equipment into production environments.

Required Qualifications

• Bachelor's degree in Mechanical Engineering or related discipline.
• 5+ years of experience designing custom automation or semi-automated manufacturing equipment.
• Advanced proficiency with SolidWorks, including complex assemblies and mechanism design.
• Experience using SolidWorks PDM for file management and revision control.
• Strong knowledge of mechanical drawings, GD&T, and engineering standards.
• Experience specifying and integrating off-the-shelf mechanical components.
• Strong hands-on aptitude for equipment assembly, testing, and troubleshooting.
• Experience working within cross-functional engineering teams.

Preferred Qualifications

• Experience with precision manufacturing, medical devices, fiber optics, or high-precision assembly equipment.
• Background designing benchtop or tabletop automation systems.
• Familiarity with PLC-controlled equipment, robotics, and machine vision integration.

GCS is acting as an Employment Business in relation to this vacancy.