Senior Mechanical Project Engineer

Gables Search Group; Lowell (MA); On-site; USD 110,000 - 145,000; Full time

Job summary

Gables Search Group is seeking a Senior Mechanical Project Engineer – Custom Equipment in Lowell, MA. This role leads mechanical product development from concept through manufacturing, combining project management with hands-on design to deliver custom equipment meeting functional, safety, and production requirements.

You will coordinate with cross-functional teams, apply sound engineering judgment, and own engineered-to-order projects from design through fabrication and testing.

Qualifications

• Bachelor's degree in Mechanical Engineering or equivalent.
• 5+ years of hands-on mechanical and equipment design experience.
• Experience with engineered-to-order or custom capital-equipment projects.
• Strong 3D CAD, drawings, and layouts with controls integration.
• Experience with developing and maintaining engineering schedules, deliverables, risk management.
• Familiarity with P&ID diagrams and piping/utility diagrams.
• Experience collaborating across mechanical, electrical, controls, manufacturing, vendors, and customers.
• Ownership mindset for shop/FAT issues and design release processes.

Responsibilities

• Plan project schedules, manage design milestones, and communicate progress across teams.
• Develop system designs, machine designs, 3D CAD models, drawings, schematics, and manufacturing documentation.
• Perform GD&T, FEA, root cause analysis, and apply ASME standards as needed.
• Support manufacturing through design reviews and coordination on CNC processes and PLCs.
• Deliver clear designs and timely issue resolution to enable reliable custom equipment for customers.

Skills

Project management

Mechanical design

3D CAD

GD&T

FEA

Cross-functional collaboration

Education

Bachelor's degree in Mechanical Engineering

Tools

3D CAD software

Design documentation tools

Job description

The Senior Mechanical Project Engineer – Custom Equipment leads mechanical product development from concept through manufacturing.

This role combines project management, design engineering, and hands‑on mechanical design to deliver custom equipment that meets functional, safety, and production requirements.

You will coordinate with cross‑functional teams and apply sound engineering judgment throughout each project.

Will not sponsor. Must be legally authorized to work in the United States without current or future employer sponsorship.

Duties

• Plan project schedules, manage design milestones, and communicate progress and technical decisions across teams.
• Develop system designs, machine designs, 3D computer‑aided design (CAD) models, mechanical drawings, detail drawings, schematics, and manufacturing documentation.
• Perform tolerance analysis, geometric dimensioning and tolerancing (GD&T), finite element analysis (FEA), and root cause analysis to resolve design and production issues; apply relevant ASME codes and standards.
• Support manufacturing through design reviews and coordination on drafting, computer numerical control (CNC) processes, and programmable logic controllers (PLCs).
• Your impact: Clear designs and timely issue resolution help manufacturing teams build reliable custom equipment and help customers receive solutions that meet their needs.

Requirements

• Bachelor’s degree in Mechanical Engineering is preferred or an equivalent technical degree.
• 5+ years of hands‑on mechanical and equipment design experience.
• Demonstrated ownership of engineered-to-order or custom capital-equipment projects, or major system scopes, from design through fabrication/build and test. Will consider solid Engineer w/ less experience with the right attitude.
• Strong hands‑on systems engineering capability, including mechanical design, 3D CAD, drawings, equipment layouts, electrical and controls integration and engineering calculations or sizing.
• Experience with developing and maintaining engineering schedules, managing deliverables, identifying problems early, and driving recovery plans.
• Exposuer or ability to work with P&ID (Process and Instrumentation Diagram) or (piping and instrumentation diagrams) or process and utility diagrams
• Experience working with and managing multidisciplinary interfaces across mechanical, electrical, controls, manufacturing/shop, vendors, and customers.
• A manufacturing/project‑ownership mindset: able to work through shop and FAT issues, communicate scope changes, and remain accountable for technical execution—not just track project status.
• Experience preparing and controlling engineering documentation, drawing revisions, and release packages.
• Ability to work within established standards, recognize when a problem exceeds personal expertise, and elevate technical or safety risks appropriately.