Specialist Mechanical Engineering BUILD Leadership Program

Acuity Brands, Inc.; Decatur, Northern (GA, KY); Hybrid; USD 57,000 - 103,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Health care

Dental coverage

Vision plans

401K benefits

Commission/incentive pay

Job summary

Acuity Brands, Inc. in Decatur, GA is seeking candidates for the BUILD Leadership Program, a two‑year mechanical engineering rotation designed to develop early‑career talent into leaders. Rotations include New Product Development, Sustaining, VAVE, and Manufacturing with potential moves to Crawfordsville, IN and Des Plaines, IL.

Mandatory start is January 11, 2027, and the role follows a hybrid work model in a fast‑paced environment that values learning, ownership, and collaboration.

Qualifications

• Bachelor's degree in Mechanical Engineering or related field; Master’s preferred.
• Strong understanding of mechanical and thermodynamic fundamentals.
• CAD design experience; SolidWorks preferred.
• Prototyping and fabrication experience encouraged.
• Excellent written and verbal communication; travel up to 20%.

Responsibilities

• CAD design, prototype and validation activities.
• Certification testing and factory handoff processes.
• Project management across rotations.
• Collaborate with engineers during product development.
• Participate in rotations across multiple functional areas.

Skills

CAD

Product design

Prototype fabrication

Communication

Time management

Education

Bachelor's in Mechanical Engineering

Master's degree preferred

Tools

SolidWorks

CAD software

Job description

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Specialist Mechanical Engineering BUILD Leadership Program

Work Flexibility: Onsite

Acuity Inc. (NYSE: AYI) is a market-leading industrial technology company. We use technology to solve problems in spaces, light and more things to come. Through our two business segments, Acuity Brands Lighting (ABL) and Acuity Intelligent Spaces (AIS), we design, manufacture, and bring to market products and services that make a valuable difference in people’s lives.

We achieve growth through the development of innovative new products and services, including lighting, lighting controls, building management solutions, and an audio, video and control platform. We focus on customer outcomes and drive growth and productivity to increase market share and deliver superior returns. We look to aggressively deploy capital to grow the business and to enter attractive new verticals.

Acuity Inc. is based in Atlanta, Georgia, with operations across North America, Europe and Asia. The Company is powered by approximately 13,000 dedicated and talented associates. Visit us at www.acuityinc.com .

Job Summary

The Acuity Inc. BUILD program is a two-year rotational experience that develops high-potential early career talent into impactful professionals through hands‑on experience. BUILD participants rotate to a different functional area every six months to build business acumen and skill proficiency. Upon completion of BUILD, participants will have developed broad business understanding, functional expertise, and the professional skills needed to contribute in future career opportunities across Acuity.

BUILD is designed for early‑career talent who are curious, adaptable, and motivated to grow through hands‑on experience. Successful participants demonstrate strong learning agility, communication skills, ownership, critical thinking, and a willingness to seek feedback, solve problems, and contribute in a fast‑paced environment. BUILD participants are expected to take an active role in their development while building the business, professional, and technical skills needed for future career opportunities at Acuity.

This role is based in Decatur, GA, following a hybrid work model. Throughout the two‑year program there may be opportunities to work rotations in other locations including Crawfordsville, IN and Des Plaines, IL. This role starts employment on January 11, 2027.

Key Tasks & Responsibilities (Essential Functions)

BUILD participants also participate in personal growth activities to enhance business acumen, including:

• Specialized onboarding to ensure integration into the organization and the leadership program.
• One‑on‑one mentorship from a Mechanical Engineering leader for the duration of the program (and beyond).
• Social and networking events to forge connections with peers and leaders across the business.
• Frequent opportunities to collaborate with program peers to learn about various business processes and initiatives.
• Leadership report‑out meetings to share rotational learnings and performance reviews to identify strengths and areas for growth.

We’re looking for early‑career talent who:

• Enjoy learning and taking on new challenges
• Take ownership and follow through on commitments
• Collaborate effectively with others
• Seek feedback and continuously improve
• Embrace technology and new ways of working
• Are excited to build a long‑term career at Acuity

Key Responsibilities

While business needs determine specific projects, Mechanical Engineering Specialists rotate within functional areas, working on projects alongside experienced engineers.

Engineering tasks include:

• CAD
• Prototype and validation
• Certification testing
• Factory handoff
• Project management

The main functional area rotations are:

• New Product Development (rotations available in both Decatur, GA and Des Plaines, Illinois)
• Sustaining (Decatur, GA)
• VAVE (Decatur, GA)
• Manufacturing (Crawfordsville, IN)

Other exposure areas include, but are not limited to:

• Optical Engineering
• Outsourced Product Development
• Product Support
• Project Management
• Labs & Certifications
• Sourcing

Skills and Minimum Experience Required

Qualifications

• A Bachelor’s Degree in Mechanical Engineering, Electromechanical Engineering, Industrial Design, or equivalent is required. A Master’s Degree is preferred.
• A strong understanding of mechanical and thermodynamic fundamentals is required.
• Experience creating designs in CAD is required. Solidworks is preferred, but any CAD package is acceptable.
• Some level of product design experience is preferred, whether through professional experience, a school project, or a personal project.
• Some level of prototyping and/or fabrication experience is preferred, whether through school or personal projects
• Excellent written and verbal communication skills and demonstrated problem‑solving and time‑management skills are required.
• Availability to travel based on business needs (up to 20%) is required.

The range for this position is$56,900.00to$102,500.00 USD. Placement within this range may vary, depending on the applicant’s experience and geographic location. Acuity offers generous benefits including health care, dental coverage, vision plans, 401K benefits, and commissions/incentive compensation depending on the role.

We value diversity and are an equal opportunity employer. All qualified applicants will be considered for employment without regards to race, color, age, gender, sexual orientation, gender identity and expression, ethnicity or national origin, disability, pregnancy, religion, covered veteran status, protected genetic information, or any other characteristic protected by law.

Accommodation in the Application Process: Acuity Inc. is an equal opportunity employer. It complies with the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) and other applicable laws requiring reasonable accommodation of persons with disabilities in employment. This includes the provision of reasonable accommodation in the application process. If you believe you need reasonable accommodation to assist with our online application system or any aspect of the application process, please contact Human Resources at [phone], and select option 4. Please be prepared to identify the requisition / position applied for and the aspect of the application process for which you believe accommodation is needed. The company will engage in an interactive process with you to better understand the request and to determine whether reasonable accommodation is needed and available.

Any unsolicited resumes sent to Acuity Inc. from a third party, such as an Agency recruiter, including unsolicited resumes sent to an Acuity Inc. mailing address, fax machine or email address, directly to Acuity Inc. employees, or to Acuity Inc. resume database will be considered Acuity Inc. property. Acuity Inc. will NOT pay a fee for any placement resulting from the receipt of an unsolicited resume.

Acuity Inc. will consider any candidate for whom an Agency has submitted an unsolicited resume to have been referred by the Agency free of any charges or fees. This includes any Agency that is an approved/engaged vendor, but does not have the appropriate approvals to be engaged on a search.