Mechanical Project Engineer

Mechanical Project Engineer

The Mechanical Project Engineer transforms customer requirements into fully realized equipment designs for custom wrapping and packaging machinery. This role spans the entire project lifecycle—from concept and detailed design through manufacturing support and occasional onsite troubleshooting—ensuring that each system is efficient, reliable, and tailored to specific applications. You will work closely with cross-functional teams in a fast-paced, customer-driven environment, contributing both hands-on problem solving and continuous improvement ideas.

Responsibilities

• Create accurate Bills of Materials (BOMs) and supporting documentation using specification sheets and sales orders.
• Design and customize mechanical components and assemblies for custom packaging and wrapping equipment.
• Develop detailed part models, assembly models, and manufacturing drawings using CAD tools.
• Build complete system BOMs, equipment floorplans, and pneumatic schematics to support production and installation.
• Utilize CAD and Excel-based engineering tools to complete mechanical designs and documentation.
• Create manufacturing drawings and provide clear, build-ready documentation to support shop and manufacturing teams.
• Support equipment throughout the manufacturing process by troubleshooting and resolving mechanical issues on the shop floor.
• Perform root cause analysis on electro-mechanical systems to diagnose and correct design or manufacturing issues.
• Collaborate closely with sales, procurement, manufacturing, and service teams to provide technical guidance and support.
• Contribute to continuous improvement initiatives and engineering projects aimed at enhancing product performance and manufacturability.
• Apply strong 2D drafting and 3D modeling skills to refine designs and ensure fit, form, and function.
• Organize and maintain base engineering data, models, and documentation for reuse and standardization.
• Occasionally travel to customer sites (less than 5%) to troubleshoot equipment, support system startups, and address field issues.
• Engage in hands-on problem solving, including working directly with equipment and shop personnel to validate and improve designs.

Essential Skills

• 5–7 years of experience designing and troubleshooting industrial mechanical equipment or machinery.
• Proven experience in industrial equipment or machinery design, including custom or low-volume equipment.
• Strong root cause analysis skills for electro-mechanical systems.
• Ability to manage multiple projects simultaneously in a fast-paced, customer-driven environment.
• Self-starter with strong decision-making and problem-solving abilities.
• Proficiency in creating pneumatic schematics, equipment floorplans, and detailed mechanical drawings.
• Solid understanding of mechanical theory, design principles, and industry practices.
• Strong communication and collaboration skills for cross-functional teamwork.
• Hands-on troubleshooting and problem-solving experience, not limited to design work.
• Experience working directly with shop or manufacturing teams to support builds and resolve issues.
• Strong SolidWorks experience, including assemblies, drawings, and BOM creation.
• Experience with DraftSight or AutoCAD for 2D drafting.
• Proficiency with Microsoft Office tools, including Excel-based engineering tools.
• Bachelor of Science in Mechanical Engineering.

Additional Skills & Qualifications

• Experience designing OEM equipment for industrial applications.
• Strong 2D drafting and 3D modeling skills using modern CAD platforms.
• Familiarity with Finite Element Analysis (FEA) and its application to mechanical design.
• Experience with continuous improvement initiatives within engineering or manufacturing environments.
• Hands-on, adaptable mindset with a willingness to engage directly with equipment and processes.
• Experience with automation systems and related technologies.
• Experience with coding and automation, including Visual Basic for Applications (VBA), is a plus.
• Familiarity with AI-driven or data-driven improvements in engineering workflows is beneficial.
• Experience organizing and standardizing base engineering data and design libraries.
• Experience with AutoCAD 2D for layout and schematic work.

Work Environment

This role is 100% onsite in a manufacturing and engineering environment, working closely with shop, manufacturing, and cross-functional teams. Standard hours are Monday through Friday, with the option to work either five 8-hour shifts or four 9-hour shifts plus a half-day on Friday. Up to 4 hours of overtime per week are available if desired. The workplace features a collaborative, people-first culture that emphasizes support, challenge, and recognition. The environment is casual yet professional, with a casual dress code that supports hands-on work around equipment and in the shop. You will work with modern CAD tools such as SolidWorks, DraftSight, AutoCAD, and Microsoft Office, and you will interact regularly with production equipment and custom machinery. The organization offers job stability as a growing, essential manufacturing business, competitive compensation, quarterly profitability bonuses, comprehensive medical, dental, and vision benefits, paid life insurance, short- and long-term disability coverage, a 401(k) with company match, generous paid time off, paid vacation, and 8 paid holidays per year.

Job Type & Location

This is a Permanent position based out of Jeffersontown, KY.

Pay and Benefits

The pay range for this position is $60000.00 - $78000.00/yr.

• Medical, dental & vision • Critical Illness, Accident, and Hospital • 401(k) Retirement Plan – Pre-tax and Roth post-tax contributions available • Life Insurance (Voluntary Life & AD&D for the employee and dependents) • Short and long-term disability • Health Spending Account (HSA) • Transportation benefits • Employee Assistance Program • Time Off/Leave (PTO, Vacation or Sick Leave)

Workplace Type

This is a fully onsite position in Jeffersontown, KY.

Application Deadline

This position is anticipated to close on Apr 29, 2026.

Diversity, Equity & Inclusion

At Actalent, diversity and inclusion are a bridge towards the equity and success of our people. DE&I is embedded into our culture through:

• Hiring diverse talent
• Maintaining an inclusive environment through persistent self-reflection
• Building a culture of care, engagement, and recognition with clear outcomes
• Ensuring growth opportunities for our people

Actalent is an equal opportunity employer.

About Actalent

Actalent is a global leader in engineering and sciences services. For more than 40 years, we've helped visionary companies advance their goals. Headquartered in the United States, our teams span 150 offices across North America, EMEA, and APAC—with four delivery centers in India led by 1,000+ extraordinary employees who connect their passion with purpose every day.

Our Bangalore, Hyderabad, Pune, and Chennai delivery centers are hubs of engineering expertise, with core capabilities in mechanical and electrical engineering, systems and software, and manufacturing engineering. Our teams deliver work across multiple industries including transportation, consumer and industrial products, and life sciences. We serve more than 4,500 clients, including many Fortune 500 brands. Learn more about how we can work together at actalentservices.com.