Job Title: Mechanical Designer Custom Automation Equipment
Job Description
This role focuses on designing complex, fully custom automation equipment, tooling, and machine components using SolidWorks and similar CAD tools. You will own mechanical design activities from initial concept through detailed design, build, debug, installation, and commissioning. The position offers the opportunity to work on sophisticated, real-world production systems and to grow into leading a small mechanical design team as you gain experience with the organizations equipment and engineering processes.
Responsibilities
- Design complex custom automation equipment, tooling, and machine components using SolidWorks or similar CAD software.
- Develop mechanical concepts and complete detailed designs based on customer requirements, cycle times, process constraints, and project specifications.
- Create detailed drawings, assemblies, and bills of materials (BOMs) to support manufacturing and assembly.
- Take full ownership of mechanical design activities from concept through detailed design, build, debug, installation, and commissioning.
- Ensure designs are practical for manufacturing, assembly, serviceability, and long-term equipment performance.
- Collaborate closely with controls, electrical, process, manufacturing, and project teams to ensure complete system integration.
- Participate in design reviews, contribute technical input, and incorporate feedback to resolve issues throughout the project lifecycle.
- Provide technical guidance and support to junior and intermediate designers as needed.
- Review drawings and designs for accuracy, manufacturability, adherence to project requirements, and internal design standards.
- Maintain proper revision control, BOM accuracy, and engineering documentation within a PDM/PLM system.
- Support troubleshooting and implement design changes during equipment build, debug, runoff, installation, and commissioning.
- Ensure all designs comply with applicable safety standards, customer requirements, and internal engineering best practices.
- Progressively take on responsibility for coordinating the work of a small mechanical design team as familiarity with equipment and processes grows.
- Assign and prioritize design work, review drawings and technical deliverables, and support other designers and engineers.
- Monitor design activities against project timelines and help identify design risks, workload constraints, and schedule concerns early to keep engineering deliverables on track.
Essential Skills
- Proficiency in SolidWorks for 3D mechanical design of complex equipment and components.
- Hands-on experience with custom automation, machine building, or manufacturing equipment design.
- Experience with end-to-end machine design, from concept through commissioning.
- Experience using Product Data Management (PDM) and/or Product Lifecycle Management (PLM) systems for revision control and documentation.
- Ability to lead projects and provide direction to other designers.
- Professional engineering designation (P. Eng).
- Prior experience in a lead or managerial capacity within mechanical design or automation projects.
- Strong understanding of design for manufacturability (DFM) and long-term equipment performance.
- Ability to collaborate effectively with multidisciplinary teams, including controls, electrical, process, and manufacturing.
- Strong troubleshooting skills to support design changes during build, debug, and commissioning.
Additional Skills & Qualifications
- Experience with Upchain or similar PDM/PLM platforms.
- Familiarity with DraftSight, AutoCAD, or other 2D CAD tools.
- Experience with machine design for robotic integration, vision systems, assembly equipment, production lines, and custom machinery.
- Experience with end-of-arm tooling (EOAT) design.
- Knowledge of geometric dimensioning and tolerancing (GD&T).
- Experience applying design for manufacturability (DFM) principles in production environments.
- Exposure to simulation tools and methods to validate or optimize mechanical designs.
- Experience with other 3D CAD platforms such as NX, Creo, or Inventor.
- Exposure to consumer product-related machinery or equipment design.
- Interest in progressing into a role leading a small group of designers or contractors over time.
Work Environment
This position operates in a hybrid work environment, blending remote and in-office work depending on project needs and the stage of the design process. In-office presence is expected when it is necessary to the project, such as during intensive design review phases, which may require up to five days per week on site. Outside of those periods, you may work from home as much as is practical, similar to internal team members. You will work with advanced CAD tools, PDM/PLM systems, and modern automation technologies while contributing to complex, fully custom machines that improve real-world production systems. The environment emphasizes collaboration, technical excellence, and long-term project continuity, with strong performers often continuing to support ongoing project demand over an extended period
Job Type & Location
This is a Contract position based out of Cambridge, ON.
Pay And Benefits
The pay range for this position is $45.00 - $65.00/hr.
Individual compensation offered for this position within this range will depend on many factors, including qualifications, skills, relevant experience, job knowledge, geographic location, internal equity, and other pertinent job-related factors.
Job Type & Location
This is a Contract position based out of Cambridge, ON.
Workplace Type
This is a hybrid position in Cambridge,ON.
À propos d'Actalent
Actalent est un leader mondial dans les services dingénierie et de sciences ainsi que dans les solutions de talents. Nous aidons des entreprises visionnaires à faire progresser leurs initiatives dingénierie et de science grâce à laccès à des experts spécialisés qui favorisent léchelle, linnovation et la rapidité de mise sur le marché. Avec un réseau de près de 20 000 consultants et 5 000 clients à travers les États-Unis, le Canada, lAsie et lEurope, Actalent dessert de nombreuses entreprises du Fortune 500. Nous sommes fiers dêtre lune des 500 meilleures firmes de conception de lEngineering News-Record (ENR) pour nos services de conception en ingénierie et un lauréat du prix ClearlyRated Best of Staffing® tant pour le service client que pour les talents.
Actalent est un employeur souscrivant au principe de légalité des chances et accepte toutes les candidatures sans tenir compte de la race, du sexe, de lâge, de la couleur, de la religion, des origines nationales, du statut dancien combattant, dun handicap, de lorientation sexuelle, de lidentité sexuelle, des renseignements génétiques ou de toute autre caractéristique protégée par la loi.
Si vous souhaitez faire une demande daccommodement raisonnable, tel que la modification ou lajustement du processus de demande demploi ou dentrevue à cause dun handicap, veuillez envoyer un courriel à actalentaccommodation@actalentservices.com pour connaître dautres options daccommodement.
Ordonnance sur légalité des chances de San Francisco: Conformément à lOrdonnance sur légalité des chances de San Francisco, pour tous les postes situés dans la ville et le comté de San Francisco, nous examinerons les candidatures des personnes qualifiées ayant un casier judiciaire ou des antécédents criminels.
Utilisation de lintelligence artificielle (IA): Nous pouvons utiliser lintelligence artificielle (IA) pour soutenir certaines étapes de notre processus dembauche, notamment la recherche, la présélection et lévaluation des candidatures. LIA aide à analyser les candidatures et les qualifications, mais les décisions finales sont prises par notre équipe de recrutement. En soumettant votre candidature, vous reconnaissez et acceptez que celle-ci puisse être examinée à laide doutils dIA.
About Actalent
Actalent is a global leader in engineering and sciences services and talent solutions. We help visionary companies advance their engineering and science initiatives through access to specialized experts who drive scale, innovation and speed to market. With a network of almost 20,000 consultants and 5,000 clients across the U.S., Canada, Asia and Europe, Actalent serves many of the Fortune 500. We are proud to be an Engineering News-Record (ENR) Top 500 Design Firm for our engineering design services and a ClearlyRated Best of Staffing® winner for both client and talent service.
The company is an equal opportunity employer and will consider all applications without regard to race, sex, age, color, religion, national origin, veteran status, disability, sexual orientation, gender identity, genetic information or any characteristic protected by law.
If you would like to request a reasonable accommodation, such as the modification or adjustment of the job application process or interviewing process due to a disability, please email actalentaccommodation@actalentservices.com for other accommodation options.
San Francisco Fair Chance Ordinance: Pursuant to the San Francisco Fair Chance Ordinance, for all positions located in the city and county of San Francisco, we will consider for employment qualified applicants with arrest and conviction records.
Use of Artificial Intelligence (AI):We may use Artificial Intelligence (AI) to support parts of our hiring process, including sourcing, screening, and evaluating candidates. AI helps assess applications and qualifications, but final decisions are made by our hiring team. By applying, you acknowledge and agree that your application may be reviewed using AI tools.
