Job Title: Mechanical Design EngineerJob Description
The Mechanical Design Engineer supports manufacturing and product development by delivering cost-effective, business-critical mechanical design solutions for automotive accessories and related products. In this role, you own the design and documentation of products throughout the full development lifecycle, drive cross-functional collaboration, and help develop and manage a robust supplier base. You work closely with procurement, manufacturing, and suppliers to ensure designs meet quality, performance, and cost targets while aligning with current automotive accessory trends.
Responsibilities
Design and document mechanical products during the design and development phases, ensuring accuracy, completeness, and compliance with applicable standards.
Own design and development activities from concept through production, including 3D modeling, detailed drawings, and design revisions.
Drive cross-functional involvement in strict adherence to the product development process, collaborating with manufacturing, procurement, quality, and other stakeholders.
Partner in the identification of new suppliers and support the supplier development process to ensure capability, quality, and readiness.
Support procurement in managing the existing supply base, providing technical input on designs, specifications, and manufacturability.
Understand and apply current automotive accessory trends to product designs and accessory portfolio decisions.
Produce engineering designs and drawings in accordance with applicable drawing and quality standards.
Maintain proficiency with drawing standards and tolerancing, including the use of geometric dimensioning and tolerancing (GD&T) where required.
Maintain proficiency with document and configuration control methods and standards to ensure accurate revision control and traceability.
Maintain adherence to accessory product expectations for assigned accessory product categories, ensuring consistency in performance and quality.
Maintain vehicle applicability, manage conflicts, and ensure requirements for accessories are clearly defined and met.
Facilitate accessory supplier readiness for manufacturing, working closely with suppliers to prepare tooling, processes, and documentation.
Facilitate accessory manufacturing process readiness for installation of accessories, including supporting installation training for trainers.
Participate in model year carry-over validation activities to ensure continued compatibility and performance of accessories on updated vehicles.
Support accessory product quality problem-solving efforts, including working with suppliers on corrective actions and improvements.
Participate in the development of Field Quality Plans for newly launched accessories to monitor performance and address issues proactively.
Participate in the review of warranty data and other indicators of field performance and customer satisfaction, and feed findings back into design improvements.
Contribute to the continual improvement of accessory development and launch processes by identifying opportunities for efficiency and quality enhancements.
Participate in determining the direction of the accessory portfolio and help optimize accessory product categories based on trends, performance, and customer needs.
Responsibly receive, transmit, and handle consumer and customer data in accordance with applicable policies and procedures.
Review and follow data privacy practices, policies, and guidelines to protect sensitive information.
Maintain reliable, consistent, on-site attendance, including active participation in meetings and presentations to support business needs.
Perform other related duties as assigned to support the broader engineering and manufacturing organization.
Essential Skills
Proven experience as a Mechanical Engineer focused on product design, preferably within full lifecycle product development.
Background in Research and Development (R&D) with experience in new product development and proto@type creation.
5+ years of hands-on experience using SolidWorks for 3D modeling and mechanical design.
Experience with CAD tools and 3D modeling for mechanical components and assemblies.
Experience with Creo (including Creo Parametric) for mechanical design and documentation.
Experience with Windchill for product data management and configuration control.
Familiarity with sheet metal design and associated manufacturing considerations.
Knowledge and practical application of geometric dimensioning and tolerancing (GD&T).
Experience supporting or performing finite element analysis (FEA) for design validation.
Experience working directly with customers in a customer-facing engineering capacity.
Demonstrated ability to support full life cycle product development, from concept through launch.
Strong understanding of mechanical engineering principles applied to product design.
Ability to produce engineering designs and drawings in accordance with drawing and quality standards.
Ability to maintain proficiency in drawing standards, tolerancing, and document control methods.
Reliable, punctual, and dependable on-site attendance to support meetings, presentations, and day-to-day operations.
Additional Skills & Qualifications
Experience in automotive or aerospace industries, ideally 5+ years, is highly desirable but not required.
Experience with new product introduction and launch within a manufacturing environment.
Experience with accessory products, particularly automotive accessories, and understanding of accessory product expectations.
Familiarity with CATIA and CATIA-based mechanical design workflows.
Experience with Windchill or similar PLM systems for document and configuration control.
Experience facilitating supplier readiness and manufacturing readiness for new products.
Exposure to field quality plans, warranty data analysis, and continuous improvement activities.
Ability to support installation training and communicate effectively with trainers and technicians.
Strong problem-solving skills, especially in resolving product quality issues and supporting supplier corrective actions.
Awareness of data privacy practices and willingness to follow data privacy policies and guidelines.
Work Environment
This is an on-site, contract-based role with flexible work hours and core availability expected between 9:00 a.m. and 4:00 p.m. You primarily work at a desk in an engineering office environment, using tools such as SolidWorks, Creo, Windchill, and other CAD and PLM systems for design and documentation. You periodically visit the shop floor to observe sample builds, perform fit checks on vehicles, and support sample production activities. The environment combines design work, hands-on interaction with proto@types, and collaboration with cross-functional teams, suppliers, and trainers to ensure successful development and launch of accessories.
Job Type & Location
This is a Contract position based out of Tomball, TX.
Pay and Benefits
The pay range for this position is $45.00 - $50.00/hr.
Eligibility requirements apply to some benefits and may depend on your job classification and length of employment. Benefits are subject to change and may be subject to specific elections, plan, or program terms. If eligible, the benefits available for this temporary role may include the following: - 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 Tomball,TX.
Application Deadline
This position is anticipated to close on May 29, 2026.
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 30,000 consultants and more than 4,500 clients across the U.S., Canada, Asia and Europe, Actalent serves many of the Fortune 500.
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.
Massachusetts Lie Detector: It is unlawful in Massachusetts to require or administer a lie detector test as a condition of employment or continued employment. An employer who violates this law shall be subject to criminal penalties and civil liability.
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.
