Job Title: Industrial Designer (Junior-Level Mechanical/Industrial Engineer)Job Description
This role offers a hands-on opportunity for a junior-level engineer or industrial designer with strong mechanical aptitude to design and help build specialty seating for off-road and on-road applications. You will contribute to the design and development of seats for construction equipment, turfcare machinery, motorcycles, golf vehicles, and related original equipment markets. The position combines mechanical and industrial design with practical manufacturing exposure, including working with soft goods, sewing, and upholstery in a collaborative engineering and new product development lab.
Responsibilities
Design specialty seating products for off-road and on-road applications, including construction, turfcare, motorcycle, golf, and related original equipment markets.
Create and refine 3D models and detailed drawings using CAD tools such as Creo, SolidWorks, Rhino, and AutoCAD to support product design and manufacturing.
Develop mechanical and industrial design concepts for soft goods and soft materials, ensuring comfort, durability, and manufacturability.
Translate design concepts into proto@types and production-ready designs, including drafting, dimensioning, and documentation.
Participate in sewing and assembling seat proto@types, including upholstery work, to validate design intent and fit-and-finish requirements.
Collaborate closely with manufacturing engineering and industrial engineering teams to ensure designs align with manufacturing processes and constraints.
Support new product development activities in the engineering lab, including testing, evaluation, and iterative improvement of seating designs.
Use sketching and 3D visualization to communicate design ideas clearly to cross-functional stakeholders.
Apply mechanical aptitude to troubleshoot design and assembly issues, and propose practical design improvements.
Incorporate feedback from internal stakeholders and customers to refine designs for performance, aesthetics, and user comfort.
Maintain accurate design files, drawings, and documentation throughout the product development lifecycle.
Stay open to mentoring and training opportunities to build proficiency in Creo and other design tools, as well as sewing and upholstery techniques.
Essential Skills
Junior-level engineering or industrial design background with strong mechanical aptitude.
Design experience in mechanical or industrial engineering, particularly related to product or mechanical design.
Familiarity with CAD tools such as Creo (4 years of experience preferred, but open to mentoring and training for motivated candidates).
Experience or demonstrated ability in industrial design, including working with soft goods and soft materials.
Ability to use design software such as SolidWorks, Rhino, and AutoCAD for 3D modeling and drafting.
Skill in sketching and 3D visualization to develop and communicate design concepts.
Understanding of manufacturing functions and processes related to product design and industrial engineering.
Willingness to participate in hands-on activities such as sewing, upholstery, and assembly of seating products.
Mechanical design skills, including drafting and detailing for production.
Openness to learning new tools, techniques, and processes under mentorship.
Additional Skills & Qualifications
Experience in off-highway industries, such as construction equipment, turfcare machinery, or similar sectors, is a strong plus.
background in sewing, upholstery, or working with soft materials is highly beneficial.
Experience with Adobe Suite, including Adobe Photoshop, for visualization and presentation of design concepts.
Exposure to industrial engineering or manufacturing engineering environments.
Experience designing for original equipment (OE) applications in off-road and on-road markets.
Interest in or familiarity with motorcycle, construction, golf, or turfcare seating products.
Ability to collaborate effectively within an engineering and new product development team.
Work Environment
This is a fully on-site role based in an engineering and new product development lab. You will work closely with engineering, industrial design, and manufacturing teams in a hands-on environment focused on designing and building specialty seating products. The setting includes access to CAD workstations, prototyping tools, sewing and upholstery equipment, and testing resources. You will spend time both at a computer developing designs and on the shop floor or in the lab assembling, sewing, and evaluating proto@types. The work environment supports collaboration, mentorship, and continuous learning, particularly in Creo, soft goods design, and practical manufacturing processes.
Job Type & Location
This is a Contract to Hire position based out of Milwaukee, WI.
Pay and Benefits
The pay range for this position is $40.00 - $49.00/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.
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 Milwaukee,WI.
Application Deadline
This position is anticipated to close on Sep 8, 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 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.
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.
