Job Description: Mechanical Engineer
This Mechanical Engineer role focuses heavily on CAD design work for high-performance automotive components used in street and racing applications. You will spend most of your day creating and modifying detailed drawings in AutoCAD and SolidWorks, supporting on-site manufacturing operations and collaborating closely with production and quality teams to ensure designs are practical, manufacturable, and optimized for performance. This position is ideal for a mechanically inclined automotive enthusiast who enjoys hands-on problem solving and wants to contribute directly to precision-engineered parts used in motorsports.
Responsibilities
Spend approximately 6070% of the workday performing CAD design work using AutoCAD and SolidWorks, including creating new designs from scratch and modifying existing drawings.
Develop detailed drawings that follow multi-layer AutoCAD standards aligned with the manufacturing process and different manufacturing operations.
Reverse engineer finished parts to create accurate CAD models and drawings that can be reproduced or improved in manufacturing.
Design and document production fixturing, ensuring that fixtures can be manufactured and function correctly in production environments.
Collaborate closely with quality and production teams to validate fixturing designs and confirm that they meet functional and quality requirements.
Provide ongoing manufacturing support by updating or creating new drawings when parts need to be run on different machines or when equipment changes occur.
Review customer drawings critically to confirm feasibility and identify opportunities to improve manufacturability and performance rather than following specifications blindly.
Apply solution-focused thinking to resolve drawing and design issues as they arise in manufacturing and quality, working through problems systematically.
Engage in collaborative discussions with engineering, production, and quality colleagues to share ideas, seek feedback, and refine designs.
Demonstrate a continuous improvement mindset by looking for ways to enhance designs, processes, and customer outcomes.
Leverage personal mechanical and automotive hobby experiencesuch as working on cars, motorcycles, or racing vehiclesto inform practical, real-world design decisions.
Support the broader engineering team in a small, tight-knit department where knowledge sharing, training, and mutual support are part of daily work.
Essential Skills
Bachelors degree in Mechanical Design, Mechanical Engineering, or a closely related field with a strong focus on CAD.
Ideally 12 years of experience in a CAD drafting or design environment; entry-level candidates with strong skills and passion are also considered.
Proficiency in SolidWorks, including modeling parts and complex assemblies.
Strong proficiency in AutoCAD or DraftSight, including working with layers that correspond to different manufacturing operations.
Demonstrated passion for the automotive industry, such as involvement in automotive clubs, racing, Baja SAE, or personal projects working on vehicles.
Mechanical inclination and hands-on experience working on cars, motorcycles, or other mechanical systems, such as performing maintenance, repairs, or modifications.
Ability to think critically about customer drawings and designs, evaluating whether they are practical and manufacturable.
Solution-focused mindset with the ability to work through drawing and design issues collaboratively with manufacturing and quality teams.
Collaborative working style, actively seeking input from partners and colleagues to improve designs and outcomes.
Strong attention to detail and accuracy in CAD modeling and technical documentation.
Additional Skills & Qualifications
Exposure to Pro/E (Creo) or CATIA, especially useful for working with customer-supplied models and drawings.
Manufacturing experience gained through internships, academic projects, or hands-on work in a production environment.
Experience or involvement in automotive-related competitions or organizations such as Baja SAE or similar engineering teams.
Demonstrated enjoyment of tinkering with automobiles or mechanical systems, such as changing oil and brakes or performing upgrades.
Interest in motorsports, racing, or performance vehicles, including following series such as Formula 1 or NASCAR.
Ability to thrive in a collaborative, small-team environment where initiative and communication are valued.
Job Type & Location
This is a Contract to Hire position based out of Prospect Heights, IL.
Pay and Benefits
The pay range for this position is $35.00 - $40.00/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)
Job Type & Location
This is a Contract to Hire position based out of Prospect Heights, IL.
Application Deadline
This position is anticipated to close on Nov 12, 2026.
Workplace Type
This is a fully onsite position in Prospect Heights,IL.
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.
