Mechanical Designer

Company description

A material-handling systems integrator is seeking an experienced Mechanical Designer to contribute to automated material handling projects.

Job description

Mechanical Designer

Location: Greater St. Louis, Missouri Work arrangement: Primarily onsite

The Opportunity

A growing warehouse-automation and systems-integration company is seeking a hands-on Mechanical Designer to support the design, documentation, standardization, and implementation of electromechanical projects.

This position combines mechanical design, detailed drafting, design-library development, and coordination with project engineering, sales, controls, fabrication partners, and shop personnel.

The company currently relies on project-specific designs created across multiple platforms. The person hired will help transition this work into an organized, SolidWorks-based system of reusable assemblies, drawing packages, models, and design standards. The objective is to improve consistency, reduce repetitive design work, and create a clearer path from initial concept through fabrication and installation.

This is not a pure drafting role. The Mechanical Designer must understand the purpose behind each design and independently consider clearances, ergonomics, accessibility, equipment interfaces, manufacturability, installation requirements, and overall feasibility.

Key Responsibilities

• Create and maintain accurate SolidWorks models, assemblies, and professional drawing packages.
• Develop manufacturing, assembly, and installation drawings for internal shop personnel, outside fabricators, and onsite installation teams.
• Convert frequently used mechanical structures and equipment arrangements into standardized, reusable designs.
• Build and maintain an organized catalog of standard assemblies, components, models, specifications, and drawing blocks.
• Create reusable 2D and 3D blocks for AutoCAD, Configura, and related design platforms.
• Standardize modular aluminum framing designs and other commonly used support structures.
• Develop layouts and drawings for conveyor-related equipment, stands, chutes, sortation components, scanners, labelers, pushers, and other material-handling devices.
• Provide standard specifications, blocks, and design resources for project engineers, sales personnel, and shop teams.
• Produce mechanical and basic electrical installation drawings using AutoCAD.
• Review designs for clearance, ergonomics, service access, equipment interaction, fabrication feasibility, and installation concerns.
• Coordinate mechanical layouts with controls and electrical requirements.
• Support proposal drawings and conceptual layouts for the sales team.
• Assist with the selection, coordination, and management of fabrication suppliers.
• Help source components and evaluate whether assemblies should be manufactured internally or by outside vendors.
• Coordinate design priorities and deliverables with project engineers and scheduling personnel.
• Occasionally provide hands-on assistance or technical direction during shop assembly.
• Support the company’s continued expansion into internal fabrication and custom equipment design.

Required Qualifications

• Associate degree in mechanical design, drafting, engineering technology, manufacturing technology, or a related technical discipline—or equivalent practical experience.
• Professional experience in an industrial, manufacturing, fabrication, material-handling, automation, or equipment-design environment.
• Strong SolidWorks proficiency, including the ability to create:
  • Part and assembly models
  • Detailed manufacturing drawings
  • Bills of materials
  • Assembly documentation
  • Installation drawing packages
  • Clear, professional documentation for shop and field use
• Experience with AutoCAD in a mechanical or industrial application.
• Sound mechanical aptitude and practical design judgment.
• Ability to interpret project requirements and produce workable designs with limited supervision.
• Understanding of dimensions, tolerances, clearances, equipment access, ergonomics, and manufacturability.
• Ability to manage drawing revisions, organize design files, and maintain reusable design standards.
• Strong communication and coordination skills.
• Ability to work primarily onsite in the Greater St. Louis area.

Preferred Qualifications

• Experience with conveyor systems, warehouse automation, packaging equipment, systems integration, or other material-handling applications.
• Familiarity with modular aluminum framing systems.
• Exposure to AutoCAD Electrical, industrial controls, sensors, scanners, labelers, or related electromechanical equipment.
• Experience producing shop, fabrication, assembly, and field-installation drawings.
• Familiarity with Configura or comparable space-planning and system-layout software.
• Experience coordinating with machinists, fabricators, installers, vendors, and component suppliers.
• Ability to evaluate fabrication methods, source components, and obtain supplier pricing.
• Experience providing technical direction to shop or assembly personnel.
• Basic machining, welding, fabrication, or hands-on equipment-assembly knowledge.

Requirements

• Minimum three years of professional mechanical drafting or equipment-layout experience.
• Demonstrated experience developing mechanical layouts for industrial equipment, machinery, automation systems, conveyor systems, material handling systems, or similar equipment-intensive applications.
• Advanced proficiency with AutoCAD.
• 3D CAD experience with Inventor, SolidWorks, or similar software.
• Ability to independently develop layouts from project requirements, equipment specifications, vendor drawings, sketches, redlines, and field information.
• Experience reading and interpreting architectural, structural, mechanical, and equipment drawings.
• Strong understanding of dimensions, elevations, sections, clearances, equipment interfaces, and installation requirements.
• Demonstrated ability to identify dimensional conflicts, equipment interferences, access limitations, and potential installation issues.
• Ability to manage assigned drafting responsibilities with limited day-to-day supervision.
• Strong mechanical aptitude and spatial visualization skills.
• Strong attention to detail and drawing accuracy.
• Ability to manage multiple projects and changing priorities.

Preferred Qualifications

• Direct experience with conveyor systems and automated material handling equipment.
• Experience with warehouse automation or systems integration.
• Experience laying out conveyor, sortation, scanning, labeling, guarding, platforms, supports, and related equipment.
• Experience integrating vendor-supplied equipment into overall system layouts.
• Experience conducting or incorporating field measurements.
• Experience preparing installation and as-built drawings.
• Familiarity with equipment fabrication and field installation practices.

Additional Information

Training will be provided on company-specific standards, processes, and equipment. Fundamental mechanical drafting, equipment-layout, and industrial CAD skills must already be well developed.