Mechanical Designer

Job Title: Mechanical Designer

Job Description

This Mechanical Designer role focuses on designing prototype automation tooling and general assembly equipment for complex manufacturing and defense-related applications. You will own designs from initial concept and schematic through completion, working primarily in UGNX to develop underbody, body side, framing, and general assembly tooling. The position is strictly engineering-focused, with most time spent at the CAD workstation, and offers exposure to cradle-to-grave project work that deepens your understanding of full automation tooling projects within the defense industry.

Responsibilities

• Design prototype automation tooling equipment using UGNX, taking projects from initial concept and schematic through detailed design and completion.
• Develop tooling for underbody, body sides, and framing applications, ensuring designs meet manufacturing and automation requirements.
• Create and refine general assembly tooling and equipment, including fixtures, manual tooling, hand clamps, and related components.
• Design tooling and fixtures related to MIG welding applications, ensuring proper integration with automation systems and manufacturing processes.
• Work primarily in 3D UGNX to model, design, and detail tooling from scratch, using appropriate tooling commands and best practices.
• Produce clear and accurate design details, drawings, and documentation suitable for handoff to the Controls group and other engineering stakeholders.
• Collaborate with project engineers and other designers to coordinate design activities, discuss changes, and ensure seamless handoffs.
• Communicate effectively with suppliers specializing in automation tooling manufacturing to align designs with their capabilities and requirements.
• Utilize Microsoft Office applications to support engineering tasks, including documentation, reports, schedules, and communication.
• Participate in multiple projects from cradle to grave, gaining a full understanding of project lifecycle, requirements, and deliverables.
• Maintain high quality standards in all design work to support delivery of robust, reliable tooling solutions for customers.
• Occasionally travel locally to customer sites (less than 5%) to support project needs or design reviews, as required.

Essential Skills

• Strong tooling design experience, specifically in automation tooling for underbody, body side, framing, and general assembly equipment.
• Proficiency in UGNX (Unigraphics), with the ability to design and detail components and tooling from scratch in 3D.
• Familiarity with tooling commands and workflows within UGNX to efficiently create and modify automation tooling designs.
• Background in automation tooling manufacturing, with experience working for or with companies specializing in automation tooling design.
• Experience designing tooling and fixtures related to MIG welding applications.
• Ability to design and detail manual tooling, hand clamps, fixtures, and related tooling components.
• Strong communication skills to collaborate with project engineers, designers, and other stakeholders, and to effectively hand off work and discuss design changes.
• Proficiency with Microsoft Office applications to support documentation, reporting, and communication.
• Comfort working in a strictly engineering role, spending the majority of time at a CAD workstation.

Additional Skills & Qualifications

• Experience working for automation tooling or manufacturing companies such as Comau, Paslin, Valiant, Classic Design, HMS, GM Defense, GM Toolkit, Fori, or similar organizations.
• General assembly experience, including design of tooling and equipment for assembly lines.
• Experience with Atlas Copco tools or systems used in general assembly environments.
• Familiarity with body in white (BIW) tooling and processes.
• Exposure to a variety of defense-related projects that involve automation tooling and MIG welding applications.
• Interest in working on projects from cradle to grave and developing a deep understanding of full project lifecycles.

Work Environment

The role is based in an office environment, working closely with other designers and project engineers in a collaborative engineering setting. You will spend the majority of your time behind the CAD workstation, focusing on design work rather than hands-on machine shop activities. The team culture emphasizes delivering the best possible product for the customer and doing whatever it takes to achieve high-quality results. Standard expectations are a minimum of 40 hours per week, with current workloads often around 50 hours and the potential to increase to approximately 56 hours per week, which may occasionally include Sundays. Travel is minimal, at less than 5%, and when required it is local customer site visits. The environment offers variety in project work, especially within the defense industry, and provides opportunities to manage projects from cradle to grave, enhancing your skills and understanding of complete automation tooling projects.

This is a Contract to Hire position based out of Warren, MI.

The pay range for this position is $30.00 - $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)

This is a fully onsite position in Warren,MI.

This position is anticipated to close on Sep 1, 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 [email protected] 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.