Mechanical Designer

About GEA Group

GEA Group, founded in Germany in 1881, is a global leader in engineering solutions, serving industries such as food and beverage, pharma, dairy, and more. With over 18,000 employees worldwide and a strong U.S. presence since 1929, GEA combines the heritage of a well-established company with the innovation of a forward-thinking industry leader. At GEA, we're not just building equipment, we're building lasting careers with an average employee tenure range from 5 to over 11+ years, reflecting the strong culture, growth opportunities, and support we provide.

About the Role

Location: Oakdale, MN | Travel: ≤5%

Build What Matters. Design What's Next.

Are you an early-career Mechanical Designer ready to make a real impact? Join a collaborative engineering team where your ideas, precision, and problem-solving skills will directly contribute to innovative process equipment used across food, dairy, beverage, and chemical industries. This is an opportunity to grow your technical expertise, own your work, and be part of projects from concept to completion.

What You'll Do

You'll play a key role in turning engineering concepts into detailed, production-ready designs:

• Create detailed mechanical drawings and layouts for systems, components, and assemblies
• Develop multiple views and clearly define dimensions, tolerances, materials, and relationships between parts
• Interpret engineering specifications and perform calculations to ensure accuracy and compliance
• Build and maintain Bills of Materials (BOMs) based on drawings and project requirements
• Revise and update drawings to reflect design changes and improvements
• Maintain organized project records and archive drawings in internal systems
• Perform self-checks and ensure adherence to established quality and checking procedures
• Troubleshoot and resolve design discrepancies independently
• Collaborate with project managers, production teams, vendors, and purchasing to support project execution
• Manage your time effectively to meet deadlines and project milestones
• Contribute to a positive, team-oriented environment

Qualifications

• Associate's degree in Mechanical Design or equivalent experience
• 0–5 years of experience in mechanical design
• Proficiency in Autodesk Inventor (required) and familiarity with Autodesk Vault (preferred)
• Strong attention to detail and commitment to producing high-quality work
• Ability to work both independently and collaboratively
• Solid written and verbal communication skills
• Self-motivated with strong organizational and time management skills
• Proficiency in Microsoft Office tools

Preferred Skills

• Exposure to food, dairy, beverage, or chemical processing equipment
• Knowledge of 3-A sanitary standards and/or evaporation processes
• Knowledge of Process Flow Diagram (PFD) and Piping & Instrumentation Diagram (P&ID)
• Familiarity with U.S. and international engineering standards
• Experience working with both imperial and metric units

Why Join Us?

• Hands-on experience with real-world engineering projects
• Opportunities for growth and skill development
• Supportive, team-driven environment
• Exposure to cutting-edge process equipment and technologies

Benefits

• Medical, dental, and vision coverage begins on your first day
• 12 paid holidays, including a flexible floating holiday, and 136 hours of PTO
• 7% 401(k) employer match
• Tuition reimbursement
• Wellness incentive program
• Confidential Employee Assistance Program
• Flexible Health Savings and Spending Accounts

Pay

The typical base pay range for this position at the start of employment is expected to be between $60,000 - $80,000 per year. GEA Group has different base pay ranges for different work locations within the United States. The pay range is not a guarantee of compensation or salary. The estimated range is the budgeted amount for the position. Final offers are based on various factors, including skill set, experience, location, qualifications, and other job-related reasons. You may be eligible for additional rewards, such as discretionary bonus (based on eligibility) and/or equity awards.