Mechanical Engineer

About the role

The Mechanical Engineer will design and develop complex industrial equipment used in the corrugated paper industry, with a strong focus on mechanical design, finite element analysis, and design for manufacturing. This role involves performing detailed engineering calculations, creating and refining 3D and 2D designs, and incorporating customer feedback into engineering change orders to improve performance, manufacturability, and reliability of machinery.

Responsibilities

• Design complex industrial equipment for the corrugated paper industry, ensuring robust performance, reliability, and safety.
• Perform finite element analysis (FEA), including stress, thermal, fluid, heat, and steam calculations, to validate and optimize designs.
• Conduct mechanical calculations for drive train selection and other critical mechanical systems.
• Create detailed 3D models and 2D drawings using SolidWorks and AutoCAD for new equipment and components.
• Apply design for manufacturing principles to ensure equipment and components are practical, cost-effective, and efficient to produce.
• Design and detail sheet metal components and assemblies, ensuring structural integrity and manufacturability.
• Use GD&T (Geometric Dimensioning and Tolerancing) to define critical dimensions, tolerances, and functional relationships on drawings.
• Incorporate hydraulics and pneumatics into machine designs, ensuring proper integration and performance of fluid power systems.
• Prepare, process, and implement engineering change orders (ECOs) to update designs based on test results, customer feedback, and manufacturing input.
• Collaborate with internal teams and customers to understand requirements, gather feedback, and translate needs into effective design modifications.
• Review and refine existing designs to improve performance, reliability, and ease of maintenance.
• Document designs, analyses, and design changes thoroughly to support manufacturing, assembly, and service teams.

Requirements

• Bachelor's degree in Mechanical Engineering.
• 5+ years of experience with equipment design, preferably in industrial or machine design environments.
• 5+ years of experience performing FEA analysis, including stress, thermal, fluid, heat, and steam evaluations.
• 5+ years of experience using SolidWorks for 3D modeling and mechanical design.
• 5+ years of experience using AutoCAD for 2D drafting and layout.
• 5+ years of experience implementing design changes through engineering change orders (ECOs).
• 5+ years of experience designing sheet metal components and assemblies.
• Proficiency with GD&T (Geometric Dimensioning and Tolerancing) for defining and controlling critical dimensions.
• Hands-on experience in mechanical design of industrial equipment, including machine design.
• Knowledge of hydraulics and pneumatics as applied to industrial machinery.
• Strong understanding of mechanical engineering principles, including stress analysis, drive train selection, and fluid and thermal considerations.
• Ability to apply design for manufacturing principles to ensure efficient and cost-effective production.

Qualifications

• Experience designing industrial equipment used in manufacturing environments, such as the corrugated paper industry.
• Experience in mechanical engineering with emphasis on machine design and industrial equipment.
• Familiarity with integrating hydraulic and pneumatic systems into mechanical designs.
• Strong attention to detail in creating and reviewing mechanical drawings and documentation.
• Ability to collaborate effectively with cross-functional teams and incorporate customer feedback into design improvements.
• Solid problem-solving skills with a focus on root cause analysis and continuous improvement of mechanical systems.

Work environment

The role focuses on the design and development of industrial equipment in a professional engineering environment. You will primarily work with SolidWorks for 3D modeling and AutoCAD for 2D drafting, as well as tools for performing FEA and related engineering analyses. The position involves close collaboration with manufacturing and customer-facing teams to ensure that designs are practical to produce and aligned with customer needs. Work typically takes place in an office or engineering design setting with regular interaction with production and equipment environments for design reviews and feedback.

Position details

Contract to Hire, fully onsite in Madison, WI. Application deadline: Oct 23, 2026.

Pay

The pay range for this position is $35.00 - $50.00/hr. Individual compensation offered 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.

Benefits

• 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)