Mechanical Engineering Co-Op

About the role

The Mechanical Co‑Op Engineer will learn about the corporate world of product development while making significant contributions to both sustaining engineering and New Product Development. The co‑op program partners with candidates for multiple terms to deepen product knowledge at RPC and provide meaningful work experience. Candidates must be able to work 100% onsite at the Sun Prairie, WI location.

Responsibilities

• Learn and perform key tests in the performance lab – mechanical, electrical, and software.
• Design tests and fixtures for mechanical testing.
• Utilize SolidWorks to design products and components.
• Build prototypes, create bills of materials, and work with production on assembly instructions.
• Perform tolerance stack‑up analyses as well as fit, form, and functional analyses.
• Understand and help calculate product costs.
• Design and implement new designs or design modifications to reduce costs.
• Identify root causes of product quality issues and design fixes.
• Collaborate with Product Marketing to understand customer and consumer needs.
• Participate as a member of a design team that creates solutions to delight customers and consumers.
• Work closely with Manufacturing to understand the impact of designs on the manufacturing process and create designs that satisfy both consumer and manufacturing requirements.

Qualifications

• Authorization to work in the United States.
• Undergraduate student pursuing a B.S. in Mechanical Engineering.
• Cumulative GPA of 3.3 or higher.
• Strong interest in thermodynamics and refrigeration systems (highly desired).
• Excellent written and oral communication skills.
• Ability to work with minimal supervision and contribute positively to team environments.
• Detail‑oriented with strong analytical skills, capable of identifying problems and formulating solutions.
• Proficiency in creating and interpreting 3D models in SolidWorks.

Schedule

Six‑month term spanning January – July 2027, 100% onsite at the Sun Prairie, WI location. Academic credit will be awarded according to each student’s university co‑op policies.