Sr. Mechanical Design Engineer

Sr. Mechanical Design EngineerLocation: Lynchburg, VirginiaEmployment Type: Full-Time / Direct HireWork Type: OnsiteSalary: $125,000–$135,000**Export Compliance: Applicants must be U.S. Persons as defined under ITAR regulations (U.S. Citizen, Lawful Permanent Resident, Political Asylee, or Refugee).*About the OpportunityOur client is seeking an experienced Mechanical Design Engineer to join a small, collaborative engineering team supporting the design, improvement, and continued development of precision industrial equipment.This position is well suited for a mechanical engineer with a strong background in machine design, manufacturing, GD&T, fixturing, tooling, and precision mechanical systems. The work is primarily focused on improving and adapting established industrial equipment and mature product lines rather than designing entirely new systems from the ground up.For more senior candidates, the position can also provide an opportunity to take on technical leadership responsibilities, mentor junior engineers, and help coordinate day-to-day engineering activities while remaining hands-on with design work. The hiring team described the senior/lead balance as approximately 70% engineering and 30% leadership.ResponsibilitiesLead and support the mechanical design and development of precision industrial machinery and equipment.Modify and improve existing product designs to support performance, manufacturability, material availability, cost, and customer requirements.Develop mechanical designs involving tooling, fixturing, precision work holding, actuators, pneumatics, hydraulics, drilling, milling, and related mechanical systems.Apply GD&T, ISO fits, tolerance stack-up analysis, component sizing, and other mechanical engineering principles to precision designs.Design components and assemblies requiring tight dimensional tolerances and accurate work holding.Adapt existing equipment designs to U.S. manufacturing standards, materials, and fabrication capabilities.Create and modify 3D CAD models, assemblies, drawings, and associated engineering documentation.Work closely with manufacturing, production, testing, service, sales, and other engineering disciplines throughout the design and manufacturing process.Support troubleshooting, testing, design improvements, and engineering changes.For senior-level hires, provide technical direction, coordinate engineering assignments, and mentor junior engineers.Contribute to continuous improvement of engineering processes, design standards, manufacturability, and product performance.Required QualificationsBachelor of Science in Mechanical Engineering (BSME).7+ years of mechanical design experience for senior-level consideration.Mechanical design experience involving industrial machinery, manufacturing equipment, custom equipment, or similar mechanical systems.Strong understanding of GD&T, dimensional tolerancing, ISO fits, and tolerance stack-up analysis.Experience designing tooling, fixtures, precision work holding, and/or manufacturing-related mechanical components.Working knowledge of manufacturing and fabrication processes.Experience designing mechanical systems requiring tight tolerances and dimensional accuracy.Proficiency with 3D CAD software such as Siemens Solid Edge, SolidWorks, Autodesk Inventor, or comparable platforms.Ability to work cross-functionally with manufacturing and other engineering disciplines.Strong technical communication, organization, and problem-solving skills.Preferred QualificationsExperience with Siemens Solid Edge.Experience with Creo / Pro/ENGINEER.Experience designing or supporting precision industrial machinery.Background involving pneumatic or hydraulic systems, actuators, tooling, or fixturing.Experience supporting machining, fabrication, or manufacturing operations.Previous technical leadership, project leadership, or engineering mentorship experience.Experience improving or redesigning mature mechanical products.What Makes This Opportunity DifferentThe engineering team works directly across design, manufacturing, testing, and production, giving engineers visibility into how their designs perform in the real world. The company is specifically looking for engineers who want to remain technically hands-on while having the opportunity to grow into greater technical leadership and mentorship responsibilities.Direct balancing-machine experience is not required. The hiring manager emphasized precision mechanical fundamentals—particularly GD&T, manufacturing, fixturing, tooling, and work holding. The intake indicated that critical tolerances can range from approximately 10–50 microns. Automation and robotics experience are considerably less important than precision mechanical design fundamentals.