RKS Design is seeking a talented Mid-Level
Mechanical/Product Development Engineer to join our multidisciplinary product
development team.
In this role, you will work alongside Industrial Design,
Research, Strategy, and Engineering teams to transform innovative concepts into
thoughtfully engineered, manufacturable products. Your contributions will span
the product development process—from early concept exploration and prototyping
through detailed engineering, testing, manufacturing, and production.
We are looking for a hands-on problem solver who enjoys
working on a wide variety of products and technical challenges and who
understands how great engineering supports both the design vision and the
end-user experience.
Your Role
You will contribute to the development of complex mechanical
and electro-mechanical products while collaborating closely with designers,
engineers, clients, suppliers, and manufacturing partners.
You should have solid experience developing products using
3D CAD and a practical understanding of manufacturing processes including
plastic injection molding, sheet metal fabrication, machining, prototyping, and
assembly.
You will be expected to take ownership of assigned
engineering tasks and project work streams, identify potential technical risks,
develop practical solutions, and help move products efficiently from concept
through production.
As part of a consulting environment, you will have the
opportunity to work across different industries, technologies, and product
categories rather than focusing on a single product line.
Responsibilities
- Create
high-quality mechanical, electro-mechanical, and assembly designs using
parametric 3D CAD.
- Develop
components and assemblies that balance engineering requirements,
manufacturability, cost, aesthetics, and user experience.
- Participate
in brainstorming sessions, design reviews, engineering reviews, and other
cross-functional project meetings.
- Translate
industrial design concepts into practical, manufacturable engineering
solutions while maintaining the original design intent.
- Develop
and maintain engineering documentation including drawings, specifications,
bills of materials (BOMs), tolerance requirements, and supporting
technical documentation.
- Build
and evaluate prototypes and assist with testing and design verification.
- Perform
tolerance analysis and identify potential mechanical, manufacturing,
assembly, and reliability issues.
- Work
with suppliers, prototype vendors, and contract manufacturers to obtain
components, prototypes, tooling, and production parts.
- Review
tooling and manufacturing designs to help ensure proper fit, finish,
function, and production quality.
- Evaluate
initial production samples for engineering and design intent and adherence
to specifications and tolerances.
- Troubleshoot
product and manufacturing issues, perform root-cause analysis, and
recommend corrective actions.
- Assist
with the design and review of manufacturing test fixtures and procedures.
- Support
engineering efforts during design transfer and transition into
manufacturing.
- Research
and evaluate new materials, components, manufacturing technologies, and
prototyping processes.
- Participate
in client meetings and clearly communicate engineering recommendations,
technical challenges, project progress, and potential solutions.
- Work
with senior engineers and project leadership to maintain project
schedules, identify risks, and meet project milestones.
- Contribute
ideas for improving RKS engineering processes, tools, and best practices.
What We're Looking For
- Bachelor’s
degree in mechanical engineering or a related engineering discipline.
- Approximately
6-8 years of professional product
development/mechanical engineering experience.
- Strong
proficiency with parametric 3D CAD and experience creating
production-ready mechanical designs.
- Experience
designing parts for plastic injection molding.
- Working
knowledge of sheet metal, machining, castings, additive manufacturing, and
other common manufacturing processes.
- Experience
developing mechanical assemblies and integrating off-the-shelf components
into product designs.
- Understanding
of GD&T, tolerance analysis, engineering drawings, and design for
manufacturing and assembly (DFMA).
- Experience
working with prototypes and taking products through multiple design
iterations.
- Ability
to identify engineering problems, investigate root causes, and develop
practical solutions.
- Strong
organizational skills and the ability to manage multiple assignments and
priorities in a fast-paced consulting environment.
- Strong
written and verbal communication skills.
- Comfortable
collaborating directly with industrial designers, engineers, suppliers,
manufacturers, and clients.
How We Work
At RKS, engineering does not happen in isolation. Our
engineers collaborate closely with Industrial Design, Research, Strategy, User
Experience, Technology, Business Development, and Program Management to
create products that are meaningful to users and successful in the
marketplace..
You should be comfortable working in a highly creative
environment where projects and challenges can change quickly and where
engineers are encouraged to find innovative but practical solutions.
Most importantly, we are looking for someone who enjoys
building things, solving problems, and turning ambitious product ideas into
products that can actually be manufactured.
Requirements
What We're Looking For
- Bachelor’s
degree in mechanical engineering or a related engineering discipline.
- Approximately
6-8 years of professional product
development/mechanical engineering experience.
- Strong
proficiency with parametric 3D CAD and experience creating
production-ready mechanical designs.
- Experience
designing parts for plastic injection molding.
- Working
knowledge of sheet metal, machining, castings, additive manufacturing, and
other common manufacturing processes.
- Experience
developing mechanical assemblies and integrating off-the-shelf components
into product designs.
- Understanding
of GD&T, tolerance analysis, engineering drawings, and design for
manufacturing and assembly (DFMA).
- Experience
working with prototypes and taking products through multiple design
iterations.
- Ability
to identify engineering problems, investigate root causes, and develop
practical solutions.
- Strong
organizational skills and the ability to manage multiple assignments and
priorities in a fast-paced consulting environment.
- Strong
written and verbal communication skills.
- Comfortable
collaborating directly with industrial designers, engineers, suppliers,
manufacturers, and clients.
Benefits
Skills Required
- Bachelor's degree in mechanical engineering or a related engineering discipline
- Approximately 6-8 years of professional product development or mechanical engineering experience
- Strong proficiency with parametric 3D CAD and production-ready mechanical design
- Experience designing parts for plastic injection molding
- Working knowledge of sheet metal, machining, castings, additive manufacturing, and other common manufacturing processes
- Experience developing mechanical assemblies and integrating off-the-shelf components
- Understanding of GD&T, tolerance analysis, engineering drawings, and DFMA
- Experience working with prototypes and multiple design iterations
- Ability to identify engineering problems, investigate root causes, and develop practical solutions
- Strong organizational skills and ability to manage multiple assignments and priorities
- Strong written and verbal communication skills
- Ability to collaborate with industrial designers, engineers, suppliers, manufacturers, and clients
What We Do
RKS Design is an award-winning global innovation and product design firm that delivers market-relevant, human-focused solutions, builds strong brands, and creates emotional connections through design.
