Senior Mechanical Design Engineer

Patterson-UTI • Houston, TX

2d • Hybrid

About The Position

The Sr. Mechanical Design Engineer is a senior-level engineering and supervisory role responsible for the quality, capacity, and execution of mechanical design work across multiple projects. The position serves as the technical authority for electro-mechanical design while directly managing the Mechanical Design team and translating business and project priorities into clear team deliverables. Employees in this role operate with a high degree of independence, lead formal design reviews, approve mechanical deliverables, balance team workload, and address performance or development needs. The role requires close partnership with the Engineering Manager and other functional leaders to ensure effective execution, timely issue resolution, and reliable integration between mechanical and electrical systems.

Requirements

• Bachelor’s degree in Mechanical Engineering or another related engineering discipline is required.
• Minimum of ten (10) years of progressive experience in electro-mechanical design within an industrial, manufacturing, power systems, or similar environment.
• Demonstrated experience leading and supervising mechanical designers, including assigning work, coaching employees, and managing performance.
• Advanced proficiency with 3D CAD and product data management tools such as SolidWorks, Inventor, or similar systems.
• Strong knowledge of mechanical engineering principles, materials, tolerancing, fabrication methods, assembly processes, and design for manufacturability.
• Proven ability to develop, review, and approve complex mechanical drawings, calculations, design documentation, and equipment packages.

Nice To Haves

• Professional Engineer license, master’s degree in an engineering discipline, or formal leadership development training.
• Experience designing electro-mechanical equipment such as switchgear, motor control centers, control panels, or packaged power systems.
• Knowledge of thermal management, cable management, equipment layout, grounding interfaces, and service access for electrical systems.
• Familiarity with NEC, NEMA, UL, and other requirements that affect mechanical design, clearances, environmental ratings, and product construction.
• Experience using analysis tools and engineering methods for structural, thermal, vibration, or lifting/transport validation.
• Experience managing a design team in a manufacturing, fabrication, or engineered-to-order environment.
• Strong people leadership skills with a record of building trust, developing talent, addressing performance issues, and leading through change.
• Demonstrated business acumen and ability to balance customer needs, technical risk, cost, schedule, and operational impacts.
• Experience working directly with customers, suppliers, Sales, and project teams to define requirements and present technical solutions.
• Strong verbal and written communication skills with the ability to explain complex engineering issues to technical and non-technical audiences.
• Proven ability to make sound decisions, prioritize competing demands, and lead effectively with incomplete or changing information.

Responsibilities

• Directly supervise, coach, and develop the Mechanical Design team, including work assignments, goal setting, feedback, performance management, and career development.
• Plan and balance mechanical design resources across active projects in coordination with the Engineering Manager and project leadership.
• Establish team priorities, schedules, and execution plans; monitor progress and take corrective action when cost, quality, or schedule performance is at risk.
• Lead recruiting, onboarding, training, and cross-training activities needed to maintain team capability and coverage.
• Create an inclusive, accountable work environment that promotes collaboration, ownership, sound judgment, and continuous improvement.
• Communicate expectations, decisions, project status, and technical risks clearly to team members, managers, customers, vendors, and internal stakeholders.
• Serve as the technical authority for mechanical design of electrical enclosures, skids, frames, structural assemblies, and integrated electro-mechanical equipment.
• Review and approve 3D models, fabrication drawings, bills of material, and assembly documentation before release.
• Lead mechanical analysis and design validation for structural integrity, thermal performance, vibration, environmental exposure, and service conditions.
• Ensure designs comply with applicable industry standards, customer specifications, safety requirements, and internal engineering practices.
• Define and maintain mechanical design standards, CAD/PDM practices, drawing conventions, part numbering, and bill of materials governance.
• Coordinate with Electrical Engineers to optimize component layout, cable routing, clearances, access, cooling, and serviceability.
• Partner with Operations and fabrication personnel to improve manufacturability, assembly efficiency, quality, and field installation.
• Support Supply Chain through vendor selection, component specifications, make/buy decisions, and technical evaluations.
• Facilitate design reviews, risk assessments, project planning, and structured problem resolution throughout the product lifecycle.
• Resolve complex electro-mechanical design issues and provide hands-on technical guidance to designers and cross-functional teams.
• Support prototype builds, testing, certification activities, field investigations, and design changes as required.
• Perform other duties as assigned.

What This Job Offers

• Job Type: Full-time
• Career Level: Senior