Senior Mechanical Engineer
About The Position
TP-Link Systems Inc. is seeking a Senior Mechanical Engineer to join its team in Irvine, California. The role owns the mechanical system architecture—including internal layout, construction strategy, and assembly approach—and detailed mechanical design for next-generation consumer networking and smart home products, primarily Wi-Fi routers, mesh nodes, and gateways. The engineer will take products from early concept through high-volume manufacturing, partnering with Industrial Design, Electrical/Hardware Engineering, NPI/Operations, suppliers, and contract manufacturers to deliver production-ready designs. The position includes developing mechanical architecture and interfaces; supporting thermal and EMI-related integration; producing CAD, drawings, specifications, and BOMs; planning prototypes and validation builds; leading supplier and toolmaker iterations; and applying DFM/DFA across manufacturing processes. The engineer also maintains controlled documentation and change discipline, helps resolve mechanical issues through root-cause analysis and corrective actions, and mentors junior engineers. Travel of up to 10% may be required to support suppliers and contract manufacturers.
Requirements
- Bachelor of Science in Mechanical Engineering or a related field.
- At least 7 years of hands-on mechanical product development experience in consumer electronics, networking products, or electro-mechanical products.
- Experience owning product development from concept through mass production and demonstrated cross-functional technical leadership.
- Strong proficiency with PTC Creo and ability to independently produce release-ready part and assembly CAD, drawings, and BOMs.
- Strong fundamentals in plastics and metals, injection molding, tooling iteration, tolerance/GD&T, and high-volume manufacturing considerations.
- Strong communication skills and ability to work effectively in a fast-paced, cross-functional environment.
- Willingness to travel up to 10% to support suppliers and contract manufacturers.
Nice To Haves
- Master's degree.
- Experience with compact, high-volume consumer electronics such as routers, mesh nodes, gateways, or similar products.
- Experience working directly with contract manufacturers and toolmakers and closing issues through tooling iterations (T0/T1/Tn).
- Experience with suppliers, ODM/JDM partners, or contract manufacturers in Taiwan, China, Vietnam, or other Asia-based manufacturing ecosystems.
- Familiarity with rapid prototyping, including 3D printing, CNC prototypes, and soft tooling, and hands-on build/debug support.
- Familiarity with structural simulation/FEA and vibration/shock fundamentals.
- Exposure to PLM/PDM tools and controlled release workflows.
Responsibilities
- Own and drive product-level mechanical system architecture, including internal layout, part breakdown, construction and fastening/joining strategies, datum and tolerance schemes, and serviceability.
- Partner with Industrial Design to translate design intent into manufacturable mechanical solutions while balancing aesthetics, usability, reliability, schedule, and cost.
- Collaborate with Electrical/Hardware Engineering to define mechanical interfaces and constraints, including PCB mounting, connector and I/O access, assembly datums, fasteners, and keep-outs.
- Support thermal and EMI-related mechanical integration, including heat-spreading paths, shielding implications, gasket interfaces, conductive coatings, and grounding/contact reliability.
- Create and release 3D CAD, 2D drawings, specifications, and preliminary and released BOMs using PTC Creo; apply GD&T and tolerance stack-up to critical interfaces.
- Plan and support prototype builds and EVT/DVT/PVT or equivalent validation, define objectives and acceptance criteria, evaluate fit, function, cosmetic quality, dimensions, and assembly robustness, and drive issue closure.
- Lead supplier and toolmaker engagement, including tooling kick-offs, T0/T1/Tn iterations, mold tuning, and resolution of dimensional and assembly issues with suppliers and contract manufacturers.
- Drive DFM/DFA decisions across injection molding, CNC machining, sheet metal, die casting, and secondary operations/finishes, considering cost and schedule trade-offs.
- Maintain documentation quality and change discipline by releasing and maintaining drawings and BOMs, controlling revisions, and driving ECOs with clear supplier communication.
- Participate in root-cause analysis and corrective actions for mechanical issues found during builds, production, or field returns.
- Mentor junior engineers through design reviews, best practices, and hands-on coaching.
Benefits
- Fully paid medical, dental, and vision insurance; partial coverage for dependents.
- Contributions to 401k funds.
- Over four weeks of PTO per year.
- Bi-annual pay increases.
- Health and wellness benefits, including a free gym membership.
- Quarterly team-building events.
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What This Job Offers
Job Type
Full-time
Career Level
Senior
