Senior Mechanical Design Engineer (Part-Time to Full-Time)Custom Machine Design & Automation

About Us

Automation Design Works is a growing custom automation company located in Hendersonville, Tennessee. We design and build custom machinery, robotic systems, industrial automation equipment, and UL 508A control panels for manufacturers throughout the United States.

We are looking for an experienced Mechanical Design Engineer to lead the mechanical design of new automated machines. This is an exciting opportunity to help develop a machine from concept through production while helping build the engineering department of a growing company.

This position is ideal for an experienced engineer looking for challenging side work that has the potential to become a long-term, full-time leadership opportunity.

Position Summary

You will be responsible for the complete mechanical design of custom automated machinery, from initial concept through manufacturing and machine startup. You will work directly with company leadership, electrical engineers, controls engineers, and machinists to develop innovative manufacturing equipment.

The initial project is the design of an automated machine capable of producing precision parts. Future projects will include robotics, automated assembly systems, inspection equipment, and other custom machinery.

Responsibilities

• Lead the mechanical design of custom automation equipment from concept through production.
• Design precision mechanisms for automated manufacturing systems.
• Create complete SolidWorks models, assemblies, manufacturing drawings, and bills of material.
• Design machine frames, cams, gears, linkages, feeders, servo-driven mechanisms, conveyors, and pneumatic systems.
• Perform tolerance stack-up analysis and apply GD&T where appropriate.
• Select bearings, motors, gearboxes, linear guides, pneumatic components, and other mechanical hardware.
• Work closely with electrical engineers and PLC programmers to develop integrated machine solutions.
• Support prototype builds, machine assembly, testing, troubleshooting, and customer acceptance.
• Improve existing designs for manufacturability, reliability, and ease of assembly.
• Manage multiple engineering projects while maintaining schedules and project milestones.

Qualifications

• Bachelor's degree in Mechanical Engineering or equivalent experience.
• Minimum of 5 years of experience designing custom machinery, special purpose equipment, or industrial automation.
• Expert proficiency with SolidWorks.
• Strong understanding of machine design principles.
• Experience designing welded structures, machined components, sheet metal, and precision mechanical assemblies.
• Experience with servo motion systems, pneumatics, linear motion, and power transmission.
• Strong understanding of manufacturing processes including machining, fabrication, and assembly.
• Ability to work independently with minimal supervision.
• Excellent communication and problem-solving skills.

Preferred Qualifications

• Experience designing medical device manufacturing equipment.
• Experience with spring manufacturing equipment or wire forming machinery.
• Experience with robotics and automated assembly systems.
• Familiarity with PLC-controlled automation equipment.
• Understanding of machine safety standards and industrial automation best practices.

Employment Type

We are flexible and are looking for the right person rather than forcing a traditional employment arrangement. We are open to candidates interested in:

• Part-time employment
• Contract or freelance work
• Evenings or weekend engineering work
• Side work while employed elsewhere (where permitted by your current employer)
• A long-term opportunity that can transition into a full-time position as the company continues to grow

Compensation

Compensation will be based on experience and qualifications.

Why Join Automation Design Works?

This is an opportunity to have a direct impact on the success of a growing automation company. You'll work on challenging, one-of-a-kind machines that are built from the ground up, not repetitive production designs. If you enjoy solving difficult mechanical problems, seeing your ideas become real machines, and helping shape the future of a growing engineering team, we'd love to hear from you.

Please submit your resume along with examples of custom machinery or automation projects you have designed. Experience with complete machine design from concept through production is highly preferred.

Pay: $70,499.13 - $84,902.17 per year

Benefits:

• Flexible schedule

Work Location: Hybrid remote in Hendersonville, TN 37075