Mechanical Designer — 3D & Process Design

Mechanical Designer3D & Process DesignModern Process Equipment (MPE)Chicago, ILFull-timeChicago, IL (on-site)Full-timeDesign & EngineeringOccasional travel (<10%)ABOUT MPEFamily-owned for 65+ years - over 90% of North American coffee runs through MPE grindersCustomers include Starbucks, Nestlé, Purina, and Hershey'sAll products designed and manufactured in Chicago - small-company culture, enterprise-level impactMarkets served: coffee, pet food, cereal, craft brewing, dried nuts & chemical processingTHE ROLEMPE is hiring a Mechanical Designer to take custom processing equipment from blank canvas to finished build. You'll model integrated systems in 3D, draft mezzanines and structural components, and work directly with our sales team, project managers, and the customers themselves - turning unique processing challenges into equipment that ships from our Chicago facility. You'll also get real R&D bandwidth to invent product improvements and tackle problems that don't have an answer yet. Not just CAD work - you'll see what you design get welded, machined, and shipped.RESPONSIBILITIESDESIGN & MODELINGBuild 2D and 3D models of integrated grinding, conveying, and complete plant systemsTake customer orders from concept stage through manufacturingSpec mezzanines, structural components, and process equipment integrationPrepare approval, fabrication, and installation drawing packagesEnsure designs are manufacturable in-house and by external fabricatorsCOLLABORATION & COMMUNICATIONWork with sales to translate initial customer requirements into design directionPartner with project managers from concept through manufacturingMeet directly with customers to understand project goals and surface constraints earlyParticipate in internal design reviews and walk customers through your workCommunicate clearly across written drawings, calls, and shop-floor conversationsR&D & INNOVATIONDevelop product improvements and inventive solutions for open-ended problemsPrototype new ideas and iterate with the engineering teamApply your engineering skill set to designs without an existing playbookContribute to continuous improvement of MPE's product platformWatch designs go from screen to shop floor - and back to your desk for v2REQUIREMENTSEDUCATION & EXPERIENCE2-year degree in mechanical drafting/design (or similar) - or 4-year engineering degreeIndustrial design experience required - you've worked on equipment that gets builtProcess plant or food/beverage equipment experience a plusExposure to sanitary or USDA/FDA equipment standards a plusTECHNICAL SKILLSProficiency in 3D modelingSolidWorks preferredProficiency in 2D draftingAutoCAD preferredWorking knowledge of GD&T, fabrication processes, and materialsBasic understanding of processing plant designQuick to grasp new technical concepts and product applicationsSOFT SKILLSEffective in front of a customer and on the shop floorDetail-oriented with a bias for action - you close loopsAble to juggle multiple active projects in a fast-paced environmentStrong written and verbal communicationInventive - you can think outside the spec sheetCULTURE FITResults-oriented, accountable, and a genuine team playerComfortable taking initiative with limited directionCurious - you want to know how the equipment actually worksThrives in a small-company environment serving large customersGenuine desire to learn the industryBENEFITSCompetitive salary + bonusMajor medical401(k)Profit sharingHands-on trainingGrowth pathReady to design equipment that actually gets built?Apply today - send your resume along with sample drawings or a portfolio. We're more interested in what you've designed than where you went to school.