SENIOR DESIGN ENGINEER

We’re looking for a Senior Mechanical Design Engineer to bring deep technical expertise and project leadership to our St. Louis team. This isn’t a role for someone who wants to refine existing designs or follow templates. You’ll be the technical driver on custom heavy material handling systems - partnering directly with manufacturing, controls, and customers to deliver engineered solutions that work in the real world.

If you’ve spent your career in engineered-to-order environments and you’re energized by complexity and ambiguity, this role was written for you.

What You’ll Own

End-to-End Project Leadership

• Lead engineering projects from initial concept through fabrication, testing, and field commissioning
• Serve as the technical authority on complex, one-of-a-kind systems with competing constraints
• Balance performance, cost, and schedule without sacrificing design integrity

Hands-On Engineering

• Work directly alongside technicians and fabricators to ensure designs translate cleanly from drawing to build
• Debug, iterate, and problem-solve in real time
• Drive continuous improvement in design practices, build efficiency, and system performance

Cross-Functional & Customer Collaboration

• Partner with manufacturing, controls, and sales teams to develop solutions that meet customer requirements and Align’s delivery standards
• Engage directly with customers to clarify technical scope, manage expectations, and build confidence in our solutions
• Work closely with suppliers to source and develop optimal components within design constraints

Technical Documentation & Mentorship

• Maintain rigorous engineering documentation, drawings, and revision histories
• Mentor junior engineers and contribute to building best practices across the engineering team

Do you have experience in Manufacturing?, * Bachelor’s degree in Mechanical Engineering, Manufacturing Engineering, or related field

• 6-8 years of hands-on engineering experience in an Engineer-to-Order or custom-build environment - this is a firm requirement, not a preference
• Strong proficiency in SolidWorks or comparable CAD platform
• Deep familiarity with manufacturing processes, mechanical assemblies, and heavy industrial equipment
• Proven ability to lead projects independently and make sound engineering decisions with incomplete information

Who Thrives Here

• Engineers who take ownership and drive projects forward without waiting to be told what to do next
• People who find satisfaction in seeing a concept they created running on a production floor
• Senior contributors who can mentor others while still doing the technical work themselves
• Practical problem-solvers who know how to balance engineering ideals with real-world constraints