Mechanical Design Engineer
On this page
- What's it like to be a Mechanical Design Engineer?
- How to become a Mechanical Design Engineer
- Latest Mechanical Design Engineer jobs
- Top skills and experience for Mechanical Design Engineers
What's it like to be a Mechanical Design Engineer?
Mechanical Design Engineers transform conceptual ideas and other requirements into designs that can be manufactured. Mechanical Design Engineers must have problem-solving skills, technical expertise, and fundamentals in engineering principles. They may need to collaborate with other departments and team members, such as Product Designers and other Engineers, to gain a better understanding of the project requirements and bring designs to life. They create prototypes or mock-ups of their designs and are in charge of testing these prototypes to assess their functionality, performance, and durability.
Tasks and duties
- Ideating and conceptualising innovative mechanical design concepts.
- Working with cross-functional teams to understand project requirements.
- Creating detailed 2D and 3D models using CAD software.
- Developing prototypes and conducting tests to validate designs.
- Working closely with manufacturing teams to ensure designs can be produced cost-effectively.
- Performing simulations to analyse stress, thermal behaviour, and fluid flow.
- Documenting engineering drawings, specifications, and technical details.
- Continuously improving and optimising designs.
- Problem-solving to address design conflicts and technical challenges.
- Managing multiple projects, coordinating tasks, and meeting deadlines.
Mechanical Design Engineers may also work closely with manufacturing teams to ensure that the designed components and systems can be produced efficiently and cost-effectively. This involves dealing with manufacturing processes like machining, casting, moulding, and additive manufacturing.
How to become a Mechanical Design Engineer
To become a Mechanical Design Engineer, you must have a degree related to mechanical engineering, as well as the necessary technical skills.
Graduate with a bachelor degree in mechanical engineering or a related field. Other disciplines such as aerospace engineering may also be considered.
Ensure you are proficient in certain skills such as using Computer-Aided Design (CAD) software, which will help you in product design and engineering.
Obtain a licence from the Professional Engineers Board (PEB) by passing the exams to solidify your credentials and give you a leg up.
Consider taking a master's degree in a related discipline to further enhance your knowledge.
