Senior Design Engineer

About the Job

• At Southco we are looking for a Design Engineer with 7-9 years of hands-on experience in sheet metal and plastic design and development. You will own parts and assemblies from concept to production release, working in Siemens NX with data managed in Teamcenter
• The successful candidate will take ownership of the complete end-to-end product development cycle, from concept generation through production release, while driving the design and validation of complex electromechanical systems.

Key Responsibilities

• Design sheet metal parts, enclosures, brackets and welded assemblies from concept through detailed design and production release.
• Create 3D models, flat patterns and fully detailed 2D drawings in NX, applying GD&T per ASME Y14.5 or ISO standards using NX Teamcenter.
• Apply design-for-manufacturing rules for laser cutting, punching, bending, forming, stamping, welding and fastening (PEM inserts, rivets, spot welds).
• Calculate bend allowances, K-factors, minimum flange lengths and relief features; resolve tolerance stack-ups across assemblies.
• Conduct tolerance stack-up analysis for linkage assemblies to ensure functional performance across manufacturing variation.
• Select materials, thicknesses and surface finishes (powder coating, galvanizing, plating) to meet cost, strength and corrosion requirements.
• Design or modify injection-molded plastic parts with correct wall thickness, draft angles, ribs, bosses and snap-fits.
• Work with toolmakers and suppliers on DFM/mould-flow feedback, parting lines, gate locations and shrinkage.
• Integrate plastic and sheet metal components in assemblies, ensuring proper fit, fastening and sealing.
• Support prototype builds and design validation; drive root-cause analysis and design fixes for manufacturing or field issues.
• Lead customer requirement mapping -LOP and compliance, regulatory compliance screening, rigorous design effort estimations and Mechanical BOM preparation.
• Moderate DFM/DFA and work closely with suppliers/vendors for tooling and production readiness.
• Spearhead Design Failure Mode and Effects Analysis (DFMEA).
• Actively troubleshoot mechanical interface discrepancies, trailing fitment issues, and roll-out verified engineering changes.
• Active participation in PPAP SOP support activities.
• Collaborate with cross-functional teams, Customers and Suppliers.
• Coordinate the physical builds and bench testing of experimental prototypes to qualify target kinematics, longevity, and fatigue.
• Create and maintain design documentation, calculations, and simulation reports.

Required Qualifications, Experience and Skills

• Bachelors or masters in mechanical engineering.
• 7-9 years of relevant engineering experience of Design and development sheet metal and plastic parts
• Proficiency in CAD software NX Teamcenter for 3D modeling, assembly design and 2D preparation.
• Strong understanding of GD&T, tolerance analysis, and DFM/DFA principles.
• Familiarity with DFMEA, PPAP, APQP or other product development quality processes.
• Should have knowledge of engineering materials.
• Exposure to end-to-end product development cycle, change management system, IATF 16949 and ISO: 9001.
• Basic FEA / CAE knowledge (NX, Nastran, ANSYS or similar) for structural checks.
• Familiarity with prototyping methods, testing protocols, and design validation processes.
• Strong problem-solving skills with the ability to debug complex mechanical motion issues.
• Excellent communication and cross-functional collaboration skills.
• Must be initiative-taking, team oriented, result driven, flexible, visionary, and able to succeed in a fast paced, multiple-project growth environment.