Senior Sheet Metal Enclosure Design Engineer

SAE Safety Solutions • Sterling, Massachusetts, United States • $100,000 - $140,000 / year • 4d ago

Role Snapshot

Picture your day in Sterling, MA: you start by reviewing an RFQ with Sales, translate customer specs into an initial SolidWorks model, walk to the manufacturing floor to validate forming and welding approaches, then return to craft detailed drawings and a costed quote. By afternoon, you’re finalizing BOMs and process routings, running a quick tolerance stack and a targeted FEA, and closing the loop with Purchasing on lead times. If that sounds like the balance of design creativity and commercial ownership you enjoy, this role is for you.

What You’ll Build

Sheet metal products—enclosures, chassis, panels, brackets—driven from customer requirements and built in SolidWorks.
Electromechanical assemblies that include structure, hardware, routing for wiring harnesses, and practical mounting strategies.
Production-ready 2D drawings with ASME Y14.5 GD&T, bend deductions/allowances, materials and finishes clearly specified.
Designs optimized for fabrication: laser cutting, turret punching, press brake forming, MIG/TIG/spot welding, PEM hardware insertion, and finishing (powder coat, plating, anodize).
Solutions tuned for cost, mass, thermal performance, and efficient assembly, validated with tolerance stacks and, when needed, structural calcs/FEA for load-bearing use.

Commercial Ownership

Create accurate cost models for custom and semi-custom sheet metal assemblies, covering materials, fabrication time, finishing, and purchased parts.
Produce customer-ready quotations: BOMs, labor hour estimates, routing steps, and pricing.
Validate assumptions with Manufacturing and Purchasing; assess make-versus-buy options.
Lead value engineering to lower cost while protecting function and quality.

Partner Across the Business

Engage with customers and our Sales team to clarify environments, performance needs, and budgets.
Present designs in reviews with internal stakeholders and customers.
Collaborate with Manufacturing Engineering to align designs to shop capabilities and tooling.
Coordinate with Quality on inspection/acceptance criteria; support prototypes and first articles.
Assist Production as needed and help resolve field issues.

Standards, Data, and Documentation

Maintain accurate CAD, drawings, and ECOs in our PLM/PDM environment.
Design to relevant standards, including UL, NEMA, IP ratings, and customer specifications.
Grow reusable design guidelines and component libraries; record design decisions, calculations, and test results.

Required Background

BS in Mechanical Engineering (or related field).
5–7 years of mechanical design experience with a strong emphasis on sheet metal.
Expertise in 3D CAD (SolidWorks preferred) and 2D detailing.
Deep familiarity with fabrication processes: laser cutting, turret punching, press brake forming, MIG/TIG/spot welding, PEM fasteners, and powder coating/plating/anodizing.
Knowledge of material behavior: steel alloys, aluminum, stainless.
Proven application of GD&T per ASME Y14.5.
Excellent problem solving, attention to detail, and clear written/verbal communication.

Preferred Extras

Exposure to cost estimating/quoting or strong cost-aware DFM instincts; willingness to expand this responsibility over time.
FEA experience (SolidWorks Simulation, ANSYS, or similar).
Thermal design for electronics enclosures.
EMI/RFI shielding and grounding practices.
Experience with NEMA 1/12/4/4X and IP ratings.
Background in high-volume manufacturing and assembly automation.
Electrical/electronic packaging and cable management familiarity.
Comfort with PLM/PDM (e.g., Windchill, Teamcenter).
Knowledge of UL, CSA, and CE marking requirements.

What Makes You Effective

Analytical strength for both structural and cost calculations.
Judicious tradeoffs balancing performance with commercial realities.
Detail orientation and organization across multiple concurrent projects.
Customer empathy that turns requirements into practical designs.
Collaborative approach with Manufacturing, Purchasing, and Sales.
Self-driven, able to operate independently and complete projects.
Adaptable in a fast-paced setting with shifting priorities.

Tools You’ll Use

CAD: SolidWorks (primary), AutoCAD.
Analysis: SolidWorks Simulation or comparable FEA.
PLM/PDM: System-based revision control and ECOs.
ERP: Integration for BOMs and costing.
MS Office: Excel (costing/analysis), Word (documentation), PowerPoint (presentations).

Where and How You’ll Work

Based at our Sterling, MA headquarters with regular time on the manufacturing floor to review prototypes, evaluate producibility, and support process improvements. Light travel to customers or suppliers as needed, approximately 5–10%.

Why You’ll Love It Here

See your concepts become real in a modern fabrication facility.
Work closely with manufacturing experts in a collaborative setting.
Engage with varied applications and industries.
Comprehensive benefits: medical, dental, and vision coverage; 401(k) with company match; holidays and paid time off; eligibility for our Long Term Investment Plan (LTIP).