Find Jobs
Find Jobs Near You – Available Work in Your Location
Senior Mechanical Engineer-Tooling Expert
Career Insights for Mechanical Design Engineer
See where this job fits in the broader career landscape. Knowing your career path helps you see what's possible from here.
Scorecard
Based on Washington data
Review key factors to help you decide if this role fits your goals. How is this calculated?
What they do
A Mechanical Design Engineer designs and develops mechanical tools as part of the product development cycle.
$121,515 / year median in Washington
+2% projected growth
Job Description
Senior Mechanical Engineer-Tooling Expert
Airbus
•
Mukilteo, Washington
•
PERMANENT
Updated 09/11/2026
Job Description
Job Summary
Airbus is committed to providing reasonable accommodations as an Equal Opportunity Employer to applicants with disabilities. If you require assistance or an accommodation to complete your application, please contact us at USCareersairbus.com
Notice:
Know Your Rights:
Workplace Discrimination is Illegal
Notice:
Pay Transparency Nondiscrimination (English)
Aviso:
Transparencia en el Pago No Discriminacio´n (Spanish)
Job Summary:
The Mechanical Engineer 3 is a senior-level contributor responsible for designing, developing, and optimizing complex mechanical systems and tooling for advanced robotic platforms.
This role requires deep expertise in the design and implementation of advanced jigs, fixtures, and automated or semi-automated tooling systems for aerospace applications. The successful candidate will bring a strong background in precision tooling design, GD&T, tolerance analysis, and production-scale deployment, ensuring robust, repeatable assembly processes. Experience leading tooling development efforts, collaborating with manufacturing, quality, and integration teams, and driving continuous improvement in tooling performance, cost, and reliability is highly desired.
How we care for you:
Financial Rewards:
Competitive base salary, incentive compensation which may include profit sharing schemes, retirement savings plan and the ability to participate in an Employee Stock Ownership Plan ("ESOP").
Work/Life Balance:
Paid time off including personal time, holidays and a generous paid parental leave program.
Health & Welfare:
Comprehensive insurance coverage including medical (traditional and high-deductible health plans), prescription, dental, vision, life, disability, Employee Assistance Plan ("EAP") and other supplemental benefit coverages.
Individual Development:
Upskilling and development opportunities through our global Leadership University, including unlimited access to 10,000+ e-learning courses focusing on ways to develop your employability, certifications, career path as well as the opportunity to participate in accelerated development programs and both national and international mobility.
Salary range: $123,000
•145,000/year based on candidate profile
Primary Responsibilities:
- Design, Prototype, and Test
- Formulate innovative conceptual designs and evolve them into final designs to meet customer requirements.
- Propose new and innovative solutions for complex mechanical systems.
- Fabricate, modify, and test robotic and automated assembly prototypes.
- Plan or conduct experimental, environmental, operational, or stress tests on automated assembly prototypes.
- Work with Software, Electrical, System Engineers and Project Management to ensure a successful product lifecycle.
- Performs hands-on work when needed.
- Troubleshoot
- Plan or coordinate activities to investigate and resolve customers reports of technical problems with automated tooling.
- Review performance reports and documentation from customers and field engineers and inspect malfunctioning or damaged products to determine the problem.
- Contribute to technical reports or other documentation, such as handbooks or bulletins, for use by engineering staff, management, or customers.
- Project Manage and Document
Develops, plans, and executes a project and leads one or more operators, technicians, and/or associate engineers on the execution of design tasks, prototype builds, and test setups. Designs high-quality experiments with fast iteration speed. Is responsible for the execution of an entire project task. Leads project tasks and is responsible with minimal guidance for technical leadership within those project tasks. Owns the quality of execution, iteration speed, quality of the decision-making, and quality of the results (as appropriate) of project tasks.
Exercises discretion and independent judgment in the application of specialized knowledge on work that is predominantly intellectual and for which the output produced or the result accomplished cannot be standardized in relation to a given period of time.
Guides and trains more junior members of the team.
Qualified Experience and Training:
Education:
Required
Combination of technical degree and years of experience. Mechanical Engineering, Tooling Design, related field.
Experience:
Required
Over 8 years of experience in tooling/design engineering
Able to execute day-to-day work without instruction or guidance. Begins to mentor junior engineers, occasionally approaching senior engineers for technical guidance and advice on new assignments.
Experience working with power tools, hand tools, and machine shop equipment is a must.
Hands-on experience working with, electric motors, gears, seals, springs, and fasteners is a must.
Experience designing mechanisms is a must.
Three or more years of experience with mechanical design tools such as SolidWorks, CATIA, etc. is required.
Experience with Finite Element Analysis and modeling tools is desired.
Experience with pneumatics, linear guides, ball screws, and position sensors is a must.
Experience working with robots is a plus.
Experience designing and building jigs and automated tooling
Experience with designing large weldment structures
Travel Required:
10 Domestic and International
Citizenship:
US person
Qualified Skills:
Knowledge, Skills, Demonstrated Capabilities:
Required
Advanced 3D CAD proficiency (CATIA, SolidWorks, Creo, or similar) including complex assemblies
Mechanical system design for robotics: mechanisms, linkages, actuators, motion systems
Tolerance analysis (GD&T, stack-ups, precision fits)
Structural and thermal analysis (FEA, hand calculations, material selection)
Design for manufacturability (DFM) and design for assembly (DFA)
Experience with electromechanical integration (motors, sensors, wiring, PCBs)
Knowledge of robotics-specific components (gears, bearings, transmissions, linear motion systems)
Prototyping and hands-on fabrication (machining, 3D printing, rapid iteration)
Understanding of control systems and kinematics (not necessarily coding, but system-level awareness)
Knowledge of designing jigs and automated tooling
Communication Skills:
Required :
Clear Technical Communication
Cross-Functional Collaboration
Requirements and Specification communication
Constructive Feedback
Problem Solving and Professional communication
Technical Systems Proficiency:
Required:
Solidworks
CATIA
Jira
Physical Requirements:
Onsite or remote: Hybrid
Vision:
able to see and read computer screen and other electronic equipment with screens, able to read documents, reports and engineering drawings. Daily
Hearing:
able to hear to participate in conversations in person and via teleconference or phone and to hear sounds on production floor including safety warnings or alarms. Daily
Speaking:
able to speak in conversations and meetings, deliver information and participate in communications. Daily
Equipment Operation (personal computer, telephone, copies, fax machine, and related office equipment and using electronic identification card to enter building floors and internal doors): able to operate most office and personal electronic equipment and some tools including production tools such as hydraulic lifts. Daily
Carrying:
able to carry documents, tools, drawings, electronic equipment up to 30lbs/14kgs.
Daily
Lifting:
able to lift documents, tools, drawings, electronic equipment up to 30lbs/14kgs. Daily
Pushing /
Pulling:
able to push and pull small office furniture and some equipment and tools. Daily
Sitting:
able to sit for long periods of time in meetings, working on computer. Daily
Squatting /
Kneeling:
able to squat or kneel to retrieve or replace items stored on low shelving. Daily
Standing:
able to stand for discussions in offices or on production floor. Daily
Travel:
able to travel independently and at short notice. 10
Walking (include routine walking such as to a shared printer to retrieve documents): able to walk through office and production areas including uneven surfaces. Daily
Personal Protective Equipment required: Required PPE includes, but is not limited to, Safety Shoes, Safety Glasses, Hearing Protection, Respirators/Masks, and/or Protective Gloves as required by site and/or customer site
This job requires an awareness of any potential compliance risks and a commitment to act with integrity, as the foundation for the Company's success, reputation and sustainable growth.
Company:
Airbus Robotics LLC
Employment Type:
Permanent
Experience Level:
Professional
Remote Type:
On-site
Job Family:
Mechanics & Mechatronics
•Airbus provides equal employment opportunities (EEO) to all employees and applicants for employment without regard to race, color, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, national origin, age, disability, genetics, pregnancy, marital status, veteran status or other legally protected status. In addition to federal law requirements, Airbus complies with applicable state and local laws governing nondiscrimination in employment in every location in which the company has facilities. This policy applies to all terms and conditions of employment, including recruiting, hiring, placement, promotion, demotion, termination, layoff, recall, transfer, leaves of absence, compensation, benefits and training. Airbus expressly prohibits any form of workplace harassment based on race, color, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, national origin, age, disability, genetics, pregnancy, marital status, veteran status or other legally protected status. As a matter of policy, Airbus does not sponsor visas for US positions unless specified. Only applicants with current work authorization will be considered. Airbus does not offer tenured or guaranteed employment. Employment with Airbus is at will, meaning either the company or the employee can terminate the employment relationship at any time, with or without cause, with or without notice. Airbus reserves the right to revise or change job duties and responsibilities as the need arises. This position description does not constitute a written or implied contract of employment.
By submitting your CV or application you are consenting to Airbus using and storing information about you for monitoring purposes relating to your application or future employment. This information will only be used by Airbus.
Airbus is committed to achieving workforce diversity and creating an inclusive working environment. We welcome all applications irrespective of social and cultural background, age, gender, disability, sexual orientation or religious belief.
Airbus is, and always has been, committed to equal opportunities for all. As such, we will never ask for any type of monetary exchange in the frame of a recruitment process. Any impersonation of Airbus to do so should be reported to emsomairbus.com .
Job and company information not to be copied, shared, scraped, or otherwise disseminated without explicit consent of JSfirm, LLC.
Benefits
- Paid Time Off (PTO)
- Other Retirement and Savings
- Employee Stock Options (ESOs)
- Health and Wellness Programs