Mechanical Design Engineer

Location: Perth, WA Employment: 12-month contract with potential extension Roster: 5:2 - Perth-based NES Fircroft is recruiting a Mechanical Design Engineer to join our client’s research and development team.
This hands-on opportunity will see you develop mechanical equipment and prototypes, supporting the full journey from initial concept and detailed design through to fabrication, assembly, testing and improvement.
Working closely with engineers, workshop personnel, fabricators and suppliers, you will develop practical solutions and see your designs take shape. This role will suit someone who enjoys solving mechanical problems, collaborating with manufacturing teams and refining designs through practical testing and workshop feedback.
Your responsibilities will include:

• Developing mechanical equipment, components and assemblies using Autodesk Inventor, producing detailed 3D models and accurate 2D manufacturing and fabrication drawings.
• Preparing and maintaining Bills of Materials (BOMs), technical documentation and engineering design packages, with drawing and revision control through Autodesk Vault.
• Undertaking engineering calculations and design checks, applying Design for Manufacture and Assembly principles to support fabrication, assembly and maintenance.
• Working directly with workshop teams, machinists, fabricators and suppliers on component selection, manufacturing requirements and practical design solutions.
• Supporting prototype builds, equipment assembly and testing, troubleshooting mechanical issues and improving designs based on test results and workshop feedback.
• Contributing to design reviews, technical risk assessments and multidisciplinary engineering discussions.

You will bring:

• A Mechanical Engineering degree or equivalent relevant qualification.
• Strong hands-on Autodesk Inventor experience designing mechanical equipment, components and assemblies.
• Experience producing detailed manufacturing drawings and BOMs, with a sound understanding of tolerances, fits, GD&T, fasteners and mechanical components.
• Experience taking designs from concept through detailed engineering and manufacture.
• A practical understanding of fabrication and manufacturing processes, supported by experience working closely with workshops or production teams.
• Strong mechanical problem-solving skills and a willingness to get involved in prototype builds, testing and design improvement.
• Experience with Autodesk Vault, Inventor iLogic, R&D, product development or prototype testing will be highly regarded.
• Additional exposure to reverse engineering, 3D scanning, rotating equipment, shafts, bearings, mechanical drive systems, sheet-metal design, welded fabrication or FEA would also be valuable.
• Your background may include industrial equipment, manufacturing, mining, resources or other hands-on mechanical product-development environments.

What’s on offer:

• You will contribute across the full design-and-build cycle, combining detailed engineering with practical workshop collaboration and prototype testing.
• The position offers a Perth-based 5:2 roster and an initial 12-month contract, with potential extension.

Apply with your CV, highlighting your Autodesk Inventor experience and examples of mechanical equipment or prototypes you have helped take from concept through to manufacture or testing.
With over 90 years' combined experience, NES Fircroft (NES) is proud to be the world's leading engineering staffing provider spanning the Oil & Gas, Power & Renewables, Chemicals, Construction & Infrastructure, Life Sciences, Mining and Manufacturing sectors worldwide. With more than 80 offices in 45 countries, we are able to provide our clients with the engineering and technical expertise they need, wherever and whenever it is needed. We offer contractors far more than a traditional recruitment service, supporting with everything from securing visas and work permits, to providing market-leading benefits packages and accommodation, ensuring they are safely and compliantly able to support our clients.