Mechanical Engineer - Product Development

Mechanical Engineer Product Development

Collaborate with Innovative 3Mers Around the World

Choosing where to start and grow your career has a major impact on your professional and personal life, so it’s equally important you know that the company that you choose to work at, and its leaders, will support and guide you. With a wide variety of people, global locations, technologies and products, 3M is a place where you can collaborate with other curious, creative 3Mers.

This position provides an opportunity to transition from other private, public, government or military experience to a 3M career.

The Impact You’ll Make in this Role

As a Product Development Engineer, you will have the opportunity to tap into your curiosity and collaborate with some of the most innovative people around the world. Here, you will make an impact by:

• Lead the mechanical design and development of the next-generation automated robotic installation tools from concept through production.

• Design precision mechanisms and assemblies using 3D CAD (e.g., SolidWorks).

• Design mechanical enclosures, components and assemblies.

• Design for robustness, serviceability, and long-term field reliability.

• Integrate motors, drives, encoders, sensors into robust mechanical assemblies, working closely with electronics and controls engineers.

• Develop motion and actuation concepts and collaborate on servo/torque-motor and control-system integration (e.g., EtherCAT-based motion).

• Perform engineering analysis — tolerance stack-up, kinematics, structural, thermal and load studies — to ensure reliable, manufacturable designs.

• Assemble, characterize, calibrate and troubleshoot mechanical prototypes and engineering builds, integrating with electrical and control subsystems and iterating toward field-ready products.

• Select and specify mechanical components, materials and finishes, balance performance, cost and manufacturability.

• Drive product architecture, feasibility studies, prototyping, and engineering verification activities.

• Create mechanical documentation, including detailed drawings, GD&T, BOMs, and design records.

• Collaborate with manufacturing, suppliers, and external development partners to scale designs into production.

• Interact with regulatory teams to ensure compliance with applicable safety and machinery standards.

• Generate intellectual property positions, including invention submissions, patents and 3M trade secrets.

• Communicate tests and other program results to internal and external stakeholders.

• Drive the development and commercialization of products to efficiently, reliably and sustainably deliver energy to customers around the world.

Your Skills and Expertise

To set you up for success in this role from day one, 3M requires (at a minimum) the following qualifications:

• Bachelor's degree in Engineering (such as Mechanical Engineering, Mechatronics Engineering, Robotics Engineering) completed and verified prior to start from an accredited institution.

• Three (3) or more years’ experience designing electromechanical or automated equipment from concept through prototype and production.

• Three (3) or more years’ experience with 3D mechanical CAD such as SolidWorks and engineering documentation including detailed drawings, GD&T, and BOMs.

• Three (3) or more years’ experience designing mechanisms, motion systems, and precision assemblies, including integration with motors, actuators, sensors, electronics, and system prototyping/troubleshooting.

Additional qualifications that could help you succeed even further in this role include:

• Master's degree or higher (completed and verified prior to start) in Mechanical Engineering, Mechatronics or related discipline and from an accredited institution.

• Strong exposure to electronics, robotics and control systems, and their mechanical integration.

• Experience with servo/torque motors, motion control and encoder/feedback mechanisms.

• Experience with robotics, industrial automation equipment, or autonomous systems.

• Experience with GD&T, tolerance analysis and design for manufacturing/assembly (DFM/DFA).

• Experience with FEA (structural, thermal, or modal) and design validation.

• Experience integrating machine-vision cameras, optics and lighting into mechanical assemblies.

• Familiarity with EtherCAT or other industrial fieldbus and machine-control architectures.

• Familiarity with programming and debugging electronic or control systems.

• Familiarity with safety, machinery and regulatory standards (CE, UL, ISO 12100).

Work location:

• Work location: This role follows an on-site working model, requiring the employee to work at least four days a week at the 3M Center in Austin, TX.

• Travel: May include up to 15% domestic or international

• Relocation: May be authorized

Must be legally authorized to work in country of employment without sponsorship for employment visa status (e.g., H1B status).