For more than 35 years, Premier Trailer Manufacturing, Inc. has been designing and manufacturing premium transportation equipment for customers throughout North America. Our manufacturing campus is located in California's Central Valley.
Premier Trailer Manufacturing is the leading manufacturer of double semi-trailers for the agriculture and supply chain industries and is ranked among the Top 20 chassis manufacturers in North America, earning a reputation for building durable, high-quality products that perform in the most demanding agricultural and commercial transportation environments.
Summary
This position is responsible for designing new transportation equipment, improving existing products, supporting prototype development, and collaborating closely with manufacturing to ensure products are engineered for performance, durability, manufacturability, and cost efficiency. The Senior Mechanical Engineer will report directly to the Director of Product Development & Engineering.
This is not a traditional engineering role focused solely on CAD work. The successful candidate will be actively involved throughout the entire product development process—from initial concept and engineering analysis to prototype evaluation, manufacturing implementation, and continuous product improvement.
We're looking for someone who enjoys building products—not simply designing them.
Someone who values collaboration and wants to work closely with manufacturing and prototype fabrication teams to develop practical, production-ready solutions.
The ideal candidate is curious, hands-on, detail-oriented, and enjoys solving real-world engineering challenges.
You take pride in your work, communicate effectively, embrace continuous learning, and enjoy seeing your designs become finished products.
Responsibilities
- Design and develop new trailer platforms, intermodal chassis, and specialty transportation equipment.
- Create detailed 3D models, assemblies, and manufacturing drawings using SolidWorks.
- Perform engineering calculations, structural analysis, and design validation.
- Develop Bills of Material (BOMs), engineering documentation, and product specifications.
- Collaborate closely with Lead Prototype Development Fabricators during prototype construction and testing.
- Work with manufacturing to improve product quality, manufacturability, and production efficiency.
- Evaluate new materials, components, manufacturing methods, and product improvements.
- Support customer-specific engineering projects and custom transportation solutions.
- Participate in product testing, troubleshooting, and validation.
- Maintain engineering documentation and revision control.
- Support continuous improvement initiatives throughout engineering and manufacturing.
The Product Development & Engineering Division is responsible for developing the next generation of Premier products, including:
- Agricultural trailer
- Intermodal chassis
- Specialty transportation equipment
- Customer-specific transportation solutions
- Prototype development
- Manufacturing tooling and fixtures
- Continuous product improvement
- Advanced manufacturing initiatives
Experience with:
- Finite Element Analysis (FEA)
- Design for Manufacturability (DFM)
- Design for Assembly (DFA)
- GD&T
- Prototype development and product testing
Qualifications
- Bachelor's Degree in Mechanical Engineering.
- Minimum of five years of mechanical design or product development experience.
- Advanced proficiency in SolidWorks.
- Strong understanding of welded structural steel design and manufacturing.
- Experience developing products from concept through production.
- Knowledge of engineering documentation, BOM development, and manufacturing drawings.
- Excellent communication and project management skills.
- Strong analytical and problem-solving abilities.
- Welding experience
- Professional Engineer (PE) license is a plus but not required.
Preferred experience within one or more of the following industries:
- Trailer Manufacturing
- Heavy Equipment
- Transportation Equipment
- Agricultural Equipment
- Construction Equipment
- Truck Bodies
- Industrial Manufacturing
Physical requirements include the ability to:
- This is an in-person position based in Visalia, California.
- Less than 10% of travel may be required.
- Greater than 70% of work is accomplished in a manufacturing warehouse shop facility.
- 30% of the office work environment.
- Physical activities that require sitting, standing, walking, lifting, carrying, pushing, pulling, bending, stooping, and reaching.
- May be exposed to loud sounds and distracting noise levels.
- May be asked to lift and carry up to 60 pounds.
Join Our Team
This isn't just another engineering position.
It's an opportunity to become a key member of a growing Product Development & Engineering Division and help design the next generation of transportation equipment.
If you're passionate about engineering, enjoy solving complex problems, and want to build products that make a lasting impact, we'd like to hear from you.
Pay: $100,000.00 - $150,000.00 per year
Benefits:
- Dental insurance
- Health insurance
- Life insurance
- Paid time off
- Vision insurance
Work Location: In person
