Senior Mechanical Design Engineer
Location: Louisville, Colorado
Employment Type: Full-time
Work Arrangement: Primarily on-site, with limited hybrid flexibility based on project and team needs
Base Salary: $130,000–$150,000 per year, commensurate with experience
About Zolo Carbon Smartech
Zolo Carbon Smartech develops real-time combustion monitoring technology for energy-intensive industries, including steel, refining, petrochemicals and power generation.
Our laser-based systems operate in demanding industrial environments, revealing combustion conditions that conventional measurements cannot see. The resulting insight helps industrial operators improve safety, efficiency, reliability and environmental performance.
We design and support long-lifecycle, mission-critical systems deployed around the world. Our work brings together mechanical engineering, optics, electronics, instrumentation, software and real-world industrial operations.
The Opportunity
Zolo is seeking a Senior Mechanical Design Engineer to lead the development of mechanical components and systems across our combustion monitoring platforms.
You will serve as a senior mechanical engineering resource from early concept development through design, validation, manufacturing release, commercialization and ongoing product support.
This is a hands-on, systems-oriented role for an engineer who can move comfortably between mechanical design, technical analysis, prototyping, testing, documentation and cross-functional problem solving.
The ideal candidate has developed and commercialized complex industrial or instrumentation products and understands how design decisions affect manufacturing, field service, reliability and long-term product maintainability.
What You Will Work On
- Mechanical and opto-mechanical assemblies for laser-based industrial monitoring systems.
- Enclosures, mounts, interfaces and mechanisms supporting sensors, optics, electronics and instrumentation.
- Products designed to operate reliably in demanding industrial environments.
- New-product-development programs from concept through commercial release.
- Product improvements driven by validation results, manufacturing needs, field experience and service feedback.
- Design challenges involving packaging, thermal behavior, structural performance, alignment, assembly, serviceability and environmental protection.
Key ResponsibilitiesMechanical Design Leadership
- Lead the design and development of reliable mechanical and opto-mechanical components, assemblies and systems.
- Translate product and system requirements into practical mechanical architectures and detailed designs.
- Own mechanical engineering work from concept development through prototyping, testing, design release and commercialization.
- Perform or direct structural, finite-element and other engineering analyses as required.
- Apply expert-level geometric dimensioning and tolerancing in accordance with ASME Y14.5.
- Conduct technical design reviews and identify risks involving performance, manufacturability, assembly, serviceability and reliability.
Product Development and Validation
- Develop prototypes, test fixtures and validation methods to evaluate design performance.
- Plan and support mechanical testing, internal validation and root-cause investigations.
- Lead design FMEA activities and contribute to risk mitigation throughout the product-development process.
- Use testing, field data and service feedback to drive iterative product improvements.
- Maintain clear technical documentation, drawings, specifications, analyses and design records.
Manufacturing and Lifecycle Support
- Design for manufacturability, assembly, inspection, serviceability and cost.
- Support production teams, suppliers and service personnel in resolving mechanical issues.
- Develop and maintain product BOM structures and engineering records within ERP and product-data-management systems.
- Support component selection, fabrication methods, supplier decisions and engineering changes.
- Help ensure mechanical designs meet applicable ISO, UL, CE, ATEX and international product requirements.
Cross-Functional Collaboration
- Work closely with electrical, optical, software, systems, production and service teams to deliver integrated products.
- Resolve mechanical interfaces involving electronics, optics, instrumentation and deployed field systems.
- Communicate technical decisions, tradeoffs, risks and recommendations clearly to engineering and business stakeholders.
- Contribute to the continuous improvement of Zolo’s product-development practices, tools and standards.
- Provide technical guidance and mentorship to other engineers when appropriate.
Required Qualifications
- Bachelor of Science degree in Mechanical Engineering, Opto-Mechanical Engineering or a closely related discipline.
- At least 8 years of hands-on mechanical product-design experience in an industrial, instrumentation, hardware or related engineering environment.
- Advanced proficiency with SolidWorks.
- Experience using SolidWorks PDM or a comparable product-data-management system.
- Expert knowledge of GD&T and ASME Y14.5.
- Demonstrated experience taking a physical product or complex mechanical system through development, validation and commercial release.
- Experience with mechanical analysis, structural analysis or finite-element analysis.
- Knowledge of electronics packaging, fabrication, assembly and product-service requirements.
- Experience with product BOMs, ERP systems, design FMEA, root-cause analysis, rapid prototyping and DFX principles.
- Ability to independently own complex engineering assignments while collaborating effectively across disciplines.
- Strong technical judgment, problem-solving ability and attention to detail.
- Clear written and verbal communication skills.
- Ability to work primarily on-site at Zolo’s Louisville, Colorado facility.
Preferred Qualifications
- Master’s degree in Mechanical Engineering, Opto-Mechanical Engineering or a related discipline.
- CSWP or CSWA certification.
- Experience designing opto-mechanical assemblies, fiber-optic systems or laser-based instrumentation.
- Experience with industrial monitoring equipment, process instrumentation or products used in demanding operating environments.
- Familiarity with ISO, UL, CE, ATEX and other international compliance requirements.
- Experience working within stage-gate, phase-gate, Agile or hybrid product-development processes.
- Experience supporting products through manufacturing, installation, field service and ongoing lifecycle improvements.
Travel
Extensive travel is not expected. Travel, when required, will be infrequent and planned in advance.
What Zolo Offers
- The opportunity to own meaningful engineering work from concept through commercialization.
- Direct involvement with sophisticated industrial technology deployed in real-world operations.
- Collaboration across mechanical engineering, optics, electronics, instrumentation and software.
- A supportive engineering environment that values thoughtful design, technical rigor and long-term reliability.
- Professional-development and growth opportunities.
- Limited hybrid flexibility based on project and team needs.
Additional employee benefits will be discussed during the recruiting process.
How to Apply
Apply through Indeed and include a current résumé.
Candidates may also submit a résumé and a brief cover letter describing their relevant experience and interest in the position to [email protected].
Please use the subject line:
Senior Mechanical Design Engineer Application
Zolo Carbon Smartech is an equal opportunity employer. We celebrate diversity and are committed to creating an inclusive environment for all employees.
Pay: $130,000.00 - $150,000.00 per year
Benefits:
- 401(k)
- Dental insurance
- Flexible schedule
- Health insurance
- Life insurance
- Paid time off
- Parental leave
- Vision insurance
Application Question(s):
- Do you have advanced professional experience applying GD&T in accordance with ASME Y14.5 to production drawings and mechanical assemblies?
- Briefly describe one mechanical product or complex assembly that you helped take from concept through validation and commercial release. What did you personally own?
- Describe a mechanical design decision you made to improve manufacturability, assembly, serviceability or field reliability.
- Describe a mechanical failure or performance issue for which you led or supported root-cause analysis. How was the cause verified?
- What experience do you have designing mechanical systems that interface with optics, lasers, fiber optics, sensors or precision instrumentation?
- What interests you about developing laser-based monitoring systems for demanding industrial environments?
Experience:
- hands-on mechanical product design: 8 years (Required)
- SolidWorks: 4 years (Preferred)
Ability to Commute:
- Louisville, CO 80027 (Required)
Work Location: In person
