Hiring Entry-Level Mechanical Designer in Louisville

### Job Context
Bluegrass Rail Solutions, a rapidly growing rail infrastructure firm headquartered in Louisville, Kentucky, specializes in the design, manufacturing, and deployment of signaling systems, crossing control hardware, and track infrastructure components for Class I railroad operators, regional transit authorities, and municipal transportation agencies across the United States. Over the past 18 months, the company has secured $42 million in federal and state funding for railroad modernization projects in the Midwest and Southeast, driving a 35% increase in its design department headcount to meet project deadlines. Our Louisville-based team of 22 mechanical and electrical engineers works closely with field installation teams to deliver compliant, durable solutions built to withstand the harsh conditions of outdoor rail environments.

### Role Overview
We are hiring an Entry-Level Mechanical Designer to join our product design team, supporting the development of control enclosures, signal support structures, and mounting hardware for railroad crossing systems. This role is ideal for recent graduates or professionals with up to 2 years of mechanical design experience who want to build their career in a specialized, high-demand sector with long-term growth potential. You will work under the guidance of senior design engineers, contributing to end-to-end product development from initial concept to manufacturing-ready documentation, while learning industry-specific standards and best practices for rail infrastructure design.

### Key Responsibilities
1. Design and model 3D assemblies of electronic control enclosures for railroad crossing signal systems using SolidWorks, adhering to AREMA (American Railway Engineering and Maintenance-of-Way Association) and NFPA 70 safety standards, with a target output of 10–15 completed design packages per quarter.
2. Create detailed 2D fabrication drawings for steel support structures, signal mounting hardware, and enclosure components using AutoCAD, with precise GD&T (Geometric Dimensioning and Tolerancing) callouts to ensure manufacturing accuracy within ±0.5 mm for critical load-bearing parts.
3. Update existing product designs based on feedback from manufacturing teams and client change requests, implementing process improvements to reduce design revision turnaround time by 20% compared to the team’s 2023 baseline metrics.
4. Conduct basic mechanical stress and thermal analysis on control enclosures using SolidWorks Simulation to verify performance in extreme outdoor conditions (operating temperatures from -40°C to 60°C, vibration resistance up to 5G, and impact resistance per ASTM D542 standards).
5. Collaborate with electrical engineering teams to integrate circuit boards, power supplies, and wiring harnesses into mechanical designs, participating in biweekly cross-functional integration reviews to resolve interference and fitment issues.
6. Validate design compliance with federal railroad safety regulations and OSHA workplace safety standards, documenting compliance reports for each product iteration submitted to clients and regulatory bodies.
7. Support product industrialization efforts by working with production teams to resolve design-for-manufacturing (DFM) issues, with a target of zero design-related rework during the first 6 months of employment for all assigned projects.
8. Maintain and expand the company’s standard component library in SolidWorks and AutoCAD, adding a minimum of 5 new standardized parts per month aligned with ongoing project requirements to reduce future design cycle times.

### Work Environment & Culture
Our design team operates in a hybrid collaborative workspace in Louisville’s Portland neighborhood, with access to a dedicated prototyping lab for testing enclosure designs and a shared digital whiteboard system for real-time brainstorming. We prioritize a supportive, low-turnover work environment: every new hire is paired with a senior design mentor for a 6-month onboarding period, with monthly check-ins to address skill gaps and career goals. We offer flexible core hours (arrival between 7:00 AM and 9:00 AM, with a mandatory 10:00 AM team standup) to accommodate personal schedules, and quarterly team-building events including rail facility tours and local industry networking mixers. The team has a 92% employee retention rate over the past 3 years, with 40% of current senior designers having been promoted from entry-level roles within the company.

### Candidate Requirements
To qualify for this role, you must hold an Associate’s or Bachelor’s degree in Mechanical Design, Mechanical Engineering Technology, or a related technical field, earned within the last 3 years. You must have demonstrated proficiency in SolidWorks and AutoCAD, with a portfolio of academic or professional projects showcasing 3D mechanical assembly design and 2D fabrication drawing creation. Familiarity with GD&T principles and the ability to interpret complex technical blueprints are required. Prior experience with rail industry standards (AREMA, NFPA 70) is preferred but not mandatory for strong candidates. You must be able to work effectively in a cross-functional team, communicate design decisions clearly to non-technical stakeholders, and manage multiple project deadlines in a fast-paced environment. U.S. citizenship or permanent residency is required to comply with federal rail project security requirements.

### Technical Skills & Tools
- Advanced proficiency in SolidWorks (3D part and assembly modeling, drawing creation, basic simulation)
- Advanced proficiency in AutoCAD (2D drafting, layer management, plot configuration)
- Experience with GD&T application for mechanical drawings
- Familiarity with file format standards for manufacturing (DWG, DXF, STEP, IGES)
- Preferred: Basic experience with SolidWorks Simulation or ANSYS for mechanical analysis
- Proficiency in Microsoft Office Suite, particularly Excel for design tracking and bill of materials management
- Preferred: Knowledge of rail industry safety and design standards (AREMA, NFPA 70)

### Compensation & Benefits
This is a 12-month contract position with an annual salary range of $58,000–$68,000, depending on your experience, portfolio quality, and technical assessment performance. The contract includes full access to the company’s in-house training library and paid attendance at up to 2 industry conferences per year (e.g., the AREMA Annual Conference) to support professional development. After a 3-month probationary period, you will be eligible for 1 day of remote work per week, 10 days of paid time off per year, and 80% coverage of health insurance premiums for individual or family plans. Employees who meet performance targets during their contract period will be prioritized for permanent full-time roles, with access to the company’s 401(k) matching program and annual profit-sharing bonuses.

### Career Growth Opportunities
This role is designed as a fast-track entry point into the rail infrastructure design sector, which is projected to grow 22% over the next decade due to federal infrastructure investment under the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law. After 12 months of strong performance, you will be eligible for promotion to Intermediate Mechanical Designer, with a salary increase of 15–20% and additional responsibilities including client-facing design reviews. The company offers a tuition reimbursement program for employees pursuing advanced degrees in mechanical engineering or rail systems management, and covers all costs for professional certifications including the SolidWorks CSWA (Certified SolidWorks Associate) and CSWP (Certified SolidWorks Professional) exams. Many of our current engineering leadership team started in entry-level design roles at the company, with clear promotion paths to senior designer, lead engineer, and project management roles.

### Hiring Process & Next Steps
The recruitment process for this role is designed to be completed within 2 weeks of receiving a complete application, and includes three stages:
1. A 30-minute initial phone screen with our talent acquisition partner to confirm your background, salary expectations, and interest in the rail industry.
2. A 1-hour technical interview with the design team lead, including a 20-minute hands-on exercise in SolidWorks to model a simple control enclosure component, to assess your proficiency with core design tools.
3. A 30-minute final interview with the Director of Mechanical Engineering to discuss your long-term career goals and fit with the team culture.
All interviews will be conducted via Zoom or in-person at our Louisville office, based on your preference. To apply, submit your resume and, if available, a link to your online design portfolio to [email protected] with the subject line “Entry-Level Mechanical Designer Application – Louisville”. We review applications on a rolling basis, and will contact qualified candidates within 5 business days of submission to schedule the first interview. No formal cover letter is required, but a brief 2–3 sentence explanation of your interest in rail infrastructure design in the body of your email is encouraged.