Senior Mechanical Engineer

Thermo Fisher Scientific Inc. is the world leader in serving science, with annual revenue exceeding $40 billion. Our Mission is to enable our customers to make the world healthier, cleaner and safer. Whether our customers are accelerating life sciences research, solving complex analytical challenges, improving patient diagnostics and therapies or increasing productivity in their laboratories, we are here to support them.

As part of the Thermo Fisher Scientific team, you’ll discover meaningful work that makes a positive impact on a global scale. Join our colleagues in bringing our Mission to life every single day to enable our customers to make the world healthier, cleaner and safer. We provide our global teams with the resources needed to achieve individual career goals while helping to take science a step beyond by developing solutions for some of the world’s toughest challenges, like protecting the environment, making sure our food is safe or helping find cures for cancer.

DESCRIPTION:
Join our engineering team, where you'll help drive innovation in the development of sophisticated scientific instruments and laboratory equipment. As a Mechanical Engineer III, you'll collaborate with multi-disciplinary teams to design and deliver innovative solutions that enable our customers to make the world healthier, cleaner, and safer. You'll work on complex mechanical systems from concept through production, applying your expertise in precision engineering, thermal analysis, and mechanical design to create robust, manufacturable products. This role offers excellent opportunities for professional growth while contributing to meaningful technological advances in fields like healthcare, environmental protection, and scientific research.

POSITION SUMMARY:

Mechanical Engineer III is a key technical leader supporting New Product Introduction (NPI) through strong Design for Excellence (DFX) execution and technical sourcing partnership. This role ensures mechanical designs are manufacturable, scalable, cost-effective, and aligned with Thermo Fisher’s business commitments, quality standards, and PPI culture.

This position operates at the intersection of R&D, Procurement, Operations, Quality, and external suppliers, providing technical depth, structured problem solving, and disciplined execution across the product lifecycle.

KEY RESPONSIBILITIES:

Technical Sourcing & Supplier Partnership

• Act as the technical interface between R&D and Procurement for mechanical components and assemblies on assigned mission critical programs.

• Support supplier selection, qualification, and onboarding by assessing manufacturing capability, scalability, and risk.

• Conduct technical supplier reviews including DFM/DFA, process capability, yield, and cost drivers.

• Enable early supplier involvement (ESI) to influence design, manufacturing strategy, and cost outcomes.

• Support Operations and Procurement on make vs. buy decisions using technical, cost, and operational criteria.

Design for Excellence (DFX) Leadership

• Lead and apply DFX principles across mechanical designs, including:

  • Design for Manufacturability (DFM)

  • Design for Assembly (DFA)

  • Design for Cost (DFC)

  • Design for Quality, Reliability, and Serviceability

• Facilitate structured DFX reviews and workshops with internal teams and suppliers.

• Identify and drive value engineering and cost reduction opportunities while protecting performance and quality by way of DFX proposals to meet target costs.

• Ensure design decisions reflect manufacturing realities and supplier process capabilities.

New Product Introduction (NPI) Execution

• Prepare DFX proposals across all NPI phases following the product development process.

• Participate in prototype builds, teardowns, design verification, validation, and production ramp to ensure KPIs and objectives met.

• Drive progressive cost maturity, from early estimates to production-released BOM and COGS.

• Identify technical, manufacturing, and supply risks early and lead mitigation actions.

• Support smooth transfer from development to manufacturing, including supplier readiness and process validation.

BOM, Cost & COGS Management

• Partner with Procurement and Finance to support COGS transparency and margin commitments.

• Support VAVE (Value Analysis / Value Engineering) and continuous improvement initiatives.

• Apply manufacturing process knowledge to challenge supplier quotes and support should-cost discussions.

Cross-Functional Leadership & PPI Execution

• Collaborate closely with R&D, Procurement, Operations, Quality, Program Management, and Supply Chain.

• Apply PPI tools and structured problem-solving to technical and operational challenges.

• Influence decisions through data, technical rigor, and cross-functional alignment.

• Mentor junior engineers and contribute to standard work, playbooks, and best practices.

MINIMUM QUALIFICATIONS:

• 5+ years of experience in supporting NPI and manufacturing with BS in Mechanical Engineering or Mechatronic Engineering, or Electrical Engineering, or 3+ years with MS in Mechanical Engineering or Mechatronic Engineering, or Electrical Engineering.

• Strong knowledge of mechanical design including materials selection, precision mechanisms, system integration

• Strong knowledge & demonstrated proficiency of GD&T, tolerance analysis, and DFX principles in a product development environment.

• Strong knowledge of manufacturing processes including machining, injection molding, and sheet metal fabrication

• Experience working directly with external suppliers and contract manufacturers.

• Experience supporting BOM, cost, and COGS development.

• Expertise in 3D CAD software (SolidWorks, Pro/e, Creo, or similar) and PDM/PLM systems

• Experience dealing with mechanical devices that are regulated by third party agencies such as FDA, NSF, CSA, UL, ISO 13485 standard and others in the medical products industry

• Understanding of phase gate development processes and methodologies across multiple disciplines and subject matters is preferred

• Experience with documentation, change control processes, and quality systems (ISO, FDA, etc.)

• Proficient in Microsoft Office suite and engineering analysis tools

• Strong project management skills and ability to lead technical initiatives

• Strong communication and collaboration skills

• Strong analytical abilities and critical thinking

• Proactive personality and great problem-solving skills

• Ability to prioritize and deliver results in a fast-paced environment

• Strong attention to detail and commitment to quality

• Ability to work independently and collaborate effectively

• Experience working in cross-functional, global teams

• Ability to travel up to 10-20% as required

PREFERRED QUALIFICATIONS:

• Experience in regulated or quality-critical environments (life sciences, medical devices, analytical instruments).

• Experience with validation testing and verification procedures

• Demonstrated experience with FEA, thermal analysis, and engineering calculations

• Experience working within global supply chains.

• Familiarity with cost modeling, should-cost analysis, or digital manufacturing tools.

• Experience applying PPI or continuous improvement methodologies.

What Success Looks Like

• Products transition from design to production with minimal disruption.

• Mechanical designs meet cost, quality, and scalability targets.

• Suppliers are technically capable, engaged early, and production-ready.

• DFX principles are embedded early and sustained through launch.

• Cross-functional teams are aligned and executing with discipline.