Competency Leader - Mechanical

Key Responsibilities

Leadership and Team Development

Lead and support teams of mechanical design engineers involved in Special Purpose Machine (SPM) development and engineering competency initiatives.

Drive technical capability development through mentoring, coaching, technical reviews, and structured learning programs.

Guide engineers on mechanical design practices, manufacturing feasibility, GD&T, material selection, and engineering standards.

Build a strong competency culture focused on innovation, technical excellence, collaboration, and continuous improvement.

Identify competency gaps and define training, certification, and development plans for team enhancement.

Mechanical Design & Technical Competency Expertise

Act as the technical authority for mechanical engineering practices within the organization.

Define and standardize design approaches for mechanical systems and machine elements, including:

• Machine structures and welded assemblies
• Motion systems, linear guides, and drive mechanisms
• Pneumatic and hydraulic systems
• Tooling, fixtures, and material handling systems
• Bearings, gearboxes, motors, and transmission components

Possess strong expertise in:

• Mechanical design calculations
• GD&T and tolerance stack-up analysis
• Material selection and manufacturing processes
• Sheet metal, machining, fabrication, and assembly practices
• Design for Manufacturing (DFM) and Design for Assembly (DFA)

Drive adoption of advanced engineering methods, modular design concepts, and smart manufacturing practices to improve machine performance and reliability.

Support teams in resolving complex mechanical design and manufacturing challenges.

Technical Governance & Design Excellence

Establish and govern mechanical design standards, frameworks, and best practices for Special Purpose Machines.

Define standard machine architectures, design methodologies, and validation approaches aligned with customer and organizational requirements.

Review and validate:

• 3D models and manufacturing drawings
• Assembly layouts and machine integration concepts
• Mechanical calculations and tolerance analysis
• Structural strength and motion-related design validations
• BOM accuracy and standard component usage

Ensure consistency, quality, manufacturability, and compliance across all mechanical design deliverables.

Promote seamless integration between mechanical, electrical, automation, and manufacturing functions.

Process Improvement & Standardization

Drive standardization of mechanical designs, reusable modules, standard parts, templates, and engineering documentation.

Develop and implement best practices to improve design quality, engineering productivity, machine reliability, and maintainability.

Analyze recurring engineering and manufacturing issues and recommend corrective and preventive improvements.

Support continuous improvement initiatives related to design validation, quality enhancement, and engineering workflow optimization.

Encourage implementation of advanced CAD methodologies, digital engineering tools, and automation in design processes.

Project & Cross-Functional Coordination

Support multiple project teams by providing technical guidance and competency leadership across mechanical engineering domains.

Coordinate closely with manufacturing, procurement, quality, electrical, automation, and commissioning teams to ensure smooth project execution.

Assist teams in resolving technical risks, design conflicts, manufacturability concerns, and customer-specific requirements.

Monitor engineering quality metrics, technical performance, and adherence to standards across projects.

Provide technical updates, competency development progress, and improvement initiatives to senior management.

Quality, Compliance & Documentation

Ensure all mechanical engineering activities comply with applicable industry standards, customer specifications, and internal engineering guidelines.

Drive adherence to documentation standards for drawings, calculations, validation reports, BOMs, manuals, and design records.

Establish review and audit mechanisms to maintain consistency and quality in engineering deliverables.

Promote Right First Time (RFT) engineering practices and robust design validation processes across teams.

Required Skills and Experience

• 12+ years of experience in mechanical design and development for Special Purpose Machines (SPM).
• Proven experience leading and managing mechanical design teams in machine development projects.
• Strong background in machine design, structural assemblies, motion systems, tooling, and material handling mechanisms.
• Strong understanding of mechanical engineering standards, GD&T, tolerance stack-up analysis, and manufacturing processes.
• Expertise in Mechanical CAD tools such as Creo, SolidWorks, CATIA, Inventor, AutoCAD, or equivalent.
• Hands-on experience in:
  • Weldment and fabrication design
  • Pneumatic and hydraulic systems
  • Linear motion systems, bearings, gearboxes, and drive mechanisms
  • Design for Manufacturing (DFM) and Design for Assembly (DFA)
• Good knowledge of material selection, machining, sheet metal, fabrication, and assembly processes.
• Experience in machine validation, design reviews, and resolving manufacturing and assembly challenges.
• Exposure to modular machine design, automation integration, and smart manufacturing concepts is highly desirable.
• Excellent communication and stakeholder management skills.
• Strong analytical, problem-solving, and decision-making abilities with a strategic mindset.

Location Requirement

• Candidates must be based in or willing to relocate to Chennai.

Qualification: BE/B.Tech/M.Tech (Mechanical Engineering / Mechatronics )