Product Development Engineer

Join the Team at Morse Manufacturing!

With over 100 years of history, Morse Manufacturing is a well-established leader in the design and manufacture of innovative drum handling equipment. We're proud of our reputation for quality, reliability, and American-made products, but we're equally proud of the people behind our success.

Many of our employees have built long-term careers with Morse, including team members who have been with us for more than 30, 40, and even 50 years! In fact, nearly half of our employees have been with Morse for 10 years or more, reflecting the stability and long-term career opportunities our company offers.

Job Summary

The Product Development Engineer leads the company’s engineering efforts, including developing new products, improving existing products, and providing technical support. This role focuses on turning customer needs and market opportunities into practical, effective solutions while ensuring products meet expectations for safety, performance, quality, cost, and regulatory compliance.

This is a hands-on role with no direct reports. The Product Development Engineer works closely with Production, Purchasing, Quality, Sales, Marketing, and Customer Service to move projects forward and solve technical challenges. Responsibilities include managing SolidWorks and the Product Data Management (PDM) system, overseeing engineering changes and product documentation, coordinating product testing, and supporting custom equipment projects. The position may also work with contractors, interns, consultants, or additional engineering staff as needed.

Key Responsibilities

• Plan and prioritize engineering work based on company, production, and customer needs.
• Design new products and improve existing products from concept through production release.
• Create models, drawings, bills of materials, specifications, manuals, labels, and other product documentation.
• Maintain the SolidWorks and Product Data Management (PDM) systems, including file organization, revisions, approvals, and released records.
• Manage engineering changes, including Engineering Change Requests (ECRs), temporary or one-time deviations (OSDs), and Engineering Change Notices (ECNs); evaluate impacts, obtain required approvals, coordinate implementation with affected departments, and maintain records through verification and closure.
• Plan and support prototypes, testing, verification, validation, risk assessments, and product compliance activities, including CE documentation when required.
• Work with Production to troubleshoot manufacturing issues, determine root causes, and implement practical corrective actions.
• Support product and process improvements involving safety, quality, manufacturability, cost, reliability, and supply continuity.
• Coordinate technical work with suppliers, contractors, interns, consultants, and other resources when assigned.
• Create and manage custom and special products from initial request through design, production, testing, and shipment.
• Prepare quotations for specials, including estimated material, labor, engineering, purchased components, testing, and documentation costs.
• Provide customer technical support and troubleshoot product, application, parts, and service issues by email and phone.

Minimum Qualification Standards

• Bachelor’s degree in Mechanical Engineering or a related engineering discipline; equivalent education and directly relevant experience may be considered.
• Minimum of five years of progressive experience in mechanical design, product development, or manufacturing engineering.
• Experience leading engineering projects and coordinating cross-functional technical work; prior supervisory experience is helpful but not required.
• Experience with SolidWorks or comparable 3D CAD software and a Product Data Management (PDM) environment.
• Experience in a manufacturing environment involving fabricated, machined, welded, and assembled products.
• Experience supporting CE certification, product risk assessment, technical files, or other product compliance activities preferred.

Knowledge, Skills, and Abilities

• Strong knowledge of mechanical design principles, materials, fabrication, machining, welding, assembly, and design for manufacturability.
• Ability to lead multiple engineering projects and priorities while maintaining disciplined follow-through, documentation, and communication.
• Strong working knowledge of engineering drawings, bills of materials, revision control, engineering change practices, product testing, and controlled technical documentation.
• Ability to balance customer needs, design intent, safety, compliance, manufacturability, quality, cost, and schedule when making engineering decisions.
• Strong analytical and practical problem-solving skills, including root-cause analysis and development of effective corrective actions.
• Ability to coordinate work across departments, establish clear requirements and responsibilities, follow through on open items, and hold change implementation to documented requirements.
• Excellent verbal and written communication skills with the ability to work professionally with customers, dealers, suppliers, production personnel, and office staff.
• Strong organizational skills, attention to detail, and proficiency with Microsoft Office and Adobe Acrobat.

Equipment, Machines and Software Used

Regular use of a computer, printer, scanner, telephone, and standard office equipment. Software includes Microsoft Office, Adobe Acrobat, SolidWorks, and Product Data Management (PDM) applications; familiarity with AutoCAD and image-editing software is helpful.

Mental and Visual Demands

Plans, performs, coordinates, and reviews complex technical work requiring sustained mental and visual attention, sound judgment, prioritization, and detailed review of designs and product documentation.

Physical Demands

The physical demands described here are representative of those that must be met by an employee to perform the essential functions of this position. The employee frequently sits, talks, hears, and uses a computer; occasionally stands, walks, reaches, grasps, pushes, pulls, and performs repetitive hand motions. The employee must occasionally lift and/or move more than 10 pounds and up to 25 pounds during product testing or evaluation.

Environmental Conditions

Work is performed primarily in an office environment with regular interaction on the manufacturing floor and occasional exposure to typical manufacturing conditions.