R&d Engineer

Job Title: R&D Engineer

Job Description

The Research and Development Engineer supports corporate product development initiatives by combining engineering design, analysis, testing, and project coordination. Working under the direction of engineering leadership, this role contributes to the full new product development lifecycle, from early concept and feasibility through prototype validation and handoff to manufacturing and commercial teams. The engineer translates engineering objectives into practical, production-ready solutions and ensures projects are delivered on time, thoroughly documented, and aligned with performance, quality, and cost targets.

Responsibilities

• Lead or support new product development and product improvement efforts from initial concept through final design release.
• Interpret project objectives and develop innovative engineering solutions that meet performance, safety, manufacturability, and cost requirements.
• Perform engineering analysis and calculations to support design decisions and verify design integrity.
• Plan and track project schedules, milestones, and testing activities to ensure steady progress and on-time delivery.
• Define, execute, and evaluate testing and validation plans, including prototype and materials testing.
• Conduct failure analysis and reliability studies, and recommend corrective actions when issues arise.
• Support prototype fabrication and testing, including preparing work orders and coordinating with fabrication or manufacturing teams.
• Recommend and support manufacturing processes, including assistance with tooling, fixtures, and process improvements.
• Prepare and maintain engineering documentation, including design records, test data, and technical reports.
• Present technical results, design packages, and recommendations to Engineering, Manufacturing, Sales, and Marketing stakeholders.
• Provide regular project updates and technical communication to management and cross-functional teams.
• Participate in the development of reliability and test procedures, including inspection plans and test matrices.
• Engage in hands-on involvement with prototype builds and test-article assembly as needed in fabrication and test environments.

Essential Skills

• Bachelor's degree in Mechanical Engineering, Civil Engineering, or a related engineering discipline.
• Typically 3+ years of experience in a research and development or product engineering environment, including project coordination or supervision.
• Strong understanding of fabrication principles, materials, and manufacturing processes.
• Proficiency with CAD/solid modeling software (such as industry-standard 3D modeling tools).
• Experience with engineering analysis and testing; familiarity with finite element analysis (FEA) is highly beneficial.
• Strong analytical, problem-solving, and numerical skills, including structural calculations and data interpretation.
• Effective written and verbal communication skills for documentation, reporting, and presentations.
• Ability to work independently and collaboratively in a cross-functional environment.
• Proficiency with Microsoft Office tools, including Excel, Word, and PowerPoint, for reporting and project updates.
• Ability to develop and follow reliability and test procedures, including writing inspection plans and test matrices.
• Comfort working in both office and hands-on fabrication or test environments.

Additional Skills & Qualifications

• Advanced degrees such as an M.S. or Ph.D. in a relevant engineering discipline may be considered in lieu of some direct work experience.
• Experience across the full product development lifecycle, from conceptual design through final validation and release.
• Experience in product development engineering, including engineering design, prototype testing, and new product introduction.
• Experience with engineering design and analysis from conceptual through final design, including calculations and validation activities.
• Exposure to prototype development and testing, including designing prototypes, setting up tests, and evaluating results.
• Knowledge of manufacturing and fabrication methods, including tooling design, fixtures, and process improvement.
• Experience conducting failure analysis, reliability studies, and recommending corrective actions.
• Experience preparing detailed design records, test data, and technical reports for internal and external stakeholders.
• Strong presentation skills for communicating technical content to Sales, Marketing, Engineering, Manufacturing, and other teams.
• Hands-on exposure to fabrication shops and test environments, including involvement in prototype builds and test-article assembly.

Work Environment

The role is primarily office-based, with regular work in the fabrication shop and outdoor crash-testing environments. The engineer will have hands-on exposure to testing, including witnessing crash tests in all weather conditions and assisting with test-article assembly as needed. The position is highly cross-functional, working closely with Manufacturing, Sales and Marketing, Product Support Engineering, Documentation, and Fabrication teams. The work may involve limited travel using various transportation modes. Hours are generally flexible, with extended workdays required during peak development or testing phases. The culture emphasizes a positive, mission-driven environment with a tenured team and engaging, unique work such as crash testing.

Job Type & Location

This is a Permanent position based out of Rocklin, CA.

Pay and Benefits

The pay range for this position is $95000.00 - $105000.00/yr.

Medical, Dental, Vision, $401K

Workplace Type

This is a fully onsite position in Rocklin,CA.

Application Deadline

This position is anticipated to close on Jul 10, 2026.

About Actalent

Actalent is a global leader in engineering and sciences services and talent solutions. We help visionary companies advance their engineering and science initiatives through access to specialized experts who drive scale, innovation and speed to market. With a network of almost 20,000 consultants and 5,000 clients across the U.S., Canada, Asia and Europe, Actalent serves many of the Fortune 500. We are proud to be an Engineering News-Record (ENR) Top 500 Design Firm for our engineering design services and a ClearlyRated Best of Staffing winner for both client and talent service.

The company is an equal opportunity employer and will consider all applications without regard to race, sex, age, color, religion, national origin, veteran status, disability, sexual orientation, gender identity, genetic information or any characteristic protected by law.

If you would like to request a reasonable accommodation, such as the modification or adjustment of the job application process or interviewing process due to a disability, please email actalentaccommodation@actalentservices.com for other accommodation options.

San Francisco Fair Chance Ordinance: Pursuant to the San Francisco Fair Chance Ordinance, for all positions located in the city and county of San Francisco, we will consider for employment qualified applicants with arrest and conviction records.

Massachusetts Lie Detector: It is unlawful in Massachusetts to require or administer a lie detector test as a condition of employment or continued employment. An employer who violates this law shall be subject to criminal penalties and civil liability.

Use of Artificial Intelligence (AI): We may use Artificial Intelligence (AI) to support parts of our hiring process, including sourcing, screening, and evaluating candidates. AI helps assess applications and qualifications, but final decisions are made by our hiring team. By applying, you acknowledge and agree that your application may be reviewed using AI tools.