JobsGenerac

Mechancial Engineer III (Senior)

Generac · Sussex, WI

Posted Sep 9, 2026 · We last checked this listing on Sep 20, 2026

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Likely interview questions for this role

Written from this job description, not a generic list. Each one notes what the interviewer is really checking.

Behavioral

Walk me through a product you designed from concept through release. What was your role and what did the final part look like compared to your first sketch?

whether they've owned a full new-product-development cycle, not just a piece of one

Tell me about a time you had to design something using plastics, aluminum castings, or sheet metal and the material choice caused a problem you didn't expect. What did you do?

real hands-on material knowledge versus textbook familiarity

Tell me about a design you handed off to manufacturing that had to get reworked because it wasn't manufacturable. What did you learn from it?

design-for-manufacturability instincts and whether they learn from cross-functional friction

Describe a time you had to explain a technical design decision to someone non-technical, like marketing or a customer. How did you adjust what you said?

ability to translate technical information across audiences, called out explicitly in the posting

Tell me about a time you mentored a less experienced engineer through a design problem. What did you actually do, beyond giving them the answer?

whether they can act as a resource for junior engineers, a stated expectation for this level

Technical

Say you're designing an enclosure that needs to keep water and dust out but also has to dump heat from an engine or generator inside it. How would you approach that tradeoff?

depth of experience with weather-protective and sound-attenuated enclosure design, a named preferred skill

How do you decide when a design needs FEA or CFD analysis versus when your engineering judgment and past experience are enough?

practical judgment about when to invest analysis time, not just tool proficiency

Describe how you've used engineering change notices in a past role. What happens on your end when a part or BOM needs to change after release?

familiarity with the CN process and PLM discipline (Windchill or equivalent) that keeps production from breaking

What CAD platform have you worked in most, ProE or SolidWorks, and tell me about the most complex assembly you built or detailed in it.

actual depth with the named CAD tools versus surface familiarity

Situational

You're partway through a project and operations tells you the design will blow the product cost target. Walk me through how you'd handle that conversation and what you'd change in the design.

cost/benefit tradeoff skills and ability to negotiate with a cross-functional partner rather than just defend the design

You're working in a matrix organization where your project priorities don't line up with what your functional manager wants you focused on. How do you handle that?

comfort navigating matrix reporting lines without a clear single boss to appeal to

A supplier tells you a casting tolerance you specified can't reliably be held at volume. What's your next step?

problem-solving under real manufacturing constraints and willingness to iterate design rather than force the issue

Tell me about a project where the schedule started slipping. What did you do to get it back on track, and what did you have to give up to do it?

time management and prioritization under the schedule, cost, and design-input pressures called out in the role

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The full job description

As published by Generac.

We believe power is a promise - a shared commitment to be there for others when it matters most. For more than 65 years, we've turned big ideas into solutions that help protect homes, strengthen businesses and build a more resilient, efficient, sustainable energy future. Ready to Power a Smarter World with us? Job Summary : The Mechanical Engineer III – Senior Engineer is responsible for providing engineering input to the product development projects assigned to him/her including interfacing with the cross functional team consisting of engineering, operations (industrial engineering, production, and material procurement), sourcing, quality, service, and marketing. Basic Qualifications: • Bachelor of Science Degree in Mechanical Engineering or related discipline; • 5+ years of relevant work experience; Preferred Qualifications: • Experience creating and releasing engineering Change Notices (CNs) to release parts and bills of material. • Experience with Windchill or equivalent PLM • Ability to perform detail oriented work with a high degree of accuracy on multiple projects; • Design experience with a variety of materials (ie plastics, aluminum castings, sheet metal) and basic knowledge of material specs and use; • Experience in new product design and development; • Ability to conduct analysis using FEA, CFD, etc. • Demonstrated written communication and presentation skills; • Ability to translate technical information to all audiences; • Applies engineering knowledge and experience to improve products, services and processes; • Technical Skills to include 3D modeling (ProE or SolidWorks); • MS Excel, MS Word; • Experience with machine design; • Previous experience with SAP or equivalent ERP. • Design experience with weather protective and/or sound attenuated enclosures, or machine packaging including; airflow, heat mitigation, sound attenuation, and water ingress. • Experience working in a Matrix organization. Essential Duties and Responsibilities: • Designs, validates, and brings new products to market.  • Specifies precise new product functional requirements; designs, tests and integrates a variety of moderately complex components to produce final designs; and evaluates the design's overall effectiveness, cost (including cost/benefit analysis), reliability (risk analysis), and safety.  • Designs, develops, executes and evaluates fitness-for-use testing, product specifications and process validation plans for a variety of moderately complex products and/or components; creates and reviews material part specifications and bills of materials.  • Collaborates with internal manufacturing partners, contract manufacturers, designers and product specialists to optimize moderately complex designs for manufacturability.  • Utilizes CAD (Computer Aided Design) or CAE (Computer Aided Engineering) systems to model new designs and produce detailed engineering drawings.  • Supporting product development plans (schedule, product cost, meeting design inputs) • Acts as a resource to mentor and teach less experienced engineers. • Travel to other Generac facilities as necessary.  • Other duties as assigned. Level of Independence : · Works independently; · Receives minimal technical guidance;                       · Requires in-depth knowledge and experience; · Uses best practices and knowledge of internal or external business issues to improve products or services; • Strong conceptualization, visualization, and creativity; • Strong time management, prioritization, and analytical problem solving; · Developing business acumen; · Solves complex problems; · Takes a new perspective using existing solutions; · Strong decision-making skills; · Acts as a resource for colleagues with less experience; · Has participated in cross-functional project teams and leads some aspects of the project; · Ensures success cross-functionally;                                                                                                                  · Offer recommendations and implement solutions; · Take ownership of designs; · Thorough understanding of the Engineering financial impact and a basic understanding of the needs and impact of other functions on the business.                                                                                                                                                                                                              “We are an equal opportunity employer and all qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, color, religion, sex, sexual orientation, national origin, disability status, protected veteran status, or any other characteristic protected by law.”

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