JobsRegal Rexnord

Sr. Design Engineer - Electro-Mechanical Actuation

Regal Rexnord · Downers Grove, IL

Posted Aug 12, 2026 · We last checked this listing on Sep 20, 2026

Apply at Regal Rexnord

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

Tell me about a time you led a design review, like a PDR or CDR, that didn't go smoothly. What happened and how did you get the program back on track?

ability to lead technical readiness reviews and handle pushback from customers or peers under program pressure

Describe an actuator or mechanical system failure you root-caused, either in test or in the field. How did you trace it back to the source?

depth of hands-on failure analysis experience and rigor of their problem-solving method

Tell me about a time you had to balance performance, weight, cost, and manufacturability on a design and something had to give. What did you choose and why?

real tradeoff decision-making experience versus reciting textbook design principles

Tell me about a time you gave technical oversight to a supplier who was struggling with quality or producibility. How did you handle it?

ability to influence outside their own organization and apply DFM/DFA judgment in a real supplier relationship

Describe a continuous improvement or lean initiative you drove, either in your own engineering group or at a supplier's facility.

genuine ownership of continuous improvement work versus passive participation

Tell me about a time a customer pushed back hard on a design decision. How did you handle the conversation?

customer-facing technical communication skill and composure under scrutiny

Technical

Walk me through how you'd approach sizing a motor and gear train for a new flight-critical actuator, starting from a torque-speed requirement.

whether the candidate has real hands-on system architecture and sizing experience versus just component-level knowledge

How do you go about flowing down system-level requirements to individual actuator components like the gearing, ball screw, or housing?

understanding of requirements management and systems thinking, not just detailed component design

What's your experience with GD&T on flight-critical hardware, and can you describe a tolerance stack-up problem you had to solve?

depth of practical GD&T fluency required for actuator drawings, not just familiarity with the concept

How familiar are you with PPAP and APQP, and can you describe a time you used those tools on a new part introduction?

whether their process knowledge is real working experience or just resume language

What manufacturing processes have you worked with directly, like metal cutting or grinding, and how has that shop-floor exposure changed how you design parts?

whether their design decisions are grounded in real manufacturing constraints, per the stated metal manufacturing background requirement

Situational

Say you find a position sensor is drifting out of spec during life testing, but you're two weeks from a customer milestone. Walk me through what you'd do.

how they balance technical rigor against program schedule pressure and whether they'd cut corners

A key supplier tells you a long-lead gear component is going to be six weeks late, threatening your build schedule. What do you do?

how they manage supplier risk and adapt program plans under material constraints, a stated job requirement

You're managing several new product introductions at once and two hit critical milestones the same week. How do you decide where your attention goes?

time and program management skills across competing priorities, which the posting explicitly calls out

Practice this interview out loud.

Offer builds a real interview for this exact role at Regal Rexnord from your resume and this job description, asks the questions one at a time, and tells you what landed. The first one is free.

Practice this out loud

The full job description

As published by Regal Rexnord.

Work Model: Work Model: You’ll work in a hybrid model, onsite at your designated Regal Rexnord location at least 3 days per week (Monday–Thursday), with flexibility to work remotely up to 2 days, including Friday. ____________________ Position Summary This position will serve as technical lead and owner for Electro-Mechanical Actuation aerospace products. The engineer is responsible for the design, development, integration and validation of the actuator designs, including motor, gears, drive mechanisms, sensors and structural housings.  The position works closely with customers and cross-functional engineering teams to deliver high-performance, flight-critical actuation systems for next-generation aircraft platforms. Key Accountabilities Technical Leadership and System Design • Lead system architecture, sizing, and design of electro-mechanical actuators (motor, gearing, ball screw/roller screw, position sensing). • Perform analysis and design studies (torque-speed, position accuracy, life, safety and reliability). • Define and manage requirements flow-down to the actuator component level Product Development • Own actuator design through full lifecycle (concept → qualification → production). • Lead design reviews (PDR, CDR) and ensure technical readiness. • Develop and maintain engineering models, drawings, and specifications. Testing and Validation • Define and support component and system-level test plans. • Correlate analysis with test data and drive design improvements. • Lead root cause investigations for test or field failures. Cross-Functional Engineering Collaboration • Partner with component engineers, suppliers and manufacturing engineers to ensure proper integration. • Provide technical oversight to suppliers. • Drive DFM/DFA considerations and ensure producibility. Program Execution • Lead technical execution against program milestones and deliverables of numerous new product introductions. • Balance performance, cost, weight, and manufacturability in design decisions. • Support customer interactions with technical expertise. • Assess and adapt to the impact of material availability, long-lead components, and supplier delivery schedules on engineering development, build plans, and program milestones. Continuous Improvement • Assist in Identifying & driving continuous improvement opportunities within the facilities and at our supplier's locations. • Contribute to the breakthrough product development process • Maintain and improve existing products • Create and maintain policies, procedures, engineering standards, programs, and work instructions Job Requirements Capabilities and Success Factors   • Requires a Bachelor's degree in Mechanical Engineering or Aerospace Engineering or related discipline • 7 + years of EMA or related engineering work experience • Advanced knowledge in the application, design and theory of operations for electro-mechanical actuators • Working knowledge of 3D Solid Modeling software such as SolidWorks, Inventor, CREO, and/or CATIA • Advanced knowledge of engineering part drawings and Geometric Dimensioning and Tolerancing • Background in metal manufacturing environment including metal cutting and grinding • General working knowledge of the Production Part Approval Process (PPAP) and Advanced Product Quality Planning (APQP) tools • Knowledge of Stage-Gate development processes • Experience working in a lean manufacturing or continuous improvement environment is required • Experience in root cause analysis and formal problem-solving techniques • Demonstrated proficiency in time and project management • Strong customer service orientation/ High level of interpersonal skills • Capable of occasional travel to customers and plants Expected Base Salary Range: [$83,500 – $130,000]   The salary range provided is intended to display the value of the company's base pay compensation for this position. Salary is dependent on a multitude of factors, including but not limited to the physical worksite location, the geographic market of that location, candidate's skill set, level of experience, education and internal peer compensation comparisons among other potential factors. Benefits • Medical, Dental, Vision and Prescription Drug Coverage • Spending accounts (HSA, Health Care FSA and Dependent Care FSA) • Paid Time Off and Holidays • 401k Retirement Plan with Matching Employer Contributions • Life and Accidental Death & Dismemberment (AD&D) Insurance • Paid Leaves • Tuition Assistance About Regal Rexnord Regal Rexnord is a publicly held global industrial manufacturer with 30,000 associates around the world who help create a better tomorrow by providing sustainable solutions that power, transmit and control motion. The Company’s electric motors and air moving subsystems provide the power to create motion. A portfolio of highly engineered power transmission components and subsystems efficiently transmits motion to power industrial applications. The Company’s automation offering, comprised of controls, actuators, drives, and precision motors, controls motion in applications ranging from factory automation to precision control in surgical tools. The Company’s end markets benefit from meaningful secular demand tailwinds, and include factory automation, food & beverage, aerospace, medical, data center, warehouse, alternative energy, residential and commercial buildings, general industrial, construction, metals and mining, and agriculture. Regal Rexnord is comprised of three operating segments: Industrial Powertrain Solutions, Power Efficiency Solutions, and Automation & Motion Control. Regal Rexnord has offices and manufacturing, sales and service facilities worldwide. For more information, including a copy of our Sustainability Report, visit RegalRexnord.com. Equal Employment Opportunity Statement Regal Rexnord is an Equal Opportunity and Affirmative Action Employer. All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, color, religion, sex/gender, sexual orientation, gender identity, pregnancy, age, ancestry, national origin, genetic information, marital status, citizenship status (unless required by the applicable law or government contract), disability or protected veteran status or any other status or characteristic protected by law. Regal Rexnord is committed to a diverse and inclusive workforce. We are committed to building a team that represents diverse and inclusive backgrounds, perspectives, and skills.  If you’d like to view a copy of the company’s affirmative action plan for protected veterans/individuals with disabilities or policy statement, please email Recruiting@RegalRexnord.com. If you have a disability and you believe you need a reasonable accommodation in order to search for a job opening or to submit an online application, please e-mail Recruiting@RegalRexnord.com. Equal Employment Opportunity Posters Notification to Agencies : Please note that Regal Rexnord Corporation and its affiliates and subsidiaries ("Regal Rexnord") do not accept unsolicited resumes or calls from third-party recruiters or employment agencies. In the absence of a signed Master Service Agreement or similar contract and approval from HR to submit resumes for a specific requisition, Regal Rexnord will not consider or approve payment to any third-parties for hires made.

Apply at Regal Rexnord

Related jobs

Digital Marketing Summer Intern

Regal Rexnord · Milwaukee, WI

Posted Sep 17 · Verified Sep 20

Machinist - 1st Shift Turning

Regal Rexnord · Union Grove, WI

Posted Sep 17 · Verified Sep 20

EHS Summer Intern

Regal Rexnord · Milwaukee, WI

Posted Sep 17 · Verified Sep 20

Machinist - 2nd Shift Turning

Regal Rexnord · Union Grove, WI

Posted Sep 17 · Verified Sep 20

Machinist - 1st Shift Chucking

Regal Rexnord · Union Grove, WI

Posted Sep 17 · Verified Sep 20

Assembler C

Regal Rexnord · Union Grove, WI

Posted Sep 17 · Verified Sep 20