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Freelance Gear Design Engineer Jobs (NOW HIRING)

Timken

Sr Design Engineer

King Of Prussia, PA · On-site

Timken Gears and Services - Philadelphia Gear has a current opening for a Design Engineer. The Design Engineer designs and analyzes gear drive systems and components for Industrial and Marine ...

Judge Group, Inc.

Design Engineer

Centennial, CO · On-site

$50 - $70/hr

Landing gear * Hydraulics * Structural assessments * Weight assessments * Integration * Propulsion Experience: * Need experienced Design Engineers (level III at a minimum). * focus on Designers

Timken

Sr Design Engineer

King Of Prussia, PA · On-site

Timken Gears and Services - Philadelphia Gear has a current opening for a Design Engineer. The Design Engineer designs and analyzes gear drive systems and components for Industrial and Marine ...

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Freelance Gear Design Engineer information

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$14

$47

$132

How much do freelance gear design engineer jobs pay per hour?

As of Sep 10, 2026, the average hourly pay for freelance gear design engineer in the United States is $47.71, according to ZipRecruiter salary data. Most workers in this role earn between $24.28 and $61.78 per hour, depending on experience, location, and employer.

What does a freelance gear design engineer do?

A Freelance Gear Design Engineer specializes in designing gears and gear systems for various mechanical applications, such as automotive, industrial machinery, and robotics. They work independently with clients to create precise gear specifications, perform calculations, model gears using CAD software, and ensure the designs meet performance and durability requirements. Their responsibilities also include collaborating with other engineers, providing technical documentation, and sometimes overseeing prototype fabrication or testing. Freelance Gear Design Engineers offer flexibility and expertise to companies needing specialized gear solutions without hiring a full-time engineer.

What are the key skills and qualifications needed to thrive as a freelance gear design engineer, and why are they important?

To thrive as a Freelance Gear Design Engineer, you need a solid background in mechanical engineering, expertise in gear design principles, and experience with CAD software, often supported by a relevant engineering degree. Proficiency with tools like SolidWorks, Autodesk Inventor, and gear calculation software, as well as familiarity with industry standards such as AGMA or ISO, is typically required. Strong project management, client communication, and problem-solving skills help you excel in delivering custom solutions and managing diverse projects independently. These skills are essential for producing precise, reliable designs that meet client specifications and industry standards in a competitive freelance environment.

What are some common challenges freelance gear design engineers face when collaborating with clients remotely?

Freelance gear design engineers often encounter challenges such as aligning on technical requirements, managing communication across time zones, and ensuring secure exchange of proprietary design files. It’s important to establish clear project milestones, use reliable collaboration tools for sharing CAD models, and maintain regular check-ins with clients to address feedback promptly. Building strong documentation habits and proactively clarifying expectations can help smooth the remote collaboration process and lead to successful project outcomes.

What is the difference between Freelance Gear Design Engineer vs Mechanical Gear Designer?

AspectFreelance Gear Design EngineerMechanical Gear Designer
CredentialsRelevant engineering degrees, certifications often freelance or self-taughtTypically holds a degree in mechanical engineering, with specialized gear design certifications
Work EnvironmentIndependent, project-based, remote or on-siteEmployed by companies, design departments, or manufacturing firms
Industry UsageFreelance consulting, custom projects, small businessesIn-house design teams, manufacturing, industrial sectors
Search & Comparison IntentLooking for freelance gear design services or contractorsSeeking in-house or full-time gear design roles

In summary, a Freelance Gear Design Engineer works independently on custom projects, often remotely, while a Mechanical Gear Designer is typically employed full-time within a company’s design team. Both roles require engineering knowledge, but their work settings and employment types differ significantly.

What cities are hiring for Freelance Gear Design Engineer jobs?

Cities with the most Freelance Gear Design Engineer job openings:

What are the most commonly searched types of Gear Design Engineer jobs?

The most popular types of Gear Design Engineer jobs are:

What states have the most Freelance Gear Design Engineer jobs?

States with the most job openings for Freelance Gear Design Engineer jobs include:

What are popular job titles related to Freelance Gear Design Engineer jobs?

For Freelance Gear Design Engineer jobs, the most frequently searched job titles are:

Freelance Gear Design Engineer jobs near you
Infographic showing various Freelance Gear Design Engineer job openings in the United States as of August 2026, with employment types broken down into 90% Full Time, 7% Part Time, and 3% Contract. Highlights an 81% Physical, 5% Hybrid, and 14% Remote job distribution, with an average salary of $99,230 per year, or $47.7 per hour.

Electro-Mechanical Design Engineer-Shelby, North Carolina

Forest City, NC • Hybrid

Curtiss-Wright
Computer and Electronic Product Manufacturing • 5 - 10K employees
Learn more about Curtiss-Wrightexternal

$99K - $143K/yr

Full-time

Medical, Retirement, PTO

Posted 10 days ago

Curtiss-Wright rating

8.4

Company rating: 8.4 out of 10

Based on 36 frontline employees who took The Breakroom Quiz

Job description

Principal Electro-Mechanical Design Engineer
We are looking for a Principal Electro-Mechanical Design Engineer to join our Shelby, NC team!
As our Principal Electro-Mechanical Design Engineer, you will, design and analyze complex mechanical systems and electro-mechanical components, equipment and packaging. Our customers are mainly military and commercial aerospace OEM's looking for mechanical and electro-mechanical actuation solutions for flight controls, door drive systems and other needs. You will conduct feasibility studies and testing on new and modified designs. Additionally, you will, directly support personnel in the preparation of detailed design, design testing and prototype fabrication and provide design information to drafting for packaging documentation. You will mentor and support less experienced engineer's and share best-practices with them.
Location: Shelby, NC (Hybrid arrangement possible)
Salary: $99,000 to $143,000 + bonus opportunity
Please note that the salary range information provided is a general guideline only, reflecting a position based in NC. Criteria such as the candidate's qualifications and relevant experience, the scope of the specific position, as well as market and business considerations will be evaluated when extending an offer.
We Take Care of Our People
Paid Time Off I 401K with Employer Match and Profit Sharing I Health and Wellness Benefits I Learning and Development Opportunities I Referral Program I Competitive Pay I Recognition I Employee Stock Purchase Plan I Inclusive & Supportive Culture *
Your Challenge
  • Designs complex new equipment, machinery and components to meet or exceed customer specifications and requirements while ensuring manufacturability with internal and/or external capabilities.
  • Determines technical objectives and develops innovative, practical solutions to advance technical engineering problems.
  • Designs and conducts development testing with Test Engineers. Analyzes resulting data to interprets results, conducts analysis and supports Test Engineer in writing analysis and test reports.
  • Capability to draw conclusions and reconcile differences between predicted and actual results.
  • Provides engineering design, maintenance support and training to the manufacturing areas and assess new and existing equipment to optimize efficiency, safety, quality and cost effectiveness.
  • Plans and coordinates the maintenance of moderately complex engineering solutions including documentation, reporting, publishing, and making technical or other presentations to ensure visibility of the solution(s).
  • Assists in building, installing, debugging and testing designed equipment to ensure production capabilities.
  • Provides technical support to failure investigations and bid responses.
  • Assess non-conforming product for engineering disposition as part of MRB process.
  • Drive continuous improvement in our engineering best practices documentation and training.

What You Bring
  • Bachelors Degree in Mechanical Engineering or equivalent
  • 10+ years of experience
  • Must be a US Citizen
  • Experience creating complex mechanical and/or electro-mechanical designs to meet customer requirements and specification.
  • Experience interfacing with customer technical and program management personnel.
  • Ability to take long-term engineering goals and break them down to manageable, near-term actions for you and available design support personnel.
  • 3D modeling and design (we use Siemens NX)
  • Layout and drawing creation (we use Siemens NX)
  • Aerospace engineering experience (commercial and military) preferred. Commercial Vehicle and Industrial experience also will be considered.
  • Experience with gear design or electrical enclosure design for aerospace or military use is strongly desirable.

Who We Are
Our Values
Environmental, Social and Governance
Curtiss-Wright Actuation Division designs, manufactures, and supports electro-mechanical actuation products and systems for use in demanding applications in Aerospace, Defense and Industrial Automation markets. Our market leading solutions help improve the reliability, efficiency and performance of our customers' operations and platforms, as well as reducing their environmental impact with energy efficient electro-mechanical designs and technology. For the Aerospace market, we supply actuation systems for flight control, landing gear, utility and other applications on both commercial and military aircraft. In Ground & Naval Defense markets, we support a wide array of applications ranging from door assist, ramp and hatch actuation, weapons handling systems, radar and launch platform actuation, and robotic (AUV/ROV) actuation.
To learn more, please visit us at About | Actuation Division | Curtiss-Wright (cw-actuation.com)
*Please note, benefits are country specific and may vary from location to location.
#LI-CM1
No unsolicited agency submittals please. Agency partners must be invited to participate in a search by our Talent Acquisition Team and have signed terms in place prior to any submittal. Resumes submitted directly to any Curtiss-Wright employee or affiliate will not qualify for fee payment, and therefore become the property of Curtiss-Wright.
Compliance Statement
This position may require exposure to export-controlled information and subject to additional security screening. In the event information provided during the security screening reveals ineligibility to access export-controlled information, any offer of employment may be reconsidered or withdrawn.
Curtiss-Wright is an equal opportunity employer. All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, ethnicity, color, sexual orientation, gender identity, physical or mental disability, age, ancestry, legally protected medical condition, family care status, marital status, religion, veteran status, national origin, or any other legally protected status. If you require accommodation during the recruitment process, please contact Talent Acquisition.
For US Applicants: EEO is The Law - click here for more information.
If you require accommodation due to a disability at any time during the recruitment and/or assessment process, please contact Talent Acquisition and we will make all reasonable efforts to accommodate your request.

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About Curtiss-Wright

Sourced by ZipRecruiter

Curtiss-Wright Actuation Division designs, manufactures and supports electro-mechanical actuation products and systems for use in demanding applications in Aerospace, Defense and Industrial Automation markets. Our market leading solutions help improve the reliability, efficiency and performance of our customers' operations and platforms, as well as reducing their environmental impact with energy efficient electro-mechanical designs and technology. For the Aerospace market, we supply actuation systems for flight control, landing gear, utility and other applications on both commercial and military aircraft. In Ground & Naval Defense markets, we support a wide array of applications ranging from door assist, ramp and hatch actuation, weapons handling systems, radar and launch platform actuation, and robotic (AUV/ROV) actuation. In Industrial Automation, our Exlar® actuators are globally recognized as a leading brand offering high power density, precision and reliability for machine/process applications in automotive, food & beverage, oil & gas, robotics, entertainment and many other industries.

Industry

Computer and electronic product manufacturing

Company size

5,001 - 10,000 Employees

Headquarters location

Davidson, NC, US

Year founded

1929

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