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Mechanical Engineer Temporary Jobs in California

C5R

Mechanical Engineer

San Francisco, CA · On-site

$90 - $140/hr

The role We are hiring a mechanical engineer to design, build, and iterate on thephysical systems ... Compensation & terms We are open to full‑time roles and temporary stints of at least 3 months.

New

Belcan

Mechanical Engineer II

Irvine, CA · On-site

$45 - $55/hr

Mechanical Engineer II Pay Rate: $45-$55/hr Location: Irvine, CA Area Code: 714 ZIP Code: 92618 ... We offer excellent opportunities for contract, temporary, temp-to-hire, and direct assignments. We ...

Belcan

Mechanical Engineer II

Irvine, CA · On-site

$40.01 - $64.90/hr

Mechanical Engineer II Pay Rate: $40.01 - $64.9/hr. Location: Irvine, CA Area Code: 949, 714 ZIP ... We offer excellent opportunities for contract, temporary, temp-to-hire, and direct assignments. We ...

California Temp Services, Inc

Senior Mechanical Engineer Location: San Fernando Valley, CA Schedule: Monday-Friday, 7:00 a.m.-4:00 p.m. Employment Type: Full-Time Salary: $99,840 Responsibilities * Lead the design and development ...

EUGENUS INC

Staff Mechanical Engineer

San Jose, CA · On-site

Director, Mechanical Engineering Supervises: None Department: Hardware Core Technology Center ... temp wafer heaters, gas distribution showerheads, electrostatic chucks, wafer lift mechanisms ...

EUGENUS INC

Staff Mechanical Engineer

San Jose, CA · On-site

Director, Mechanical Engineering Supervises: None Department: Hardware Core Technology Center ... temp wafer heaters, gas distribution showerheads, electrostatic chucks, wafer lift mechanisms ...

Actalent

Senior Mechanical Engineer

San Diego, CA · Hybrid

$52.88 - $64.90/hr

Mechanical Engineer * Use Siemens NX CAD to perform advanced 3D modeling, manage large assemblies ... If eligible, the benefits available for this temporary role may include the following: * Medical ...

Eugenus

Staff Mechanical Engineer

San Jose, CA · On-site

$150 - $190/hr

Support personnel in the generation of detailed engineering documentation required to effectively ... temp wafer heaters, gas distribution showerheads, electrostatic chucks, wafer lift mechanisms ...

Heihotels

Chief Engineer - Temporary

Los Angeles, CA

$80K - $82K/yr

Responsible for the preventative maintenance and repair of the hotel's mechanical/electrical ... Maintains engineering related check book accounting procedures to ensure department operates with ...

Leidos

Mechanical Engineer- CM & TEMPALT

San Diego, CA · On-site

$87K - $157K/yr

... Mechanical Engineer supporting NIWC Pacific. Candidate will support cutting-edge maritime ... Support the generation and technical orchestration of Temporary Alteration (TEMPALT) packages in ...

New

Leidos

Mechanical Engineer- CM & TEMPALT

San Diego, CA · On-site

$87K - $157K/yr

... Mechanical Engineer supporting NIWC Pacific. Candidate will support cutting-edge maritime ... Support the generation and technical orchestration of Temporary Alteration (TEMPALT) packages in ...

New

Leidos

Mechanical Engineer- CM & TEMPALT

San Diego, CA · On-site

$87K - $157K/yr

... Mechanical Engineer supporting NIWC Pacific. Candidate will support cutting-edge maritime ... Support the generation and technical orchestration of Temporary Alteration (TEMPALT) packages in ...

New

Leidos

Mechanical Engineer- CM & TEMPALT

Spring Valley, CA · On-site

$87K - $157K/yr

... Mechanical Engineer supporting NIWC Pacific. Candidate will support cutting-edge maritime ... Support the generation and technical orchestration of Temporary Alteration (TEMPALT) packages in ...

New

Leidos

Mechanical Engineer- CM & TEMPALT

Del Mar, CA · On-site

$87K - $157K/yr

... Mechanical Engineer supporting NIWC Pacific. Candidate will support cutting-edge maritime ... Support the generation and technical orchestration of Temporary Alteration (TEMPALT) packages in ...

New

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Mechanical Engineer Temporary information

What does a temporary mechanical engineer do?

A temporary mechanical engineer is hired for a specific period or project to assist with designing, developing, testing, or maintaining mechanical systems. Their duties are similar to those of permanent mechanical engineers, but their employment is limited to a certain duration, often to meet increased workload or specialized project needs. Temporary mechanical engineers may work on tasks such as drafting technical drawings, performing calculations, conducting tests, and supporting production teams. This role provides flexibility for both the employer and the engineer, making it ideal for project-based work.

What does a temporary mechanical engineer do?

As a temporary mechanical engineer, your job is to support a company for the duration of your assignment, which is usually until a specific project is completed. In this role, you may help plan the construction of a building, determine the industrial needs of the project, help obtain any materials the blueprint design requires, provide design recommendations, and maintain the equipment used throughout the project. You may use a handheld device to scan or check materials. Temporary mechanical engineers work on projects of various sizes; you may install single pieces of delicate equipment in an existing building, or plan the removal and reinstallation of walls, ceilings, or support structures.

What are the typical projects and responsibilities for a mechanical engineer in a temporary position?

Mechanical Engineers in temporary roles are often brought in to support specific projects, such as product design updates, testing, or process improvements. You may be tasked with conducting technical analyses, creating CAD models, or assisting with prototype development under tight deadlines. Collaboration is common, as you'll frequently work with cross-functional teams like manufacturing, quality assurance, and project management to ensure project milestones are met. This fast-paced environment can provide valuable exposure to diverse challenges and industries, making it a great opportunity to build skills and expand your professional network.

What are the key skills and qualifications needed to thrive as a temporary mechanical engineer, and why are they important?

To thrive as a Mechanical Engineer Temporary, you need a solid understanding of mechanical design principles, engineering mathematics, and a relevant engineering degree, often supported by EIT or PE credentials. Proficiency in CAD software (such as SolidWorks or AutoCAD), simulation tools, and project management systems is typically required. Strong problem-solving abilities, adaptability, and effective teamwork make candidates stand out in this role. These skills and qualities are crucial for delivering timely, innovative engineering solutions and integrating seamlessly into project-based teams.

What is the difference between Mechanical Engineer Temporary vs Mechanical Engineer Permanent?

AspectMechanical Engineer TemporaryMechanical Engineer Permanent
CredentialsTypically requires a bachelor's degree in mechanical engineering; certifications are optionalSame as temporary; often preferred to have professional engineer (PE) license
Work EnvironmentProject-based, short-term assignments, often in manufacturing, automotive, or aerospaceLong-term employment, involved in ongoing design, development, and maintenance projects
Employer & Industry UsageUsed by staffing agencies and companies for short-term needsEmployed directly by companies for continuous roles
Search & Comparison IntentCommonly compared for contract vs full-time rolesOften contrasted with temporary roles for career stability

In summary, a Mechanical Engineer Temporary typically works on short-term projects through staffing agencies, requiring similar credentials as permanent roles but offering less job stability. Permanent Mechanical Engineers have ongoing employment with benefits and career growth opportunities, making them suitable for those seeking long-term stability.

More about Mechanical Engineer Temporary jobs

What are the most commonly searched types of Mechanical Engineer jobs in California?

The most popular types of Mechanical Engineer jobs in California are:

What are popular job titles related to Mechanical Engineer Temporary jobs in California?

For Mechanical Engineer Temporary jobs in California, the most frequently searched job titles are:

What job categories do people searching Mechanical Engineer Temporary jobs in California look for?

The top searched job categories for Mechanical Engineer Temporary jobs in California are:

What cities in California are hiring for Mechanical Engineer Temporary jobs?

Cities in California with the most Mechanical Engineer Temporary job openings:

Mechanical Engineer Temporary jobs near you
Infographic showing various Mechanical Engineer Temporary job openings in California as of August 2026, with employment types broken down into 92% Full Time, 6% Part Time, 1% Contract, and 1% Nights. Highlights an 97% Physical, 1% Hybrid, and 2% Remote job distribution.

Mechanical Engineer

C5R

San Francisco, CA • On-site

$90 - $140/hr

Other

Posted 3 days ago

New

Key responsibilities

  • Design, build, and iterate on the physical systems that enable automated research facilities, including fixtures, robot interfaces, enclosures, and mechanical components.

  • Work across the mechanical stack by creating CAD models, designing fixtures and structures, performing tolerance and structural analysis, and fabricating parts through rapid prototyping methods.

  • Collaborate with controls and ML engineers to troubleshoot mechanical issues and improve mechanical components to ensure reliable and repeatable operation.

Job description

C5R builds research facilities for frontier models: physical environmentswhere models can design experiments, operate instruments, learn fromresults, and be evaluated on real scientific work.

We build facilities end to end, bringing together the physical site,instruments, robotics, software, and operations. By working closely withmodel developers, we continuously produce the data and physical feedbacktheir models need for pretraining, lab-in-the-loop post-training, andevaluation.

The role

We are hiring a mechanical engineer to design, build, and iterate on thephysical systems that make an automated research facility work.

Our facilities are built from smart benches, robot arms, mobile carriages,custom fixtures, and reverse-engineered scientific instruments — all ofwhich have to work reliably, repeatably, and around the clock. You will ownthe mechanical design that holds it together, and you will be on the floorwhen it doesn’t.

You will work across the mechanical stack: CAD, fixture and tooling design,structures, enclosures, thermal, tolerance stack-ups, and fabrication.Examples of work might include:

  • Designing a gripper fingertip or plate fixture that survives ten thousand pick cycles without drifting out of calibration tolerance.
  • Building the mechanical interface between a robot arm and a scientific instrument that was never meant to be automated.
  • Designing enclosures, mounts, and cable management for benches packed with arms, cameras, power distribution, and networking.
  • Running tolerance and structural analysis on a bench frame, then machining or printing the part yourself the same week to prove it out.
  • Collaborating with controls and ML engineers to understand why a robot failed, then concretely improving the fixture, mount, or mechanism to fix it.
Who we’re looking for
  • Strong practical mechanical engineering experience. You should have built and debugged real hardware, not only models.
  • CAD fluency (Onshape, Solidworks, or equivalent) with real design intent — parts that get made, not parts that look good in a render.
  • Hands‑on fabrication experience: 3D printing, machining, laser cutting, sheet metal, or other rapid prototyping workflows.
  • Good fundamentals in tolerancing, materials, fastening, and mechanism design.
  • Comfort at the boundary with other disciplines — you should be able to read a schematic, reason about a motor’s torque curve, and talk to a controls engineer without a translator.
Nice to have
  • Precision motion, kinematic mounts, or repeatable fixturing.
  • DFM/DFA and experience taking a design from one-off to a small production run.
  • Electromechanical packaging: connectors, cable routing, thermal management, interlocks.
  • Experience with lab automation or scientific equipment.
Compensation & terms

We are open to full‑time roles and temporary stints of at least 3 months. Compensation depends on experience and structure. This role is on sitein San Francisco only.

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