Model Based Design Engineer Jobs in Tennessee (NOW HIRING)

This role seeks a Mechanical Design Engineer with strong facility and system design experience, including piping and plumbing design, HVAC, facility utilities, and skid-based pump, hydraulic, and pneumatic systems. You will support complex nuclear and industrial projects by developing piping system layouts, engineering deliverables, and design documentation in close collaboration with multidisciplinary engineering teams. The position offers remote and hybrid work options and focuses on designing and verifying mechanical and piping systems that support facility infrastructure, process systems, and operations.

Responsibilities

• Support system and mechanical engineering design activities for complex industrial and nuclear projects.
• Prepare and review engineering deliverables, including P&IDs, specifications, calculations such as pipe stress, hydraulic analyses, safety valve sizing, and ventilation sizing, as well as equipment arrangement drawings.
• Develop piping and utility system designs that support facility infrastructure, process support systems, and operational needs.
• Coordinate closely with process, structural, electrical, and instrumentation and controls (I&C) engineering teams to ensure integrated and consistent designs.
• Perform piping and mechanical system field walkdowns and support design verification activities to confirm constructability and compliance.
• Assist with piping system evaluations, equipment selection, and design modifications to improve performance and reliability.
• Support project planning, procurement, construction, startup, testing, and commissioning activities as needed throughout the project lifecycle.
• Participate in design reviews and contribute to the resolution of technical issues and design challenges.
• Interface with clients, vendors, subcontractors, and internal project teams to clarify requirements and coordinate design solutions.
• Ensure all designs comply with applicable industry codes, standards, safety requirements, and client specifications.

• Bachelor’s degree in Mechanical Engineering or a related engineering discipline.
• Minimum of 9+ years of relevant experience in mechanical or facility design.
• Minimum of 5+ years of experience with facility design, including piping, ventilation, HVAC, gloveboxes, and related systems.
• Demonstrated experience supporting piping and mechanical system design for industrial, manufacturing, energy, chemical, or nuclear facilities.
• Hands-on experience with piping design and mechanical engineering for facility utilities and process systems.
• Experience with HVAC system design and ventilation systems for industrial or nuclear environments.
• Familiarity with engineering drawings, P&IDs, piping layouts, and mechanical design documentation.
• Knowledge of applicable industry codes and standards relevant to piping, mechanical, and nuclear or industrial facilities.
• Ability to review and perform engineering calculations, including pipe stress analysis, hydraulic calculations, safety valve sizing, and ventilation sizing.
• Ability to coordinate effectively with multidisciplinary engineering teams, including process, structural, electrical, and I&C disciplines.
• US citizenship.
• Ability to acquire and maintain a security clearance.

• Professional Engineer (PE) license preferred.
• Experience supporting DOE, NNSA, Naval Reactors, or commercial nuclear projects is preferred.
• Experience with 3D modeling or CAD tools such as AutoCAD Plant 3D, CADWorx, SolidWorks, CREO, or similar software is preferred.
• Experience with analytical software such as pipe stress analysis tools, hydraulic analysis tools, MathCAD, or MATLAB is preferred.
• Experience with commissioning activities and support of startup and testing is a plus.
• Strong ability to participate in design reviews and contribute to the resolution of complex technical issues.
• Effective communication skills for interfacing with clients, vendors, subcontractors, and internal project stakeholders.
• Strong organizational skills to support project planning, procurement, construction, and commissioning activities.

The role is based in an office environment with the option to work in a remote or hybrid arrangement, depending on project needs. You will work closely with multidisciplinary engineering teams and use modern engineering tools, including 3D CAD platforms such as AutoCAD Plant 3D, CADWorx, SolidWorks, and CREO, as well as analytical software for pipe stress and hydraulic analysis. The position involves both desk-based design work and occasional field walkdowns to verify piping and mechanical systems. The organization offers burdened holiday and paid time off benefits, and supports a professional, collaborative culture focused on delivering high-quality engineering solutions for complex industrial and nuclear facilities. Typical business hours apply, with flexibility aligned to project schedules and milestones.

Job Type & Location

This is a Contract to Hire position based out of Oak Ridge, TN.

The pay range for this position is $40.00 - $100.00/hr.

Eligibility requirements apply to some benefits and may depend on your job classification and length of employment. Benefits are subject to change and may be subject to specific elections, plan, or program terms. If eligible, the benefits available for this temporary role may include the following:
• Medical, dental & vision
• Critical Illness, Accident, and Hospital
• 401(k) Retirement Plan – Pre-tax and Roth post-tax contributions available
• Life Insurance (Voluntary Life & AD&D for the employee and dependents)
• Short and long-term disability
• Health Spending Account (HSA)
• Transportation benefits
• Employee Assistance Program
• Time Off/Leave (PTO, Vacation or Sick Leave)

This is a hybrid position in Oak Ridge,TN.

This position is anticipated to close on Jul 24, 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.