Project Mechanical Engineer at Noel Group, LLC – Zebulon, North Carolina

About Noël Group

At Noël Group, you’ll find a close-knit, small company feel. The word we generally use to describe Noël Group is family. We are a family-owned and family-guided group of companies. That family connection comes through in how we work together.

When you work for a Noël Group company, you are part of a team working to deliver the best solutions to our customers. We work collaboratively, both within the organization and with our customers. We like to think big and challenge ourselves to think out of the box – that’s how we bring creative solutions to our customers and how we work to continually improve our operations.

Our associates tend to stay with the company long-term. We have a very low turnover rate, and we think our culture has a lot to do with it. If you are looking for an opportunity to grow and projects to challenge you, a Noël Group company might be the perfect fit.

Nomaco Inc. Herc LLC

Our Core Values:

Happy Family

We are family. We spend more time with each other than with many of our extended

family members. We accept and understand each other, meeting our faults with grace,

compassion, and forgiveness.

Adaptability

We willfully adapt to meet the needs of our teams and partners. We view obstacles as

opportunities and remain agile problem-solvers with an open-minded, tenacious mindset

Ownership

We take pride in what we do. Our individual and collective success is up to all of us and hold ourselves accountable.

Detail Oriented

We focus on the details that matter. Our business demands a need for precision, so we

sweat the small stuff.

Challenge Constructively

We challenge from a place of curiosity, integrity, and innovation. We assume positive

intentions and engage in constructive dialogue.

Position Overview:

Nomaco is seeking a hands-on Mechanical Engineer to support critical manufacturing operations at our Zebulon headquarters and to lead capital projects, including a new plant start-up in the Western U.S. This role blends mechanical design expertise with process engineering principles, project management, and plant-floor problem solving. The successful candidate will partner closely with Operations and Maintenance, oversee vendors and contractors, and deliver safe, reliable, cost-effective equipment and process improvements.

Primary Duties and Responsibilities:

Equipment & Process Engineering

Design and detail equipment, fixtures, tooling, and manufacturing systems using SolidWorks and AutoCAD.Develop utility/equipment layouts, material handling solutions, and production line configurations.Partner with Operations to debottleneck processes and improve safety, quality, throughput, and cost.

Capital Projects & Project Management

Lead CAPEX projects from inception through completion: requirements definition, scope documents, schedules, justifications, track expenditures, and stakeholder communications.Coordinate procurement activities (RFQs, purchase orders per policy) and manage statements of work and contractor deliverables, including equipment transfers/relocations and new/modified installations.Identify, evaluate, and recommend vendors/contractors for engineering services and equipment procurement.Serve as primary point of contact for vendors/contractors, ensuring clear communication and accountability.Plan and oversee installation, start-up, commissioning, and acceptance testing (FAT/SAT)Serve as a project manager during the Western U.S. plant start-up phase, providing on-site oversight of contractors and commissioning activities (up to 20% travel for initial 6-12 months).

Troubleshooting & Continuous Improvement

Provide plant-floor technical support: diagnose equipment/process issues, perform root cause analysis, and implement corrective actions.Drive continuous improvement initiatives using practical engineering methods. Collaborate with Maintenance on reliability improvements, spares strategy, and safe work practices. Develop and maintain SOPs, work instructions, training materials, equipment manuals, and project records.Manage document distribution/storage for engineering drawings, specifications, and project documentation to support record-keeping and training.Primarily on-site in Zebulon, NC; may require occasional evening/weekend/holiday hours to support commissioning or troubleshooting 24/7 operations.Act as a technical consultant/SME for cross-functional teams; perform and document technical design reviews.

Experience

Required

3+ years of progressive engineering experience in a manufacturing environment.Demonstrated experience managing or supporting capital projects (scope, schedule, budget, contractor oversight).Proficiency designing mechanical equipment/systems using SolidWorks and AutoCAD (preferred).Experience supporting equipment installation, commissioning, and start-up in a production environment.Proven ability to troubleshoot complex technical problems and implement effective solutions.

Preferred:

Experience with extrusion processes, foam manufacturing, polymer processing, or similar continuous manufacturing.Background in plant start-up/greenfield projects, major facility expansions, or production line relocations.Familiarity with process automation, industrial controls/PLCs, and measurement instrumentation.

Qualifications

Education:

Bachelor's degree in Mechanical Engineering, or related engineering discipline.

Technical Skills:

SolidWorks proficiency (required); AutoCAD for schematics/layouts (preferred).Ability to apply core engineering fundamentals (algebra, trigonometry, calculus, and basic statistics) to practical manufacturing problems.Working knowledge of industrial equipment, controls, and common measurement tools; comfortable using basic shop/hand tools when needed.

Professional Competencies:

Strong written and verbal communication skills; able to produce clear technical documents and reports.Organized, detail-oriented, and able to manage multiple concurrent projects and priorities with minimal supervision.Collaborative and safety-minded; models and reinforces safe work practices every day.

Desired Characteristics:

Hands-on engineer who enjoys spending time on the production floor and partnering with operators and maintenance technicians.Practical, data-driven problem solver with strong root cause analysis skills and bias toward action.Comfortable leading contractors and influencing cross-functional teams without direct authority.Creative and resourceful; able to develop workable engineering solutions under time and budget constraints.Growth mindset and continuous improvement orientation; receptive to feedback and committed to learning.Ability to work in an industrial environment and perform moderate lifting (up to 50 lbs) and routine physical activities (standing, walking, climbing, stooping, kneeling).