{"id":3221161,"url":"https://alion.io/job/rfa-engineering-mechanical-controls-engineer","title":"Mechanical Controls Engineer","company":{"id":4429061,"name":"RFA Engineering","domain":"rfamec.com","url":"https://alion.io/company/rfa-engineering","size_band":"1001-5000","is_staffing_agency":false,"employer_type":"direct","is_intermediary":false,"listed_via":null,"ats_vendor":"UltiPro","truth_index":{"grade":"B","score":80,"open_postings":11,"ghost_share":0,"stale_share":0.818,"repost_share":0,"time_to_fill_p50_days":36,"computed_at":"2026-11-02T06:13:15Z"}},"role":"Industrial Engineering","role_family":"Industrial Engineering","seniority":"junior","employment_type":"full_time","work_mode":"on_site","remote_scope":null,"remote_scope_basis":null,"remote_working_hours":null,"hiring_geo_confidence":"structured","locations":["Dubuque, United States"],"countries":["US"],"hiring_countries":[],"hiring_countries_total":0,"salary":{"min":70000,"max":100000,"currency":"USD","period":"year","gross":null,"usd_annual":100000},"salary_estimate":null,"experience_years_min":null,"visa_sponsorship":true,"relocation_package":false,"has_equity":false,"technologies":[{"name":"ANSYS","optional":false},{"name":"MATLAB","optional":false},{"name":"Simscape","optional":false},{"name":"Simulink","optional":false}],"status":"live","first_seen_at":"2026-08-24T13:40:39Z","employer_posted_date":"2026-08-24","last_verified_at":"2026-11-02T19:02:20Z","board_verified":true,"closed_at":null,"days_open":70,"trust":{"level":"ok","repost_count":null,"flags":[],"days_open":70},"description":"RFA Engineering (www.rfamec.com) is an engineering service provider dedicated to delivering our clients with timely engineering support and expertise. We are seeking an entry level to experienced candidate to become an integral part of our engineering team. The selected candidate will work with an experienced engineering staff using state-of-the-art engineering tools & processes. This position will operate onsite at our customer's world-class engineering and manufacturing facility.\nThis is a full-time position with a full benefit package listed below that includes opportunities for professional growth, direct hire by our customers, and additional opportunities within our own organization.\nMechanical Controls Engineer\nAs a Mechanical Controls Engineer, you will work with a cross-functional engineering team to develop, test, and optimize machine systems that improve performance, productivity, efficiency, and operator experience. This role combines mechanical engineering principles with machine controls, allowing engineers to work directly with hydraulic systems, powertrains, vehicle dynamics, and off-highway equipment. You will participate in machine development activities from concept through production, using modeling, simulation, testing, and data analysis to create innovative solutions for advanced machine systems.\nResponsibilities\nDevelop and validate control strategies for electro-hydraulic systems, powertrain systems, drivetrain systems, and machine implements.\nEvaluate machine performance through testing, analysis, and system optimization.\nCreate and maintain mechanical and controls models using MATLAB, Simulink, and related engineering tools.\nConduct machine testing, troubleshooting, calibration, and performance tuning on prototype and production equipment.\nAnalyze hydraulic, powertrain, and machine operational data to identify opportunities for increased efficiency, reliability, and durability.\nSupport development of machine architecture, system requirements, and performance specifications.\nWork closely with mechanical design, software, and test engineers to integrate and validate machine systems.\nInvestigate and resolve machine performance issues through root cause analysis and engineering problem-solving techniques.\nTranslate customer, operator, and field feedback into measurable product improvements.\nSupport product development efforts from concept, prototyping, and validation through production launch.\nCreate engineering documentation, test reports, validation plans, and system performance summaries.\nRequirements\nBachelor’s degree in Mechanical Engineering, Electrical Engineering, Agricultural Engineering, Robotics, or a related engineering field.\nUnderstanding of machine systems including hydraulics, powertrains, drivetrains, thermodynamics, or vehicle dynamics.\nExperience through internships, co-ops, academic projects, or professional engineering roles involving mechanical systems, testing, or product development.\nFamiliarity with engineering analysis, modeling, and simulation tools such as MATLAB, Simulink, ANSYS, Amesim, or similar platforms.\nExperience collecting, analyzing, and interpreting engineering test data.\nStrong analytical, troubleshooting, and mechanical problem-solving skills.\nAbility to communicate technical concepts and work effectively within multidisciplinary engineering teams.\nDesired Attributes\nExperience developing or validating mobile equipment, agricultural equipment, construction equipment, automotive systems, or other off-highway machinery.\nKnowledge of hydraulic system design, performance analysis, and troubleshooting.\nFamiliarity with powertrain systems, vehicle dynamics, transmission systems, or machine implement controls.\nExperience conducting laboratory, field, or vehicle testing.\nProficiency with data acquisition systems, instrumentation, sensors, and machine diagnostics.\nExposure to control systems development, machine automation, or robotics.\nExperience with MATLAB/Simulink, Simscape, Amesim, CANalyzer, CANape, or similar engineering tools.\nHands-on experience operating, testing, or evaluating heavy equipment and machinery.\nVisa sponsorship is NOT available for this position.\nPay Range: $70,000-$100,000 - Commensurate with experience\nAbout RFA Engineering\nRFA Engineering has provided product development and engineering services to industry leading customers since 1943. Our primary focus is the development of off highway equipment including agricultural, construction, mining, recreational, industrial, and special machines. Our work includes concept development, product design, documentation, problem-solving, simulation, optimization, and testing of components, systems and complete machines. Our engineering staff is located at our Engineering Center in Minneapolis, branch office in Dubuque, IA, and at numerous customer sites throughout the U.S.\nCompetitive Benefits\nHealth and Dental Insurance\nTelaDoc Healthiest You\nSupplemental Vision Insurance\nCompany Paid Life Insurance\nCompany Paid Long-Term Disability\nShort-term Disability\nRetirement Savings Account (Traditional 401k & Roth 401k)\nFlexible Spending Plan Dependent Care\nHSA for Medical Expenses\nBonus Plan (Exempt Employees Only)\nPaid Time Off (PTO)\nPaid Holidays\nBereavement Leave\nEmployee Assistance Programs (EAP)\nEducation Assistance\nEqual Opportunity and Veteran Friendly","description_format":"text","description_chars":5368,"description_truncated":false,"requirements":{"experience_years_min":null,"management_years_min":null,"team_size_min":null,"manages_managers":false,"education":{"level":"bachelor","optional":false},"security_clearance":false,"languages":[]},"benefits":["401k plan","Dental insurance","Education assistance","Life insurance","Vision insurance"],"hiring_locations":[],"hiring_excludes":[],"relocation_offered":false,"industries":["Design & Creative","Embedded Software & RTOS","Embedded & Electronics Design"],"lifecycle":[{"event":"open","at":"2026-10-25T03:16:05Z"}],"visa":[],"liveness":{"score":14,"band":"cold","label":"Long shot","p_open":1,"p_active":0.381,"p_room":0.36,"age_days":69,"expected_fill_days":36,"reasons":["conf:0","stale_co","velocity","win:tail","crowd:junior,brand"],"computed_at":"2026-11-02T06:13:15Z"},"pay":{"stated_usd_annual":100000,"is_top_pay":true},"html_url":"https://alion.io/job/rfa-engineering-mechanical-controls-engineer","json_url":"https://alion.io/job/rfa-engineering-mechanical-controls-engineer.json","meta":{"generated_at":"2026-11-02T22:23:02Z","cache_seconds":300,"methodology":"https://alion.io/methodology","terms":"https://alion.io/terms","contact":"https://alion.io/contact","api":"https://alion.io/developers","about":"Alion is a live layer of people, companies and AI agents: who they are, whether they are real and active right now, what they do and how to work with them, readable by people and by agents and paid per call.","catalog":"https://alion.io/catalog.json","usage":{"tier":"crawler_verified","counted_by":"address","units_charged":1,"used_today":31460,"day_limit":null,"remaining_today":null,"minute_limit":300,"resets_at":"2026-11-03T00:00:00Z"}},"offers":[{"id":"company.slices","title":"One company in depth, by slice","status":"live","price":{"credits":0.02,"usd":0.002,"plus_per_slice":{"credits":0.05,"usd":0.005}},"unit":"per company, plus each slice with data","note":"the employer in depth","call":{"mcp_tool":"get_company","arguments":{"id":4429061},"rest":"https://alion.io/mcp/rest/get_company?id=4429061"},"human":"https://alion.io/catalog?offer=company.slices&for=job%2Frfa-engineering-mechanical-controls-engineer"},{"id":"market.stats","title":"A market slice: pay, demand and time to fill","status":"live","price":{"credits":1,"usd":0.1},"unit":"per slice","note":"pay, demand and time to fill for this role and place","call":{"mcp_tool":"market_stats"},"human":"https://alion.io/catalog?offer=market.stats&for=job%2Frfa-engineering-mechanical-controls-engineer"},{"id":"job.search","title":"Open jobs by role, technology, place, pay and visa","status":"live","price":{"credits":0.02,"usd":0.002},"unit":"per posting in a list","note":"similar open postings","call":{"mcp_tool":"search_jobs"},"human":"https://alion.io/catalog?offer=job.search&for=job%2Frfa-engineering-mechanical-controls-engineer"},{"id":"company.verify","title":"Is this company real and active right now","status":"pilot","price":null,"unit":"per company","request":{"url":"https://alion.io/catalog/request","method":"POST","body":"{\"offer\": \"company.verify\", \"for\": \"job/rfa-engineering-mechanical-controls-engineer\", \"note\": \"what you need it for\"}"},"human":"https://alion.io/catalog?offer=company.verify&for=job%2Frfa-engineering-mechanical-controls-engineer"}],"agent":{"mcp":"https://alion.io/mcp/jobs","mcp_open":"https://alion.io/mcp/open","next":[{"tool":"get_job","arguments":{"id":3221161}},{"tool":"search_jobs","arguments":{"company":"rfamec.com","detail":"compact"}},{"tool":"match_people","arguments":{"job_id":3221161},"note":"people open to offers who fit this vacancy"}],"note":"The same data through MCP tools: https://alion.io/mcp/open needs no sign-in (compact searches, postings, people); https://alion.io/mcp with an Alion account has everything. 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