Senior Mechanical Design Engineer
– Pediatric Power Mobility Project
Dannevirke, North Island
We’re building something extraordinary — and we’re looking for someone who wants their work to change lives.
About Metalform
Metalform is a 120+ strong, family-owned design and manufacturing company with a 60-year legacy of building world-class, NZ-made products. From our base in Dannevirke, we design and export everything from Tow and Fert machinery to embedded-tech products, serving customers across Australasia, the US, and Europe.
We take ideas from sketch to shelf — all under one roof. Our engineers sit beside the people who build, wire, and test their designs. Fast, physical, and hands-on — that’s how we work.
What We’re Building Right Now
We’ve recently partnered with one of the world’s leading wheelchair manufacturers to design and build the next-generation pediatric power mobility platform — a product that will empower children around the world to move with freedom and independence.
This is a deeply collaborative, multi-disciplinary effort, blending mechanical design, industrial design, electronics, and robotics into a single, human-centered product.
You’ll design for mass manufacture and real-world durability, while delivering a product that meets stringent medical device requirements and ergonomic standards.
The Role: Senior Mechanical Design Engineer
The Senior Mechanical Design Engineer role will be involved in various aspects of the mechanical design stream of this program — from concept through to production. This is a flagship project inside Metalform, combining innovation, compassion, and world-class engineering.
What You’ll Be Doing
- Lead mechanical design using Autodesk Inventor (or transition quickly from SolidWorks)
- Develop anthropometrically optimized mechanical systems, closely coupled with electronic and software systems.
- Design for manufacture across injection moulding, die casting, sheet metal, and welded assemblies
- Integrate mechanical and electronic systems for mobility, control, and safety
- Run FEA and tolerance analyses to ensure reliability and comfort in real-world conditions
- Collaborate closely with industrial designers, firmware engineers, and electronics specialists
- Lead and mentor design reviews focused on simplicity, usability, and manufacturability
- Manage your data and revisions in Autodesk Vault, ensuring clean traceability
- Following the Agile development methodology.
Who Thrives Here
- Bachelor’s (or equivalent) in Mechanical Engineering or Product Design Engineering
- 7+ years’ experience in medical devices, robotics, or electronics-integrated mechanical systems
- Strong background in DFM for injection moulding, die casting, and fabricated assemblies
- Practical design sensibility — able to balance human factors, manufacturability, and cost
- Experience leading projects from prototype through to production launch
- Collaborative by nature — this project lives at the intersection of design, tech, and empathy
Bonus points for:
- Experience with ISO 13485 medical device design processes
- Exposure to human factors or ergonomics (anthropometric design)
- Background in battery-powered or motion-control systems
Why Metalform?
- Impactful Work: Build something that will literally change kids’ lives worldwide.
- Cross-Functional Environment: Work alongside electronics, firmware, and industrial design specialists.
- End-to-End Ownership: See your design go from CAD to in-market product — right here in Dannevirke.
- Growth & Mastery: 9 engineering specialties, 3 levels of mastery — clear paths for development.
- People-First Culture: Family-owned, trusted, and built on transparency and collaboration.
Ready to Build What Matters?
Apply now and help create the next generation of pediatric mobility.
Send your cover letter and CV to Liam Dewhurst, Commercial Design Manager: liam.dewhurst@metalform.co.nz
Include in your intro:
• Degree
• Years of experience
• Ability to work in NZ
• (Bonus) Image or link to a project that best represents your design work
Location: Dannevirke, New Zealand
We design, build, test, and iterate all under one roof. If you’re craving meaningful, hands-on engineering — this is your place.