Mass Manufacturing Mechanical Specialist (NZ)
Senior Mechanical Design Engineer
Dannevirke, North Island
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
- Autonomous agri-robots
- 36m ISOBUS-connected sprayers with hydraulic control
- Electric paediatric wheelchairs with BLE control
- Electric fire-fighting pumps & Pestproof Fences
You’ll design for mass manufacture right next to the people building it. Prototypes get tested the day they’re ready, 5 minutes from the factory. It’s fast, physical, and fun.
The Role: Senior Mechanical Design Engineer
You’ll lead mechanical design projects from idea to real-world use: concepting, CAD, simulation, prototyping, testing, and production. The work is varied—agritech, commercial screens, rugged outdoor gear—but the foundation is clever mechanical design, built to scale.
What You’ll Be Doing
- Lead Mechanical Design in Autodesk Inventor (or make a fast switch from SolidWorks)
- Design for Manufacture: sheet metal, welding, laser cutting, bending, punching
- Run Engineering Analyses: DFM/A, tolerance stack-ups, static & dynamic load checks
- Use FEA to simulate and validate structural performance
- Lead Design Reviews: collaborative, iterative, no egos—just better ideas
- Mentor Junior Engineers in design techniques, Inventor skills, and real-world practicality
- Own Your Data: manage all your revisions in Autodesk Vault with clean traceability
- Collaborate with Cross-Functional Teams across firmware, hardware, QA, and operations
Who Thrives Here?
- Bachelor’s (or equivalent) in Mechanical Engineering/Design
- 7+ years designing heavy machinery, agricultural gear, or robust mechanical systems
- Track record of developing mass-manufactured products—NZ or globally
- Real-world project leadership, from concept to delivery
- Ability to turn 10 parts into 1. We value intelligent design over assembly labour.
- Comfort in design critique: we pressure-test ideas, not people. It’s part of the fun.
Bonus points for experience in ruggedised environments, field testing, or industrial automation.
Why Metalform?
- End-to-End Ownership: See your idea go from CAD to in-market product.
- Clear market access: We are 40% internal owned IP, 60% FASS contract manufacturing
- High Velocity: Rapid testing cycles, short feedback loops, real impact
- People-First Culture: Family-owned, transparent, and tight-knit
- Growth Paths: We have 9 engineering specialties and 3 levels of mastery—you’ll have clear ways to evolve
- Trust-Driven: You can leave your wallet in your unlocked car, or toolbox.
Ready to Build What’s Next?
Apply now and help shape the future of NZ mechanical design.
Send your cover letter and CV to Liam Dewhurst, Commercial Design Manager:
liam.dewhurst@metalform.co.nz
Include in your short intro message your
- Degree
- Years of applied experience
- Ability to work in NZ
- Bonus: Include an image of a flagship project if you have one to share.
This role is Dannevirke-based. We design, build, test and iterate—all under one roof. If you’re craving meaningful, hands-on engineering, this is your place.