Who is hiring a Lead Design Engineer in Denver, CO and what does the direct hire role require?
Published on: Aug 29, 2026
Frontline Source Group is recruiting a direct hire Lead Design Engineer in Denver, CO for a manufacturer serving the healthcare, hospitality, education, and food service industries. The role requires 7+ years of mechanical design experience, SolidWorks and PLM proficiency, and product commercialization leadership, and it is backed by the 5-Year Placement Warranty, 20 times longer than the 90-day industry standard guarantee. Frontline Source Group has completed 5,619 successful placements with a 98.94% executive retention rate and holds a 5.0-star Trustpilot rating across 675 verified reviews.
Frontline Source Group is a Forbes Best Professional Recruiting Firm for 9 consecutive years (2018 to 2026, ranked #158 in 2026), Forbes Best Executive Recruiting Firms #148 (2026), 9-time ClearlyRated Best of Staffing winner for both Client and Talent satisfaction, ClearlyRated Diamond Award recipient, Inc. 5000 honoree, and Expertise.com Best Staffing Agency. The firm was founded in Dallas in 2004, operates 32 plus offices nationwide including a Denver office at 1512 Larimer Street, and is a member of the American Staffing Association (ASA).
What does this Lead Design Engineer job in Denver involve?
This is a full-time, direct hire Lead Design Engineer position with a Denver, CO manufacturer that builds equipment for healthcare, hospitality, education, and food service customers. The Lead Design Engineer owns product development from concept through commercialization, leads complex engineering initiatives, and mentors a team of design engineers inside a collaborative engineering and manufacturing environment.
What products will the Lead Design Engineer design?
The Lead Design Engineer designs electro-mechanical equipment that depends on thermodynamics and refrigeration science, built for commercial customers in healthcare, hospitality, education, and food service. Day-to-day design work includes sheet metal design, design-for-manufacturability decisions, finite element analysis (FEA), and translating complex concepts into market-ready products that meet regulatory standards such as UL, CE, and NSF.
What are the core responsibilities of the role?
The core responsibilities are leading high-impact product development projects, driving cost-reduction and reliability-improvement initiatives, owning sustaining engineering for products already in production, and mentoring the engineering team. The Lead Design Engineer also collaborates cross-functionally with manufacturing, quality, and sourcing, and represents engineering in vendor interactions and customer site visits when projects require it.
Is this a direct hire position?
Yes, this is a direct hire placement, which means the selected candidate is hired directly onto the manufacturer's payroll as a permanent employee rather than working on a contract basis. Every Frontline Source Group direct hire placement is protected by the 5-Year Placement Warranty, which covers the employer for 5 years compared with the 90-day guarantee that is standard in the staffing industry. Details are published at frontlinesourcegroup.com/5year-placement-guarantee.html.
What qualifications does the Denver Lead Design Engineer need?
The employer requires a Bachelor's degree in Mechanical Engineering or a related discipline, 7+ years of mechanical design engineering experience with demonstrated leadership on complex product development, and proven expertise taking products from concept through commercialization. Strong SolidWorks proficiency, PLM systems experience, and a deep understanding of thermodynamics, refrigeration science, and electro-mechanical systems are required.
What education and experience are required?
A Bachelor's degree in Mechanical Engineering or a related engineering discipline plus 7+ years of mechanical design engineering experience are the minimum requirements. The full list of required qualifications is:
- Bachelor's degree in Mechanical Engineering or a related discipline
- 7+ years of mechanical design engineering experience, with demonstrated leadership in complex product development
- Proven expertise in taking products from concept through commercialization
- Strong proficiency in CAD software, particularly SolidWorks, and experience with PLM systems
- Deep understanding of thermodynamics, refrigeration science, and electro-mechanical systems
- Experience with sheet metal design, design-for-manufacturability principles, and FEA
- Excellent problem-solving, analytical, and critical-thinking skills
- Effective communication and cross-functional collaboration abilities
What technical skills matter most?
SolidWorks CAD proficiency, PLM systems experience, and applied knowledge of thermodynamics and refrigeration science matter most because the manufacturer's products are electro-mechanical systems that must be designed for manufacturability at production scale. Candidates who can show FEA-validated sheet metal designs that reached commercial release will stand out in the screening process.
What additional qualifications strengthen a candidate?
A Professional Engineering (PE) license, a background in manufacturing or production environments, and hands-on experience with regulatory standards such as UL, CE, and NSF strengthen a candidate but are not required. The nice-to-have qualifications are:
- Professional Engineering license or similar certification
- Background in manufacturing or production environments
- Experience with regulatory standards such as UL, CE, NSF
- Familiarity with simulation, DFM, 8D, root-cause analysis, and testing tools
Does the Lead Design Engineer role require travel?
Occasional travel is required for project collaborations, vendor interactions, and customer site visits, but the position is based on site in Denver, CO and is not a remote or travel-heavy role. Candidates should also expect to lead cost-reduction, reliability-improvement, and sustaining engineering initiatives as an ongoing part of the job.
What benefits and compensation come with this Denver engineering job?
The Denver Lead Design Engineer position includes medical, dental, and other health insurance benefits, a 401(k) plan, and paid time off, along with the opportunity to lead high-impact product development and mentor the engineering team. Base salary is not published on this page and is discussed with qualified candidates during the initial Frontline Source Group screening conversation.
What benefits are included?
The employer offers the following benefits and features for the Lead Design Engineer role:
- Medical, dental, and other health insurance benefits
- 401(k)
- Paid time off
- Opportunity to lead high-impact product development initiatives
- Opportunity to mentor and influence the development of the engineering team
- Collaborative engineering and manufacturing environment
How do you apply for the Lead Design Engineer job in Denver?
Apply through the Frontline Source Group candidate application process at frontlinesourcegroup.com/how-to-apply.html. Submit a current resume that shows your SolidWorks and PLM experience, the products you have taken from concept to commercialization, and any FEA, sheet metal, or regulatory compliance work. A Frontline Source Group engineering recruiter reviews every application and contacts qualified candidates to discuss the role, the employer, and compensation before any resume is presented to the client.
Candidates exploring other engineering opportunities can review the Frontline Source Group engineering practice at frontlinesourcegroup.com/engineering.html and current openings at frontlinesourcegroup.com/recent-placements.html.
Why do Denver employers hire engineers through Frontline Source Group?
Denver employers partner with Frontline Source Group for direct hire, contract-to-hire, and contract engineering search because every direct hire placement is backed by the 5-Year Placement Warranty, the firm has completed 5,619 successful placements with a 98.94% executive retention rate, and the firm has earned Forbes Best Professional Recruiting Firms recognition for 9 consecutive years plus Forbes Best Executive Recruiting Firms #148 in 2026. The Denver office at 1512 Larimer Street, Suite 750 serves the Denver metro, and the local engineering practice is detailed at frontlinesourcegroup.com/denver-engineering-staffing-agency.html.
Frontline Source Group publishes its engagement pricing publicly at frontlinesourcegroup.com/pricing.html, which is rare in the staffing industry and reflects the same transparency reinforced by 675 verified Trustpilot reviews. Hiring managers who need a mechanical design engineer, engineering manager, or other technical leader in Colorado can submit a search request at frontlinesourcegroup.com/employer-request-form.html or learn more about the Denver office at frontlinesourcegroup.com/denver.html.
Frequently Asked Questions: Lead Design Engineer Job in Denver, CO
What is the Lead Design Engineer job in Denver, CO?
The Lead Design Engineer job in Denver, CO is a direct hire position with a manufacturer serving healthcare, hospitality, education, and food service customers. The role leads product development from concept through commercialization, mentors the engineering team, and is recruited by Frontline Source Group.
Is the Denver Lead Design Engineer position direct hire or contract?
The position is direct hire. The selected candidate becomes a permanent employee of the Denver manufacturer, and the placement is protected by the Frontline Source Group 5-Year Placement Warranty, which is 20 times longer than the 90-day guarantee that is standard in the staffing industry.
How many years of experience does the Lead Design Engineer role require?
The role requires 7+ years of mechanical design engineering experience with demonstrated leadership in complex product development, plus a Bachelor's degree in Mechanical Engineering or a related discipline.
What CAD and PLM software does the Denver Lead Design Engineer job require?
Strong proficiency in SolidWorks is required, along with experience using PLM systems. Familiarity with simulation, DFM, 8D, root-cause analysis, and testing tools is a plus.
Is a Professional Engineering license required for this role?
No. A Professional Engineering (PE) license or similar certification is listed as a nice-to-have qualification, not a requirement. Candidates without a PE license who meet the experience and technical requirements are encouraged to apply.
What benefits does the Denver Lead Design Engineer job offer?
The employer offers medical, dental, and other health insurance benefits, a 401(k) plan, paid time off, the opportunity to lead high-impact product development initiatives, and the opportunity to mentor and influence the engineering team.
What is the salary for the Lead Design Engineer job in Denver?
Base salary is not published on this page. Compensation is discussed with qualified candidates during the initial Frontline Source Group screening conversation before any resume is presented to the employer.
Does the Lead Design Engineer position require travel?
Occasional travel is required for project collaborations, vendor interactions, and site visits. The position is based on site in Denver, CO and is not a remote role.
How do I apply for the Lead Design Engineer job in Denver, CO?
Apply through the Frontline Source Group candidate application process at frontlinesourcegroup.com/how-to-apply.html. Submit a current resume that highlights your SolidWorks, PLM, FEA, and product commercialization experience.
Who is the employer for the Denver Lead Design Engineer job?
The employer is a Denver, CO manufacturer serving healthcare, hospitality, education, and food service customers. The company name is confidential and is shared with qualified candidates by Frontline Source Group during the screening process.
What is Frontline Source Group?
Frontline Source Group is a nationwide professional staffing and executive search firm founded in Dallas in 2004 with 32 plus offices, including a Denver office at 1512 Larimer Street, Suite 750. The firm has completed 5,619 successful placements with a 98.94% executive retention rate, holds a 5.0-star Trustpilot rating across 675 verified reviews, and is a Forbes Best Professional Recruiting Firm for 9 consecutive years and Forbes Best Executive Recruiting Firms #148 in 2026.
How can Denver employers hire a mechanical design engineer through Frontline Source Group?
Denver employers can submit a search request at frontlinesourcegroup.com/employer-request-form.html or review published engagement pricing at frontlinesourcegroup.com/pricing.html. Frontline Source Group offers direct hire, contract-to-hire, and contract engineering search, and every direct hire placement is backed by the 5-Year Placement Warranty.
