John A.

Experience

• Mechanical Applications Engineer OEM Supplier – Industrial Printing Equipment · Full-time Nov 2022 – Present 3 yrs Chicago, IL, United States Design mechanical equipment that enables integration of industrial laser marking systems into customer production lines across food, beverage, and industrial sectors. Perform on-site surveys to evaluate line layouts, mounting options, and safety considerations. Manage projects from initial concept through installation, coordinating with internal stakeholders and customer teams. Develop custom mounting and guarding solutions tailored to conveyor systems and production environments. Use Autodesk Inventor Professional to create models, detailed drawings, and BOMs. Collaborate with sales, service, and engineering teams to ensure reliable operation in high-speed packaging lines. Provide technical documentation and field support for installations. Balance design for manufacturability, site constraints, and compliance with safety and performance standards.
• Senior Applications Engineer Sealed Air (Fortune 500 Company) · Full-time Nov 2021 – Mar 2022 4 mos Charlotte, NC, United States Worked in multiple R&D test labs supporting the development and validation of food packaging systems. Conducted mechanical testing, equipment setup, and data collection for prototype packaging materials and automation machinery. Collaborated with engineers and food scientists on experimental trials and contributed to design improvements for high-speed food processing environments.
• Mechanical Engineer Rexnord · Full-time Aug 2015 – Jul 2021 5 yrs 11 mos New Berlin, WI, United States Held mechanical engineering roles as Applications Engineer, Design Engineer, and Project Engineer supporting flexible element disc couplings for rotating equipment. Designed and optimized components for high-speed, long-span applications using SolidWorks, engineering calculations, and FEA. Led VAVE projects with global teams to reduce product variance, improve manufacturability, and lower costs. Applied ANSI and API 671 standards to both custom and standard coupling designs. Provided field support for installation, troubleshooting, and failure analysis. Collaborated cross-functionally on development of configuration tools to automate quoting and CAD outputs.
• Laboratory Engineer Waukesha Bearings · Full-time Feb 2013 – Mar 2015 2 yrs 1 mos Pewaukee, WI, United States Supported R&D for bearings, dampers, and sealing components through engineering and testing activities. Designed and set up test rigs, fixtures, and data acquisition systems. Monitored tests, collected data, and prepared reports to validate analytical models. Developed test proposals and specs, instrumented components, and performed light machining. Assembled piping and wiring using hoists and tools. Issued purchase requests, coordinated with vendors and subcontractors for timely delivery. Maintained lab organization, researched test instruments, and supported continuous improvement. Collaborated with R&D, project, and design engineering teams.
• Undergraduate Researcher UWM Center for Composite Materials · Part-time May 2012 – Dec 2012 7 mos Milwaukee, WI, United States Conducted research on Friction Stir Welding of dissimilar aluminum alloys, analyzing physical and mechanical property changes. Used non-invasive methods such as light microscopy and ultrasonic testing, followed by tensile, bend, impact, and nick-break tests per ASTM standards. Investigated how mold thermal conductivity affects grain structure in cast metals through metallurgical analysis, including polishing, etching, and microscopy. Contributed to self-healing material development and alloy design using phase diagrams. Awarded a Summer Undergraduate Research Fellowship.
• Quality Improvement Intern Brady Corporation · Internship Apr 2011 – Dec 2012 1 yrs 8 mos Milwaukee, WI, United States Supported production floor improvements by implementing standard work procedures, improving flow, and maintaining safety and 5S standards. Participated in PFMEA meetings to identify and correct failure modes, contributing to successful initiatives like Project Wildfire. Designed a feeder table for a die-cutting machine using SolidWorks, applying FEA and optimization techniques to reduce material use and cost.