Mechanical Design Engineer (Contractor)
About the role
Tangent is Growing Our Mechanical Engineering Bench
Tangent is a Calgary-based product development firm that solves complex engineering challenges across consumer electronics, industrial systems, and more. We are deeply technical, practical in our approach, and focused on building reliable hardware that performs in the real world, not just on paper.
The Opportunity
We are expanding our bench of independent mechanical design engineering contractors for upcoming project-based work.
This is not an employee role and it is not a full-time position. It is an opportunity for established independent contractors or consultants to partner with Tangent on defined projects as needs arise. Engagements may range from targeted design support to ownership of a full subassembly or mechanical workstream. We are looking for people who can step in quickly, work with a high degree of autonomy, and contribute meaningful technical value without extensive ramp-up.
The Kind of Work
Depending on the project, you may be engaged to: Develop mechanical concepts and detailed designs for physical products Create 3D models, production drawings, and design documentation in SolidWorks Support design reviews and cross-functional problem solving Contribute to DFM, tolerance analysis, materials selection, and FEA Support prototype builds and manufacturing readiness Take ownership of a component, subsystem, or defined mechanical scope
Ideal Background
We are most interested in individuals who already operate as independent contractors, consultants, or incorporated engineering service providers.
You likely bring
Strong experience in mechanical design for physical products Advanced SolidWorks capability, including detailed design and production drawings Confidence working through real-world engineering constraints, not just concept generation Working knowledge of manufacturing methods, prototyping, and product development processes The ability to document clearly, communicate well, and integrate into multidisciplinary teams Experience collaborating with electrical, industrial design, and project management teams
What Makes Someone a Fit
You are likely a strong fit if you: Can work independently and manage your own deliverables Are comfortable working on a project or scope basis rather than fixed ongoing hours Can plug into an existing team and add value quickly Have examples of shipped products, manufacturable designs, or complex mechanical problem-solving Already provide services as an independent contractor or consultant
What You’ll Gain
Exposure to a variety of technical challenges and industries Clearly scoped project opportunities The chance to work with a thoughtful, highly technical team Opportunities to contribute to real products with practical impact
How to Reach Us
We are not looking for a formal application package. Send us: A short introduction A portfolio, project summary, or work sample A brief note on the kinds of mechanical design work you typically take on as an independent contractor We are particularly interested in real-world examples where you owned the mechanical design, solved a difficult technical problem, or helped move a product toward manufacturing.
Not the right fit? Search for Mechanical Design Engineer jobs in Calgary, Alberta, Canada
About Tangent Design Engineering
Tangent Design Engineering Ltd. Is a Calgary, Alberta based engineering firm that has been in business for 16 years helping companies create and optimize new technologies and products to maximize their market impact. Tangent's services include product-market fit analysis, ideation and concept development, applied research and development, contract product engineering services, and manufacturing. With more than 30 multidisciplinary engineers and designers, Tangent can tackle tough and engineering challenges that result in revolutionary products in the medical, cleantech, ag tech, industrial sensing and control/IoT, transportation and oil and gas sectors.
Tangent's strength is in our product development process. Dubbed "The Framework", Tangent continuously refines our execution and design processes to constantly improve our results. Our ISO 13485 and ISO 9001 compliant development process can take projects from the earliest conceptual stage through to manufacturing, or any stage in between. We work closely with our clients to ensure excellent communication and information exchange, which is a key driver of positive outcomes in challenging development environments.
Tangent's clients range from early stage entrepreneurs with little to no engineering team to large scale enterprises that may have hundreds or thousands of engineers. We are flexible, accountable, and agile enough to fit easily with any sized group and any scope of work. We are currently working on exciting projects utilizing machine learning at the edge, wireless wide area mesh networking for data acquisition, novel ultra-wide dynamic range flow sensing, wearable medical sensing technology, clean hydrogen production, industrial system design, laser based toxic gas detection, and a number of other advanced technologies.
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Mechanical Design Engineer (Contractor)
About the role
Tangent is Growing Our Mechanical Engineering Bench
Tangent is a Calgary-based product development firm that solves complex engineering challenges across consumer electronics, industrial systems, and more. We are deeply technical, practical in our approach, and focused on building reliable hardware that performs in the real world, not just on paper.
The Opportunity
We are expanding our bench of independent mechanical design engineering contractors for upcoming project-based work.
This is not an employee role and it is not a full-time position. It is an opportunity for established independent contractors or consultants to partner with Tangent on defined projects as needs arise. Engagements may range from targeted design support to ownership of a full subassembly or mechanical workstream. We are looking for people who can step in quickly, work with a high degree of autonomy, and contribute meaningful technical value without extensive ramp-up.
The Kind of Work
Depending on the project, you may be engaged to: Develop mechanical concepts and detailed designs for physical products Create 3D models, production drawings, and design documentation in SolidWorks Support design reviews and cross-functional problem solving Contribute to DFM, tolerance analysis, materials selection, and FEA Support prototype builds and manufacturing readiness Take ownership of a component, subsystem, or defined mechanical scope
Ideal Background
We are most interested in individuals who already operate as independent contractors, consultants, or incorporated engineering service providers.
You likely bring
Strong experience in mechanical design for physical products Advanced SolidWorks capability, including detailed design and production drawings Confidence working through real-world engineering constraints, not just concept generation Working knowledge of manufacturing methods, prototyping, and product development processes The ability to document clearly, communicate well, and integrate into multidisciplinary teams Experience collaborating with electrical, industrial design, and project management teams
What Makes Someone a Fit
You are likely a strong fit if you: Can work independently and manage your own deliverables Are comfortable working on a project or scope basis rather than fixed ongoing hours Can plug into an existing team and add value quickly Have examples of shipped products, manufacturable designs, or complex mechanical problem-solving Already provide services as an independent contractor or consultant
What You’ll Gain
Exposure to a variety of technical challenges and industries Clearly scoped project opportunities The chance to work with a thoughtful, highly technical team Opportunities to contribute to real products with practical impact
How to Reach Us
We are not looking for a formal application package. Send us: A short introduction A portfolio, project summary, or work sample A brief note on the kinds of mechanical design work you typically take on as an independent contractor We are particularly interested in real-world examples where you owned the mechanical design, solved a difficult technical problem, or helped move a product toward manufacturing.
Not the right fit? Search for Mechanical Design Engineer jobs in Calgary, Alberta, Canada
About Tangent Design Engineering
Tangent Design Engineering Ltd. Is a Calgary, Alberta based engineering firm that has been in business for 16 years helping companies create and optimize new technologies and products to maximize their market impact. Tangent's services include product-market fit analysis, ideation and concept development, applied research and development, contract product engineering services, and manufacturing. With more than 30 multidisciplinary engineers and designers, Tangent can tackle tough and engineering challenges that result in revolutionary products in the medical, cleantech, ag tech, industrial sensing and control/IoT, transportation and oil and gas sectors.
Tangent's strength is in our product development process. Dubbed "The Framework", Tangent continuously refines our execution and design processes to constantly improve our results. Our ISO 13485 and ISO 9001 compliant development process can take projects from the earliest conceptual stage through to manufacturing, or any stage in between. We work closely with our clients to ensure excellent communication and information exchange, which is a key driver of positive outcomes in challenging development environments.
Tangent's clients range from early stage entrepreneurs with little to no engineering team to large scale enterprises that may have hundreds or thousands of engineers. We are flexible, accountable, and agile enough to fit easily with any sized group and any scope of work. We are currently working on exciting projects utilizing machine learning at the edge, wireless wide area mesh networking for data acquisition, novel ultra-wide dynamic range flow sensing, wearable medical sensing technology, clean hydrogen production, industrial system design, laser based toxic gas detection, and a number of other advanced technologies.