Get your mechanical engineer resume past ATS screening. Paste any job description below, get your keyword match score, and generate a tailored CV in 60 seconds.
These keywords appear most frequently in mechanical engineer job descriptions. Missing even a few can drop your ATS score below the screening threshold.
Hard and soft skills that mechanical engineer ATS systems look for
Common mistakes that cause mechanical engineer resumes to fail ATS screening
Name your CAD software with the full product name: 'SolidWorks', 'CATIA V5/V6', 'Creo Parametric', 'NX Siemens' - not 'CAD proficient'
Include 'ANSYS' or 'SolidWorks Simulation' explicitly for analysis-heavy roles - FEA software is a top ATS filter for structural, thermal, and dynamic analysis positions
List your PE license state and number for senior and principal engineer roles - government, aerospace, and pressure vessel roles require active PE
Add GD&T (ASME Y14.5) explicitly - it's a mandatory ATS keyword for roles involving precision machining, manufacturing, or metrology
Specify your industry domain: 'aerospace', 'automotive', 'medical devices', 'consumer products', 'industrial equipment' - these are primary ATS specialization filters
Quantify design impact: 'redesigned heat exchanger assembly reducing manufacturing cost by $180K annually (22%)' combines technical keyword density with measurable business outcome
Top mechanical engineer ATS keywords include: your primary CAD software (SolidWorks, CATIA, Creo), FEA tool (ANSYS, SolidWorks Simulation), GD&T (ASME Y14.5), DFMEA / FMEA, DFM/DFA, your industry (aerospace, automotive, medical devices), Six Sigma (if applicable), PE license (if applicable), and PLM system (Windchill, Teamcenter). Always replicate exact acronyms and tool names from the job description.
PE licensure is required for any role that involves signing and sealing engineering documents for public use - common in civil/structural work, but less universal in manufacturing or product development. However, defense contractors, government agencies, and pressure vessel / ASME code work often require PE. Always check the job posting. Starting the EIT/FE exam early signals commitment to licensure even without the full PE.
Quantify by cost saved, weight reduced, cycle time improved, or reliability increased: 'Optimized bracket design through FEA (ANSYS), reducing part weight by 35% while meeting fatigue life requirements', 'Led DFMEA for hydraulic assembly, identifying 12 critical failure modes and reducing field failure rate by 40% over 18-month production run', 'Reduced CNC machining cycle time by 18% via tolerance stack-up optimization'. Specificity of tool + process + measurable result is the formula.
Mechanical engineer resumes typically focus on fundamental engineering disciplines - thermodynamics, fluid dynamics, structural analysis, machine design - and apply them across industries. Product engineer resumes center on consumer or industrial product development cycles: concept through launch, DFM, supplier management, NPI (new product introduction), and cross-functional collaboration with marketing and manufacturing. Overlap is high - check the job description for which emphasis to lead with.
Emphasize: systems thinking, interface definitions, trade studies, integration and verification (I&V), and any model-based systems engineering (MBSE) experience. Add aerospace-specific software (MATLAB, Simulink, STK, DOORS) and domain certifications. For defense/aerospace, obtain a security clearance if possible - it's a significant competitive differentiator and ATS filter for government contract roles.
Guides to help you pass ATS screening faster