Student Employee

About U. S. Steel Tubular Products U. S. Steel Tubular Products manufactures seamless pipe and premium connections that support energy and industrial customers across the United States.

Position Summary

The Mechanical Engineering Co-op – Design & Product Development is a 2–3 consecutive-term development opportunity designed to provide engineering students with hands-on experience in mechanical design, product development, testing, and manufacturing at our Offshore Operations plant in Houston TX. The Co-op will work alongside engineers, operations, quality, and technical teams to support the design, development, testing, and improvement of products, components, tooling, and manufacturing processes.

Across consecutive Co-op terms, the student will build technical knowledge, take on increasing responsibility, and contribute to engineering projects from initial concept and design through testing, evaluation, and implementation.

Responsibilities

• Follow all safety requirements and actively support a safe work environment.
• Support mechanical design and product development projects within a manufacturing environment.
• Assist with the design and improvement of products, components, tooling, fixtures, and equipment.
• Develop and modify engineering drawings, models, and technical documentation using CAD software.
• Support engineering calculations and analysis to evaluate designs and product performance.
• Assist with prototype development, testing, data collection, and evaluation of engineering designs.
• Analyze test results and product performance data to identify potential improvements.
• Support troubleshooting and root cause analysis related to product, design, quality, or manufacturing issues.
• Work with manufacturing and operations teams to understand how product designs interact with production processes and equipment.
• Participate in design reviews, product testing, engineering trials, and continuous improvement activities.
• Support projects focused on improving product performance, quality, manufacturability, reliability, and cost.
• Maintain engineering documentation, drawings, test results, project information, and technical reports.
• Work cross-functionally with engineering, manufacturing, operations, quality, maintenance, and other technical teams.
• Take on increasingly complex assignments and project ownership as technical knowledge develops across consecutive Co-op terms.
• Present project findings, design recommendations, and technical results to engineering and plant leadership.

Requirements

• Currently pursuing a bachelor’s degree in Mechanical Engineering or a closely related engineering discipline.
• Ability to participate in a 2–3 consecutive-term Co-op program.
• Strong technical, analytical, communication, and problem-solving skills.
• Interest in mechanical design, product development, manufacturing, and engineering.
• Fundamental understanding of mechanical engineering principles, materials, and manufacturing processes.
• Ability to interpret engineering drawings and technical information.
• Ability to analyze data and apply engineering principles to practical design and manufacturing problems.
• Proficiency in Microsoft Office, particularly Excel.
• Ability to work independently and collaboratively with engineering and manufacturing teams.
• Ability to work onsite at the Fairfield, Alabama facility.
• Authorization to work in the United States.
• Ability to meet plant safety and PPE requirements and work in an industrial manufacturing environment.
• Ability to travel domestically between Tubular locations as needed.

Preferred Qualifications

• Coursework or experience with CAD software such as SolidWorks, AutoCAD, Creo, Inventor, or similar engineering design tools.
• Exposure to mechanical design, machine design, product development, or manufacturing processes.
• Experience with engineering drawings, tolerances, GD&T, or design documentation.
• Previous manufacturing, engineering, laboratory, technical, or hands-on project experience.
• Experience with engineering testing, data analysis, prototyping, or design projects.
• Familiarity with materials, mechanics, manufacturing methods, or mechanical systems.
• Strong academic achievement and demonstrated aptitude in engineering coursework.
• Experience participating in engineering design teams, Formula SAE, robotics, research, student organizations, or other technical projects.
• Strong written and verbal communication skills.
• Initiative, curiosity, and a strong interest in design, product development, and continuous improvement. What You Will Gain The Co-op program provides progressively deeper engineering experience across 2–3 consecutive terms, with a focus on mechanical design, product development, testing, and manufacturing. Co-ops will gain hands-on experience applying mechanical engineering principles to real products and manufacturing challenges while working directly with experienced engineers and plant professionals. Each term is designed to build on the previous experience, allowing the Co-op to take on greater technical responsibility, contribute to longer-term design and development projects, and gain experience taking engineering concepts from design through testing and implementation.