Resume Keywords · Mechanical Engineering

Mechanical Engineering Resume Keywords & ATS Skills

Mechanical engineering postings screen on the design and analysis tools the team uses, plus the manufacturing and quality terms attached to the role. ATS matching is literal, so name the CAD and simulation software (SolidWorks, CATIA, Creo, ANSYS, AutoCAD, Inventor), the processes (DFM, GD&T, CNC machining, injection moulding) and any standards or methods the posting lists. "Engineering design experience" on its own gives the filter nothing to match.

The fastest way to check your Mechanical Engineering resume against a real job description

Score My Resume — Free

The Mechanical Engineering keywords ATS actually scans for

These terms cluster into a few categories. Focus on the groups that match your target job description, and use the exact wording the employer uses.

CAD & simulation software

SolidWorksCATIACreoSiemens NXAutodesk InventorAutoCADANSYSAbaqusMATLABFusion 360Finite Element Analysis (FEA)Computational Fluid Dynamics (CFD)GD&T3D Modelling

Manufacturing & production

Design for Manufacturing (DFM)Design for Assembly (DFA)CNC MachiningInjection MouldingSheet Metal FabricationWeldingMachiningTolerancingAssembly ProcessesPrototypingRapid PrototypingProduction SupportLean ManufacturingSix Sigma

Project & quality

Product DevelopmentRoot Cause AnalysisFailure AnalysisQuality ControlQuality AssuranceISO 9001Test PlansValidation TestingTechnical DocumentationBill of Materials (BOM)Supplier CoordinationCost Reduction

Engineering fundamentals

ThermodynamicsFluid MechanicsMechanics of MaterialsStatics & DynamicsHeat TransferHydraulicsPneumaticsMaterials SelectionTechnical DrawingEngineering CalculationsHVACMaintenance Engineering

Where to place these keywords

Name the software and the deliverable in the same bullet — "modelled and validated a mounting bracket in SolidWorks and ran FEA in ANSYS" — instead of describing yourself as a "mechanical engineer". Mirror the posting's own terms (GD&T, DFM, ISO 9001) and keep the CAD list to the packages you can work in unaided.

Mechanical Engineering resume keywords FAQ

What mechanical engineering keywords should a resume include for ATS?+

The CAD and simulation software named in the posting (SolidWorks, CATIA, Creo, Inventor, AutoCAD, ANSYS, MATLAB) and the manufacturing and quality terms it uses — DFM, GD&T, CNC machining, tolerance analysis, root cause analysis — plus any standards such as ISO 9001 that the employer lists.

Do I need experience with every CAD package I list?+

No, but you should be able to work in each one without supervision. Software is cheap to name and easy to test in an interview, so list the packages you genuinely use and note honestly if one is new to you. A short, accurate list is stronger than a long one you cannot defend.

How do I describe projects without inventing numbers?+

Describe the problem, the tool and the outcome in plain terms — "redesigned a bracket in SolidWorks to simplify assembly" — and quantify only with figures you can verify from your own records. Scope and method carry a technical resume further than a figure you cannot explain when asked.

See how your Mechanical Engineering resume scores

Upload your resume, add a job description, and get a keyword-match score with the exact gaps to fix — free.

Score My Resume Now