CAD/Product Definition Mechanical Designer

Job Duties and Responsibilities

• 3D CAD Modeling and Mechanical Design Support
• Create fully parametric 3D solid models, assemblies, subassemblies, and component models in Autodesk Inventor based on sketches, redlines, field measurements, legacy drawings, vendor data, and design-engineer direction.
• Translate conceptual design intent into practical mechanical geometry that supports fabrication, assembly, installation, inspection, maintenance, and future configuration reuse.
• Build and maintain Inventor assemblies using sound modeling practices, including appropriate constraints, part relationships, feature organization, model-tree discipline, and assembly-level design intent.
• Support design engineers during concept development by identifying modeling challenges, clearance issues, tolerance concerns, fabrication constraints, and potential fit, form, or function risks early in the design cycle.
• Revise and refine existing models to support design optimization, hardware changes, field modifications, tolerance adjustments, material substitutions, and configuration updates.
• Maintain model integrity throughout iterative design cycles, ensuring changes are traceable, controlled, and consistent with approved engineering direction.
• Engineering Drawings and Product Definition
• Create and support the development of 2D engineering drawings derived from 3D CAD models using Autodesk Inventor and AutoCAD.
• Define appropriate drawing views, section cuts, detail views, notes, dimensions, tolerances, parts lists, and bill-of-material structures needed to clearly communicate the design.
• Work with drafters and engineers to ensure drawings accurately reflect design intent, manufacturing requirements, inspection needs, installation constraints, and configuration-control expectations.
• Review drawing packages for completeness, internal consistency, title block accuracy, revision history, BOM correctness, and alignment with the approved CAD model.
• Apply GD&T principles consistent with ASME Y14.5, including datum selection, feature control frames, material condition modifiers, tolerance zones, and functional tolerance stack considerations.
• Support compliance with applicable ASME drawing practices, including drawing format, line types, symbols, notes, views, and documentation conventions.
• Help ensure released drawings are suitable for procurement, fabrication, inspection, assembly, installation, and long-term sustainment.
• PLM, Digital Thread, and Digital Twin Support
• Support the program’s transition toward a PLM-enabled Digital Twin / Digital Thread by helping maintain authoritative, configuration-controlled digital product data.
• Ensure CAD models, drawings, bills of material, part metadata, revision histories, engineering change records, and supporting technical data are complete, accurate, and traceable within the applicable PDM/PLM environment.
• Aid engineering teams in structuring mechanical design data so that it can support downstream fabrication, inspection, installation, test planning, configuration management, sustainment, and future digital-twin use cases.
• Support model-based and data-centric engineering practices by maintaining consistency between 3D CAD models, released drawings, BOMs, interface documentation, and as-built/as-installed configuration records.
• Participate in efforts to improve CAD/PLM workflows, naming conventions, metadata standards, part classification, document relationships, lifecycle-state management, and digital-thread traceability.
• Help identify and resolve gaps between the physical hardware configuration and the controlled digital baseline, including redlines, field changes, as-built conditions, and configuration discrepancies.
• Support the development of a reliable digital product baseline that improves lifecycle visibility, configuration awareness, and reuse of proven design data across future program efforts.
• Configuration Management and CAD Data Control
• Maintain organized CAD files, drawings, models, BOMs, and supporting documentation within Autodesk Vault or other PDM/PLM systems.
• Support engineering change order, drawing release, revision-control, and redline-incorporation processes.
• Ensure CAD models, drawings, BOMs, and released documentation remain synchronized throughout iterative design cycles.
• Aid in maintaining internal CAD standards, drawing templates, model organization practices, metadata conventions, and documentation best practices.
• Participate in design reviews, drawing reviews, configuration-control reviews, and cross-functional technical meetings.
• Support disciplined technical-data management to ensure design products remain usable, searchable, traceable, and suitable for future program needs.
• Fabrication, Installation, and Field Support
• Support prototype, fabrication, assembly, installation, and production-readiness activities by providing accurate CAD data, drawings, fit-check support, and technical clarification.
• Work with engineers, technicians, machinists, fabricators, vendors, and field personnel to resolve design documentation issues discovered during fabrication, installation, or checkout.
• Support field measurements, hardware walkdowns, as-built updates, redline incorporation, and physical-to-digital configuration reconciliation.
• Aid in practical mechanical problem-solving when hardware, drawings, field conditions, or installation constraints do not fully align.
• Travel periodically to customer, vendor, fabrication, or test-site locations to support hardware execution and fielded-system needs.

Required Qualifications

• Associate degree in Mechanical Engineering Technology, Drafting Technology, Industrial Design, Manufacturing Technology, or a related technical discipline.
• 3-5 years of hands-on mechanical CAD experience using Autodesk Inventor in a manufacturing, test-system, industrial, aerospace, defense, or product-development environment.
• Must be able to obtain and maintain a US Government Secret Clearance.
• Demonstrated ability to create and modify mechanical parts, assemblies, and production-level engineering drawings.
• Working knowledge of GD&T and engineering drawing practices.
• Experience supporting design changes, drawing revisions, BOM updates, and configuration-controlled documentation.
• Ability to interpret sketches, redlines, vendor drawings, legacy drawings, field measurements, and verbal engineering direction.
• Experience working within a structured CAD data-management environment, such as Autodesk Vault, PDM, PLM, or similar configuration-controlled systems.
• Strong attention to detail and commitment to drawing accuracy, model integrity, documentation quality, and configuration discipline.
• Ability to work effectively with engineers, drafters, technicians, vendors, fabricators, and field personnel.

Preferred Qualifications

• Advanced Autodesk Inventor experience, including large assemblies, model configurations, derived parts, iParts/iAssemblies, frame generator, sheet metal, routed systems, or other advanced modeling features.
• Experience with Autodesk Vault, AutoCAD, Fusion 360, or other CAD/PDM/PLM tools.
• Strong working knowledge of ASME Y14.5 GD&T practices and ASME Y14-series drawing standards.
• Experience supporting Digital Twin, Digital Thread, Model-Based Definition, Model-Based Systems Engineering, or PLM-enabled product lifecycle initiatives.
• Familiarity with PDM/PLM concepts, including lifecycle states, item masters, BOM management, revision control, engineering change workflows, part metadata, and digital-thread traceability.
• Experience supporting defense, aerospace, Navy, R&D, test facility, industrial equipment, launch systems, pressure systems, structural hardware, or electromechanical integration.
• Experience developing drawings for machined parts, weldments, sheet metal, brackets, fixtures, harness-support hardware, equipment racks, mechanical interfaces, or facility-integrated hardware.
• Experience supporting fabrication shops, machine shops, assembly teams, installation teams, or field-test operations.
• Familiarity with engineering change processes, configuration management, controlled technical documentation, as-built records, and fielded-hardware configuration reconciliation.