Position Summary
Legend Equipment is seeking an experienced Project Manager / CAD Design Engineer to oversee custom commercial truck upfitting projects from concept through production. This role is responsible for transforming customer ideas into buildable designs, producing professional 3D renderings and fabrication drawings, sourcing specialized materials and components, and ensuring projects are properly planned before entering production.
This position plays a critical role in helping our customers visualize their builds while ensuring our fabrication team has clear, accurate, and efficient plans to execute. The ideal candidate possesses strong mechanical aptitude, extensive CAD experience, excellent project management skills, and the ability to solve complex design and manufacturing challenges.
If you enjoy creating innovative solutions, designing custom equipment, and seeing your work come to life, we'd love to hear from you.
Primary ResponsibilitiesCAD Design & Engineering
- Design custom commercial truck equipment, service bodies, van interiors, flatbeds, cranes, generators, and specialty upfits.
- Create accurate 3D CAD models and detailed fabrication drawings.
- Produce customer renderings that clearly communicate the finished project prior to fabrication.
- Develop manufacturing drawings, cut lists, and assembly documentation.
- Design components that are practical, manufacturable, durable, and cost-effective.
- Review existing products and continuously improve designs for efficiency and ease of manufacturing.
Project Management
- Manage projects from initial customer approval through final production.
- Coordinate with sales, purchasing, fabrication, installation, and management.
- Develop project timelines and ensure milestones are achieved.
- Identify potential manufacturing challenges before production begins.
- Maintain accurate project documentation.
- Communicate design changes and project updates internally.
Manufacturing Engineering
The successful candidate must have a strong understanding of fabrication and manufacturing processes, including:
- Sheet metal fabrication
- Welding and structural steel design
- Aluminum fabrication
- Mechanical assemblies
- Hydraulic systems
- Electrical routing
- Commercial truck body installations
Candidates should understand how products are actually built—not just how they look on a computer screen.
The ideal candidate can look at a fabrication challenge and determine the most efficient way to manufacture it.
Material Sourcing & Procurement
- Source specialized materials and custom components for unique builds.
- Identify vendors for fabricated parts, hydraulic components, electrical components, and specialty equipment.
- Obtain pricing and lead times.
- Evaluate alternative materials to improve cost and quality.
- Work with purchasing to ensure all project materials are available before production begins.
Customer Visualization
Create professional renderings for customer approval, including:
- Service body layouts
- Cargo van interiors
- Flatbeds
- Utility bodies
- Generator installations
- Crane installations
- Liftgate configurations
- Custom fabrication projects
- Fleet vehicle concepts
These renderings should accurately represent the finished product while helping customers understand exactly what will be built.
Continuous Improvement
- Improve fabrication methods.
- Standardize common products.
- Reduce manufacturing time.
- Improve product quality.
- Develop new products for Legend Equipment.
- Assist in creating standardized build packages.
Required Qualifications
- Minimum 5 years of professional CAD design experience
- Minimum 5 years designing fabricated products, commercial equipment, or mechanical assemblies
- Strong understanding of fabrication and manufacturing processes
- Excellent mechanical aptitude
- Strong project management experience
- Excellent communication skills
- Highly organized
- Strong attention to detail
- Exceptional problem-solving abilities
- Ability to manage multiple projects simultaneously
Preferred Qualifications
Experience with one or more of the following:
- SolidWorks
- Autodesk Inventor
- AutoCAD
- Fusion 360
- Rhino
- SketchUp
Experience designing:
- Commercial truck equipment
- Utility bodies
- Flatbeds
- Cargo van interiors
- Hydraulic systems
- Weldments
- Sheet metal
- Structural steel
- Aluminum fabrication
Knowledge of:
- CNC plasma cutting
- Press brake operations
- Welding processes
- Manufacturing tolerances
- Bills of Material (BOM)
- ERP or MRP software
Desired Personal Characteristics
We're looking for someone who:
- Thinks like a builder, not just a designer.
- Enjoys solving complex fabrication challenges.
- Takes pride in designing products that are both functional and visually appealing.
- Can anticipate manufacturing issues before they happen.
- Pays exceptional attention to detail.
- Is resourceful when sourcing materials or solving unique customer requests.
- Works well in a fast-paced, team-oriented environment.
- Takes ownership of projects from start to finish.
Physical Requirements
- Ability to occasionally lift up to 40 lbs.
- Ability to spend extended periods at a computer workstation.
- Ability to walk through the fabrication shop and inspect projects.
- Comfortable working in both office and manufacturing environments.
What Success Looks Like
A successful Project Manager / CAD Design Engineer at Legend Equipment will:
- Deliver professional renderings that help customers confidently approve projects.
- Design products that are efficient to manufacture and install.
- Ensure fabrication teams have complete, accurate drawings and material lists before work begins.
- Keep projects on schedule through proactive planning and coordination.
- Source specialized materials and components efficiently and cost-effectively.
- Improve product quality, reduce rework, and support continuous improvement across the shop.
- Contribute new product ideas and standardized solutions that expand Legend Equipment's capabilities and strengthen its reputation for quality craftsmanship.
Pay: $60,000.00 - $80,000.00 per year
Benefits:
Work Location: In person
