Job Purpose
You will design custom tooling for composite manufacturing. Working directly with customers - often from incomplete or evolving requirements - you will develop tooling solutions and deliver a clear plan and complete data package to manufacturing.
The work is fast-paced and high-mix, spanning prototype programs, complex aerospace/defense structures, and leading-edge applications, often in the same week. Designers partner with manufacturing engineering and the shop floor to ensure solutions meet schedule and shop capabilities.
Successful engineers pair strong CAD execution with engineering judgment - understanding how a tool performs structurally and thermally through cure, and how it will be fabricated, inspected, and built from their drawings.
Duties and Responsibilities
The following duties are performed under minimal supervision from the Engineering Manager:
- Design composite tooling and mechanical assemblies in SolidWorks - part, assembly, surfacing, weldment, and large-assembly environments.
- Generate complete, production-ready designs from customer part geometry, basic solid models, surfaces, sketches, and verbal direction, including making and defending design decisions where the input data is incomplete.
- Apply functional tolerancing: define datum schemes that reflect how the tool is built and used, not merely how it was modeled; perform tolerance stack-up analysis (worst-case and/or statistical) on critical features.
- Work with customers to ensure the outputs of design meet requirements (be a solution-provider).
- Develop and maintain internal documentation for Design Engineering “Best Practices”.
- Design tooling for manufacturability and inspectability by engaging the fabrication shop, weld shop, and CMM/laser-tracker inspection team early so tooling can be fabricated, welded, handled, and inspected efficiently.
- Lead design reviews at predetermined stages with Manufacturing Engineering, Quality, Sales, etc.
- Create and maintain accurate Bills of Materials (BOMs) for assigned projects using Acctivate software.
- Execute engineering changes for assigned projects and maintain revision control on released designs.
- Work with vendors as needed to provide functional engineering/design support.
- Meet project deadlines and communicate schedule risk early.
Qualifications
REQUIRED — EDUCATION AND EXPERIENCE:
- Bachelor's degree in Mechanical, Aerospace, or Manufacturing Engineering, or a closely related engineering discipline. In lieu of a Bachelor's degree, an Associate's degree in mechanical design plus six (6) or more years of directly relevant mechanical design experience will be considered.
- Minimum three (3) years of professional experience in mechanical design, including the design of multi-part mechanical assemblies that were built and put into service (Extracurricular design projects may be considered in lieu of professional experience).
- Demonstrated proficiency in SolidWorks across part, assembly, surfacing, weldment, and drawing environments, including structural member profiles and cut lists. SolidWorks capability will be verified during the interview process
- Working knowledge of GD&T and functional tolerancing per ASME Y14.5. Must be able to read, interpret, and generate fully toleranced prints, and must be able to explain why a given datum scheme and tolerance was selected.
- Working knowledge of basic structural principles.
- Experience designing parts and assemblies for manufacture, with a practical understanding of machining, welding and weldment fabrication, and assembly processes and their real-world constraints.
- Must be a U.S. Person as defined by ITAR (22 CFR § 120.62) — U.S. citizen, lawful permanent resident, or other protected individual — due to work on export-controlled defense programs.
- Ability to understand and communicate in spoken and written English sufficient to safely perform the essential functions of the position, including understanding work instructions, safety procedures, and quality documentation.
PREFERRED:
- Experience with composite tooling design and composite processing methods (autoclave, oven, out-of-autoclave, vacuum bagging).
- Experience with top-down/skeleton modeling and large-assembly management techniques.
- Experience working within a manufacturing environment, ideally AS9100 or ISO 9001 certified.
- Hands-on shop, fabrication, welding, or machining background.
- Experience with fixtures, hard tooling, or CMM/laser-tracker inspection methods.
KNOWLEDGE, SKILLS & ABILITIES:
- Engineering judgment — able to make and defend design decisions with incomplete information and clearly explain the reasoning behind them.
- Demonstrated ability to work independently and execute projects in a collaborative and multidisciplinary environment.
- Able to communicate effectively, both verbally and in writing, with customers and management to not only reflect understanding of product and application, but also to strongly defend design decisions.
- Self-motivated with excellent time management skills.
- Demonstrates initiative, asks thoughtful questions, and is willing to speak up when appropriate.
- Able to work effectively in a fast-paced environment while producing accurate, consistent, detail-oriented work.
- Able to think creatively and solve problems both independently and as part of a team.
- Strong proficiency in Microsoft Office, namely Word, Excel, and PowerPoint.
A design portfolio is accepted and strongly encouraged. Include at least one fabrication drawing you produced yourself.
This position will be performed in an environmentally controlled office.
This position may require you to frequently visit the production floor, where you may be subjected to elevated noise, dust, or fumes. Appropriate hearing and respiratory protection will be provided if deemed necessary.
With or without reasonable accommodation, this position requires employees to:
1) Remain in a stationary position for prolonged periods.
2) Spend extended hours working in front of a computer screen.
3) Occasionally lift and/or move up to 25 lbs.
None. This position has no direct reports.
Pay: $75,000.00 - $85,000.00 per year
Benefits:
- 401(k)
- Dental insurance
- Employee assistance program
- Health insurance
- Health savings account
- Paid time off
- Vision insurance
People with a criminal record are encouraged to apply
Application Question(s):
- Do you have a minimum of three years of professional experience in mechanical design, including the design of multi-part mechanical assemblies that were built and put into service (Extracurricular design projects may be considered in lieu of professional experience)?
- This position may require access to information subject to U.S. export-control and ITAR requirements. Are you legally eligible to access such information and participate in applicable programs?
- Do you have the ability to understand and communicate in spoken and written English sufficient to safely perform the essential functions of the position, including understanding work instructions, safety procedures, and quality documentation?
Work Location: In person
