Engineering - CAD III

Business Title:                                             CAD III

Reports to:                                                  Engineering Manager

Leadership Scope:                                       Individual Leader

Company Info:               With a heritage of nearly 120 years, we aren’t just a company; we are a brand of trust.  But more than anything, we are a collection of individuals who, together, give Grote Industries a decisive competitive advantage. At Grote, our shared vision is clear – to meet the needs of the customers we serve. We accomplish that mission every day by following a set of core values that makes us who we are.

                                    Innovation has been the hallmark of Grote Industries from the start. From durable, easy to see stop lights to the latest in LED lighting technology, Grote has been leading the way in advanced vehicle system solutions from early in the last century right up to today. With these innovations, Grote has helped millions of people throughout North America and the world benefit from the innovation and design excellence of Grote products.

Position Summary:        The CAD Designer III is a senior-level design professional responsible for developing high-quality 3D models, engineering drawings, test fixtures, quality gages, and product designs in support of new product development, product validation, and existing product improvements. 

                                    This position works closely with Product Engineering, Simulation, Test Lab, Manufacturing Engineering, Quality, Tooling, and other cross-functional teams to ensure designs are manufacturable, assembly-friendly, dimensionally sound, and compliant with applicable engineering standards. 

                                    The ideal candidate has strong experience using Creo and Windchill, a solid understanding of GD&T, DFM, and DFA, and experience designing components for manufacturing processes commonly used in the automotive industry. Experience with plastic injection molded components, vibration and photometric test fixtures, and quality inspection gages is highly preferred. 

Position Duties:             - Create and modify complex 3D CAD models, assemblies, fixtures, and production drawings using PTC Creo.

                                    - Manage CAD data, product structures, revisions, and engineering documentation within PTC Windchill.

                                     - Develop detailed engineering drawings using proper GD&T, dimensioning, tolerancing, and manufacturing specifications.

                                     - Apply DFM/DFA principles to ensure designs meet manufacturing, assembly, material, tooling, and production requirements.

                                    - Designplastic injection molded components using appropriate practices for draft, wall thickness, ribs, bosses, parting lines, fastening features, and dimensional variation.

                                     - Design vibration and photometric test fixtures that provide accurate product mounting, positioning, repeatability, rigidity, and accessibility.

                                    - Design quality inspection gages and checking fixtures, applying appropriate GD&T and datum structures to accurately verify engineering requirements.

                                   - Evaluate component interfaces, tolerance stack-ups,                                              clearances, fits, and assembly requirements                  

                                    - Collaborate with Engineering, Test Lab, Manufacturing, Quality, Tooling, suppliers, and other technical teams to develop and improve robust design solutions.

                                    - Participate in design reviews and provide recommendations related to manufacturability, assembly, dimensional control, testability, and CAD best practices.

                                     - Incorporate engineering changes while maintaining proper configuration and revision control.

                                     - Review designs and drawings for accuracy, completeness, manufacturability, and compliance with company standards.

                                     - Support troubleshooting, prototypes, validation, tooling, production launches, and resolution of design-related manufacturing or testing issues.

                                    - Provide CAD guidance to less-experienced designers and promote standardization, design reuse, and continuous improvement.

Requirements:              Requires 7+ years of professional CAD/design experience with advanced proficiency in PTC Creo Parametric and experience with Windchill or a comparable PLM system. Candidates should have strong knowledge of GD&T, DFM/DFA principles, engineering drawings, tolerance analysis, and manufacturing and assembly processes. Experience with automotive product development, plastic injection molded components, test fixtures, inspection gages, tooling, validation, and production launches is preferred, with automotive lighting experience highly desirable. Must possess strong mechanical aptitude, problem-solving skills, attention to detail, and the ability to independently manage multiple design assignments while collaborating effectively with cross-functional teams. An Associate degree in Mechanical Design, CAD Technology, Engineering Technology, or a related field is preferred; equivalent education, training, and experience will be considered.