3D Cad Engineer

3D CAD Engineer

Location: Holland MI Employment Type: Full-Time Direct Hire Salary: $53000 / Year Start Date: Immediate

Company Overview

Join a dynamic growth-oriented custom metal fabrication shop with approximately 25 employees specializing in innovative material handling solutions such as packaging carts dollies racks and custom flat beds in stainless steel. Founded in 1979 we pride ourselves on efficient manufacturing processes including advanced CNC fiber laser cutting for precise flat and tube material shaping press brake operations for heavy-gauge metals and on-site application engineering to deliver tailored proposals and prototypes. As a family-oriented faith-based organization we foster a collaborative values-driven environment where employees feel appreciated through team-building events flexible scheduling and opportunities to contribute to exciting projects in a fast-paced custom shop setting. Were expanding our design capabilities to support new ventures in aluminum and stainless steel fabrication making this a key role for driving innovation and departmental leadership.

Key Responsibilities

• Create detailed 3D CAD models and assemblies using SolidWorks with a focus on weldments flat sheet metal fabrication and complex welded joints to support custom designs from concept to production.
  
• Collaborate closely with customers sales teams and shop floor personnel through on-site visits iterative feedback loops and proposal development to ensure designs meet exact specifications and deadlines.
  
• Perform quoting estimating and material takeoffs for projects balancing design accuracy with lead time and cost efficiency.
  
• Lead and mentor the design department (a 3-person team) overseeing workflows cross-training on product lines and fostering a problem-solving culture to handle multitasking across diverse fabrication needs.
  
• Conduct regular shop floor interactions to validate designs against manufacturing realities including laser cutting press brake forming MIG/TIG welding (steel stainless steel and emerging aluminum applications) and assembly processes.
  
• Utilize SolidWorks libraries advanced features and best practices for repeatable high-precision outputs in a high-volume custom environment (from single prototypes to thousands of units).
  
• Organize and prioritize tasks in a deadline-driven setting adapting to evolving customer requirements and internal production pauses.
  

Required Qualifications

• Minimum 2 years of hands-on experience in 3D CAD design specifically with SolidWorks (3D modeling expertise required; 2D experience not necessary).
  
• Proficiency in weldments sheet metal design drawing creation and library management within SolidWorks.
  
• Strong communication and interpersonal skills with a proven ability to engage with external clients and internal stakeholders in a collaborative customer-facing role.
  
• Excellent problem-solving mindset organizational skills and adaptability in a multi-tasking fast-paced custom fabrication shop.
  
• Positive team-player attitude personality and cultural fit are paramount in our close-knit environment.
  
• Ability to work on-site in a shop/office hybrid setting with occasional remote access for laptops during non-core hours.
  
• Legal authorization to work in the US; no sponsorship available.
  

Preferred Qualifications

• Leadership experience or desire to grow into a department head role including mentoring junior designers and process improvements.
  
• Familiarity with custom metal fabrication processes including MIG welding for steel TIG for stainless and basic aluminum handling.
  
• Background in material handling or industrial design industries with exposure to reverse engineering or on-site assessments.
  

What We Offer

• Comprehensive Benefits: 401(k) matching full health insurance coverage generous paid time off and holiday observances.
  
• Work-Life Balance: Standard hours Monday-Thursday 7:30 AM - 4:30 PM and Friday 7:30 AM - 2:30 PM.
  
• Team Culture: Family-oriented and faith-based values with regular perks like Detroit Lions tailgate parties Friday group outings (e.g. to local spots like Buffalo Wild Wings) and a commitment to employee well-being we work hard but celebrate together.
  

This is a pivotal difference-making position in our design team were seeking enthusiastic engineers ready to lead innovate and thrive in a supportive hands-on environment. If you have a portfolio of SolidWorks designs (especially drawings or examples of weldments/sheet metal) wed love to review them.