Computer Aided Design Artist Jobs in Kentucky (NOW HIRING)

The Lead CAD Designer is a senior, hands‑on role responsible for leading all CAD design, documentation, and bill of material (BOM) activities for a small manufacturing team focused on residential and commercial HVAC products. This position reports directly to the Sr. Director of Engineering. The Lead CAD Designer owns the design documentation infrastructure of the engineering department, producing and controlling the models, drawings, and documentation that release products to the factory, and owning the accuracy and integrity of all bills of material for factory production. Beyond execution, this role establishes and governs the processes by which engineering information is created, reviewed, released, and revised, building formal document control where necessary. The role serves as the primary liaison between engineering, manufacturing, sales, and customer service for documentation‑related requests, and is the frontline coordinator for product change requests originating from Sales and Customer Service. This position owns the engineering change process across departments and acts as the primary point of contact for offsite and external design, documentation, and BOM resources. This is an onsite role based at the Aspen manufacturing facility in Humble, TX. Occasional remote work may be available following the initial onboarding period, subject to business needs and manager approval

• Lead the creation and release of production CAD models, drawings, and documentation for HVAC products, partnering with design engineers to carry designs from concept through manufacturing release
• Own and ensure accuracy of all bills of material (BOMs) across the product portfolio; create, structure, and maintain BOMs in the ERP environment and reconcile discrepancies among CAD, engineering documentation, and ERP records
• Own the engineering change process end to end, initiating engineering change notices (ECNs) and release notices (ERNs), routing them across engineering, operations, quality, sourcing, and customer service, and driving them to closure including effectivity and inventory disposition
• Support and coordinate engineering and factory activities requiring design or documentation input, including prototype builds, product launches and releases, running changes, and design updates; ensure drawings, BOMs, and supporting documentation are accurate and available in advance of build and release milestones
• Manage and organize incoming requests from sales and customer service for product customizations, configuration changes, and customer‑specific evaluations; prioritize, assign, and track these requests through completion
• Serve as the primary point of contact for offsite, offshore, and contract resources supporting CAD, technical writing, and BOM development; define scope, standards, and acceptance criteria, and review and approve deliverables before release
• Onboard and train new CAD designers and interns, including development of training material, drawing standards, and structured ramp‑up plans; provide day‑to‑day technical guidance and work direction to CAD staff
• Author and maintain written procedures, templates, and drawing standards governing engineering documentation; maintain revision and change history sufficient to support audit, warranty, agency certification, and field support requirements
• Maintain working familiarity with applicable AHRI, UL, ASHRAE, and DOE standards as they affect product documentation, drawing content, and certification records
• Associate's degree in drafting and design, computer aided design, engineering technology, or a related technical field; or an equivalent combination of technical coursework and directly relevant HVAC design experience. Bachelor's degree preferred
• Eight or more years of progressive CAD design experience in a manufacturing environment, with at least five years in HVAC or comparable sheet metal and tubing product design
• Proficiency in 3D CAD modeling and detailed engineering drawing creation required; SolidWorks strongly preferred. Demonstrated proficiency in Autodesk (Inventor, AutoCAD) or NX with the ability to transition to SolidWorks will be considered
• Demonstrated ownership of bill of material creation and maintenance within an ERP environment
• Demonstrated experience initiating and driving engineering changes across multiple departments to completion
• Demonstrated experience establishing or materially improving document control, revision, and releasing procedures in an environment lacking formal structure
• Working knowledge of sheet metal fabrication, tube and coil manufacturing, GD&T, and drawing standards
• Working ability to read and interpret electrical schematics and wiring diagrams
• Experience onboarding, training, or providing work directions to CAD designers or drafters
• HVAC product experience in a manufacturing environment

• Exposure to PDM or PLM platforms (SolidWorks PDM, Windchill, Teamcenter, Arena, or equivalent)
• ERP system experience (Infor, SAP, or similar) for BOM and routing management
• Experience with configuration‑driven electrical documentation and wire kit development
• Experience coordinating design or documentation work performed by external, offsite, or offshore resources
• Experience supporting prototype and pilot production builds onsite
• Certification or formal coursework in GD&T (ASME Y14.5)
• Prior experience in residential or light commercial HVAC equipment manufacturing
• Self‑directed and able to independently drive documentation and design deliverables to completion with minimal oversight
• Process‑oriented mindset with the initiative to build structure and standards where none currently exist
• Strong attention to detail and a demonstrated commitment to documentation and data accuracy
• Strong organizational discipline and follow‑through across many concurrent, cross‑departmental items
• Effective at working in teams towards a time‑bound set of goals and deliverables
• Excellent communication skills, with the ability to translate technical detail for engineering, factory, sourcing, and commercial audiences
• Project management, effective time management, and prioritization across concurrent workstreams
• Ability to be hands‑on as well as delegate and direct work where needed

This is an onsite position based at the Aspen manufacturing facility in Humble, TX. The designer will work on‑site daily, engaging directly with the manufacturing floor, test lab, and cross‑functional teams. Proximity to production operations, prototype builds, and testing activities are essential to the role. Occasional travel to suppliers, plants, or test facilities may be required, estimated at up to 10%.

While performing the duties of this job, the employee is regularly exposed to an office environment. Occasionally, the employee will be exposed to a warehouse environment and will be required to wear appropriate PPE. The physical and mental demands described here represent those that must be met by an employee to perform the essential functions of this job successfully. Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform essential functions. The employee will be required to read, communicate verbally and/or in written form, remember and analyze certain information, and remember and understand certain instructions or guidelines. The employee will encounter moderate noise, typical office lighting and temperatures, and moderate interruptions. While performing the duties of this job, the employee may be required to stand, walk, or sit at a computer for an extended period and may work in a confined area. The employee is frequently required to use hands and fingers to type, touch, handle, feel, and reach with hands and arms.

While performing the duties of this job, the employee is regularly exposed to a manufacturing floor and test lab environment. While performing the duties of this job, the employee is regularly required to sit, stand, walk, and talk or hear. The employee is occasionally required to use hands and fingers to type or dial, climb or balance, stoop, kneel, crouch or crawl, and reach with hands and arms. The employee must be able to lift and/or move up to 50 pounds. This position requires computer use. Specific vision abilities required by this job include close vision, color vision, distance vision, depth perception, and the ability to adjust focus.

RectorSeal has an effective process for assessing market data and establishing salary ranges to ensure we remain competitive. Based on your experience and market position, you are paid within the salary range. Employees may be eligible for pay incentives based on overall corporate and individual performance or at the discretion of the CSWI Board of Directors.

At RectorSeal, our employees enjoy the following benefits to support their physical, financial, and emotional wellness. These benefits include comprehensive medical, dental, and vision plans, 401(k), pension, life insurance, paid time off program with paid holidays, and various wellness programs.

Based in Houston, Texas, RectorSeal, LLC, is a wholly owned subsidiary of CSW Industrials, Inc. [NYSE: CSW] and is a leading provider of quality solutions for the professional trades serving heating, ventilation, and air conditioning (HVAC/R), plumbing, electrical, and construction markets. For more information about RectorSeal’s innovative products and brands that increase efficiency and improve reliability, please visit www.RectorSeal.com.

CSW Industrials is a diversified industrial growth company with industry‑leading operations in three segments: Contractor Solutions, Specialized Reliability Solutions, and Engineered Building Solutions. CSW provides niche, value‑added products with two essential commonalities: performance and reliability. The primary end markets we serve with our well‑known brands include HVAC/R, plumbing, electrical, general industrial, architecturally‑specified building products, energy, mining, and rail transportation.

Equal Opportunity Employer
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