Freelance Computer Aided Design Designer Jobs in Madison, AL

Company: Plasma

Department: Engineering

Reports To: Engineering Manager

Experience Level: Mid-Level

Employment Type: Full-Time

Plasma is seeking a skilled Mechanical CAD Designer to support the development and production of mechanical drawings for our Propulsion, Thermal Spray, and El Form product areas. This position will translate engineering concepts, specifications, and manufacturing requirements into accurate 2D drawings and 3D models.

The ideal candidate has practical experience designing mechanical components, assemblies, tooling, and fixtures in a manufacturing or aerospace environment. This individual will work closely with engineering, manufacturing, quality, and operations to produce designs that are technically accurate, manufacturable, inspection-ready, and compliant with applicable customer and industry requirements.

• Support design and documentation requirements for Propulsion, Thermal Spray, and El Form products and processes.
• Convert engineering concepts, sketches, specifications, and legacy drawings into complete CAD models and productionready drawings.
• Prepare assembly drawings, detail drawings, bills of materials, layouts, and supporting technical documentation.
• Apply appropriate geometric dimensioning and tolerancing in accordance with ASME Y14.5 and company drafting standards.
• Establish dimensions, tolerances, materials, finishes, coatings, and manufacturing notes in coordination with engineering and manufacturing personnel.
• Perform tolerance reviews and basic tolerance stackup analyses.
• Incorporate designformanufacturing and designforassembly principles into drawings and models.
• Revise drawings and models through the company’s engineering change and configurationcontrol processes.
• Maintain drawing accuracy, revision history, file organization, and traceability within the applicable documentcontrol or product lifecycle management system.
• Review designs for completeness, manufacturability, fit, function, and compliance with established requirements.
• Resolve drawing and design questions in collaboration with engineers, machinists, inspectors, technicians, and production personnel.
• Support manufacturing and quality teams during fabrication, assembly, inspection, troubleshooting, and correctiveaction activities.
• Assist with the review and improvement of drafting standards, CAD templates, drawing practices, and design workflows.
• Participate in design reviews and clearly communicate drawing status, design concerns, and recommended changes.
• Protect controlled technical information and comply with company exportcontrol, security, quality, and confidentiality requirements.
Required Qualifications
• Associate degree, technical certificate, or equivalent education and experience in mechanical design, drafting, manufacturing technology, or a related field.
• Approximately 37 years of professional mechanical CAD design or drafting experience.
• Proficiency with a professional 3D mechanical CAD platform such as SolidWorks, Autodesk Inventor, Creo, CATIA, or Siemens NX.
• Demonstrated ability to create productionready mechanical drawings for machined, fabricated, formed, or assembled components.
• Working knowledge of GD&T and ASME Y14.5 drawing practices.
• Understanding of mechanical design fundamentals, including fits, clearances, tolerances, fasteners, materials, and manufacturing processes.
• Ability to interpret engineering specifications, customer requirements, sketches, legacy drawings, and technical data.
• Experience working with bills of materials, drawing revisions, engineering change orders, and documentcontrol practices.
• Ability to manage multiple assignments and meet project deadlines with limited supervision.
• Strong attention to detail, organizational ability, and technical problemsolving skills.
• Effective written and verbal communication skills.
• Ability to collaborate in a handson engineering and manufacturing environment.
• US Citizenship and ability to obtain and maintain a DoD security Clearance
Preferred Qualifications
• Demonstrated proficiency with Geometric Dimensioning & Tolerancing (GD&T) and ASME drafting standards
• Ability to navigate and interpret engineering drawings, schematics and interface requirements
• Ability to meet deadlines
• Excellent communication skills for interacting with engineers, program managers and customers
• Ability to work independently and in a team environment
• Experience with SolidWorks PDM
• Experience designing components or tooling associated with propulsion systems, thermal spray operations, or El Form processes.
• Experience with AWS weld symbol terminology
• Experience performing tolerance stackups and supporting design reviews.
Core Competencies
• Mechanical design and drafting
• Drawing accuracy and attention to detail
• Design for manufacturing and assembly
• Technical problemsolving
• Configuration and revision control
• Crossfunctional collaboration
• Organization and time management
• Continuous improvement
• Accountability and sound technical judgment
Physical and Work Requirements
• Ability to work at a computer and use CAD software for extended periods.
• Ability to enter manufacturing and inspection areas to review hardware, tooling, and production processes.
• Ability to comply with all required safety procedures and use appropriate personal protective equipment.
• Occasional lifting of drawings, tooling, components, or equipment weighing up to 50 pounds may be required.
• Additional hours may occasionally be necessary to support project or production schedules.
Success in This Role

Success will be measured by the accuracy, completeness, manufacturability, and on-time delivery of drawings and models; effective coordination with engineering and manufacturing teams; adherence to configuration-control requirements; and the ability to identify and resolve design issues before they affect production, quality, cost, or schedule.

Equal Employment Opportunity

Plasma is an equal opportunity employer. Employment decisions are based on qualifications, merit, and business needs. We provide equal employment opportunities without regard to any status protected by applicable federal, state, or local law.