Computer Aided Design Specialist

CDM Technology; Carlsbad (CA); On-site; USD 150,000 - 190,000; Full time

Job summary

Aptera seeks a CATIA/ENOVIA PLM Specialist to mentor the engineering team in CATIA V5/V6, lead Knowledgeware automation, and own vehicle-level clash reporting. You will collaborate with international partners to optimize CAD data exchange and drive standardization of templates and GD&T across programs.

Candidates should have production-depth CATIA expertise, ENOVIA/3DX experience, and a track record mentoring engineers.

Qualifications

• Production-depth CATIA V5/V6 expertise in aerospace/auto or similar.
• Hands-on Knowledgeware automation development EKL, Rules and Reactions, UDF and PowerCopy
• Track record mentoring engineers on CATIA

Responsibilities

• Mentor design engineers in CATIA V5/V6 at workstation and raise power-user capability.
• Develop and maintain CATIA Knowledgeware automation and reusable templates to speed modeling across programs.
• Own vehicle-level clash and interference reporting and drive resolution across zones.
• Run CAD collaboration across the 3DX ecosystem with international partners and manage V5/V6 data exchange.
• Maintain drawing templates, title blocks, and GD&T conventions with PLM governance.
• Support CATIA/3DX licenses, seats, upgrades, and configuration.
• Partner with PLM on BOM and attribute data quality for CAD release readiness.
• Document CATIA/3DX methodology as reusable guides for engineering
• Use Claude and Grok daily to multiply team output

Skills

CATIA V5

CATIA V6 3DX

ENOVIA PLM

Knowledgeware automation

Mentoring engineers

Education

Bachelor's in Mechanical Eng

Tools

ENOVIA

3DX

EKL rules

Claude

Grok

Job description

Carlsbad, California | Vehicle Engineering - PLM | Full-time, 100% on-site

About the role

Our client is hiring a CATIA / ENOVIA PLM Specialist to be the hands-on technical mentor for their engineering team. This calls for production-depth expertise in CATIA V5 and/or CATIA V6 (3DX/ENOVIA) - either platform qualifies. You'll work side by side with our Senior PLM Manager, DRIs, and design engineers rather than fielding tickets: building Knowledgeware automation with them, owning vehicle-level clash and interference reporting, and running CAD data exchange with our international engineering and manufacturing partners. This role takes a get-it-done mentality. Aptera is vectoring hard toward production, and the PLM team's job is to shorten that path. We need someone who thrives in a fast-changing environment and will go wherever the bottleneck is to free up colleagues.

What you'll do

• Mentor and train design engineers in CATIA V5/V6 (3DX/ENOVIA) at the workstation teaching modeling technique and moving people from user to power user, not just fielding tickets
• Develop and maintain CATIA Knowledgeware automation UDF, PowerCopy, EKL, Knowledge Patterns, Optimizer, Rules, and Reactions plus reusable design templates that speed and standardize modeling across the vehicle program
• Own vehicle-level clash and interference reporting as Aptera's clash-analysis evangelist engineers already run their own zone-level checks, so this role rolls those results up, drives disposition, and holds resolution accountability across zones
• Run CAD collaboration across our 3DX ecosystem with international engineering and manufacturing partners V5 3DX conversion, change-management reporting, and resolving exchange failures
• Maintain Aptera's drawing templates and standards title blocks and GD&T conventions in coordination with PLM governance
• Support CATIA/3DX administration licenses and seats, upgrades, and configuration
• Partner with the PLM team on BOM and attribute data quality, bringing CAD-side expertise to classification and release-readiness work
• Document CATIA/3DX methodology as reusable how-to guides for the engineering organization
• Use Claude and Grok daily to multiply individual and team output

Qualifications

• Production-depth expertise in CATIA V5 and/or CATIA V6 (3DX/ENOVIA), gained in aerospace, automotive, or another complex-assembly industry deep command of either platform qualifies on its own; both is a plus
• ENOVIA or an equivalent PLM data-management system, V5-era or 3DX/V6
• Hands-on Knowledgeware automation development EKL, Rules and Reactions, UDF and PowerCopy libraries, Knowledge Patterns, and Optimizer
• A track record training and mentoring other engineers on CATIA
• CATIA Interference Simulation, and reporting clash results at program or vehicle level
• Exchanging large CAD datasets with international suppliers or manufacturing partners V5/V6 file exchange, derived outputs, translation issues
• A get-it-done mentality reprioritizes daily, works from incomplete information, and self-directs in a resource-constrained program

Preferred Qualifications

• CATIA V5 and/or V6 Certified Professional
• Drawing standards and GD&T (ISO or ASME)
• VBA/VB.NET or CAA scripting for CAD automation
• BIW/composite design, harness/tubing/piping, Interiors/Exteriors, or mechatronics CAD methodology
• Designing and releasing prototype and production parts and assemblies
• Startup or fast-moving vehicle program background
• 3DX applications Change Management, Route Template, Release Engineer, Supplier Item Manager, Configuration Manager

Team Structure

• Reports to the Senior Manager, Body Structure & PLM Embedded in vehicle engineering as a mentor and technical resource, working closely with zone engineers, release engineering, and our international manufacturing partners.

Required Experience

• 8+ years in CAD/PLM engineering, CATIA/3DX administration, or engineering automation, with deep CATIA specialization

Educational Requirements

• Bachelor's degree in Mechanical Engineering, Manufacturing Engineering, Computer Graphics Technology, or a related field or equivalent hands-on experience