Customer-Driven Product Design Engineer

Protomet Corporation; Northern (KY); Hybrid; USD 75,000 - 105,000; Full time

Job summary

Protomet Corporation seeks a design engineer to bridge customers in the boating industry with our operations team. You will translate concepts into manufacturable designs, deliver CAD renderings, and maintain strong relationships with key customers.

Collaboration with sales and ongoing CAD training are expected to advance prototypes to production. You will contribute to design reviews, drive manufacturability improvements, and help ensure quality and timely communication across teams.

Qualifications

• Strong mechanical aptitude and intimate knowledge of manufacturing processes.
• Interpersonal skills and aesthetic design skills are valuable.
• Ability to deliver CAD concepts and renderings to customers.
• Occasional customer engagement and collaboration with sales are expected.

Responsibilities

• Visit customers or host them for a tour (with approval) at least 6 times a year.
• Call on at least one customer weekly and discuss non-work topics.
• Attend one industry expo or conference every year.
• Design, win, and present two million dollars worth of recurring annual projects.
• Identify and share one daily improvement with the engineering team (photo/video).
• Identify, purchase, and implement a significant technology per year.
• Engage in continuing education for CAD software.
• Advocate for manufacturability during design and prototype phases.
• Diagnose quality issues and prevent repeats.
• Ensure work instructions are available for new projects.
• Respond to external customer communications within 4 work hours.

Skills

Mechanical aptitude

Manufacturing processes

Interpersonal skills

CAD design

Change management

Communication

Aesthetic design

Tools

CAD software

3D rendering

Prototyping tools

Job description

Protomet Corporation seeks a design engineer to bridge customers in the boating industry with our operations team. You will translate concepts into manufacturable designs, deliver CAD renderings, and maintain strong relationships with key customers.

Collaboration with sales and ongoing CAD training are expected to advance prototypes to production. You will contribute to design reviews, drive manufacturability improvements, and help ensure quality and timely communication across teams.