Senior CAD Designer

Sterling Engineering, Inc.; Kendall Township (IL); On-site; USD 69,000 - 80,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

PTO & holidays

Medical plans

Dental & vision

401(k)

ESOP

Job summary

Sterling Engineering, Inc. is seeking an experienced Sr CAD Designer to provide on-site drafting and design support in a high-volume manufacturing setting in Naperville, IL.

The role requires 7+ years of CAD experience, strong SolidWorks and AutoCAD skills, and the ability to deliver production-ready drawings and layouts. The contractor will maintain the engineering drawing library, develop 2D/3D models, and collaborate with engineering, maintenance, and production teams on process improvements

Qualifications

• 7+ years of professional CAD drafting or mechanical design in manufacturing settings.
• Advanced proficiency with SolidWorks and AutoCAD.
• Experience creating 2D drawings and 3D models.
• Reverse engineering of equipment or components.
• Ability to interpret technical drawings and specs.
• Detail-oriented with strong problem-solving and communication.

Responsibilities

• Maintain engineering drawing library with revisions and archival files.
• Create 2D layouts, 3D models, schematics, P&IDs and pipe routes.
• Develop production-ready drawings for machining, fabrication and molding.
• Design and modify plant-support equipment and assemblies.
• Convert field measurements into accurate 3D models and as-built docs.
• Collaborate with cross-functional teams to resolve mechanical issues.
• Ensure drawings meet engineering and plant standards.

Skills

CAD drafting experience

Mechanical design

Field measurements to 3D modeling

Problem solving

Tools

SolidWorks

AutoCAD

Job description

Title: Sr CAD Designer

Location: Naperville, IL

Compensation: $50-58/hr

Benefits:

• As a contract employee of Sterling, you are eligible to receive a Full Employee Benefits Package that includes paid time off, paid holidays, 3 medical plans to choose from, dental & vision plans, 401(k), and an Employee Stock Ownership (ESOP) plan.

Must have Skill Set:

• 7+ years of mechanical CAD/design experience
• Advanced SolidWorks and AutoCAD proficiency
• 2D/3D mechanical design and production-ready drawing development
• Manufacturing or industrial design experience, including reverse engineering

Overview:

A leading manufacturing organization is seeking an experienced Mechanical CAD Designer to provide hands-on, on-site design and drafting support within a high-volume production facility. This role will support engineering, maintenance, production, research and development, capital projects, and process improvement initiatives. The ideal candidate will bring 7+ years of mechanical CAD experience, advanced SolidWorks and AutoCAD skills, and the ability to develop accurate 2D drawings, 3D models, layouts, and production-ready fabrication documentation. Manufacturing or industrial experience is strongly preferred.

Job Duties:

• Maintain the site’s product data and engineering drawing library, including vendor documentation, revisions, updates, and archival of obsolete files.
• Create and maintain 2D plant layouts, process layouts, 3D models, schematics, P&IDs, process flow diagrams, pipe routing drawings, and mechanical drawings.
• Develop detailed, production-ready drawings for machining, fabrication, sheet metal, molding, injection molding, and other manufacturing processes.
• Design and modify mechanical components, equipment, assemblies, platforms, guards, carts, catwalks, and other plant-support equipment.
• Support capital projects by converting field measurements and point-cloud information into 3D models, layouts, installation drawings, and accurate as-built documentation.
• Perform reverse engineering of existing equipment and components to support replacement parts, cost reduction, equipment improvements, and reliability initiatives.
• Partner with research and development teams on prototype development, equipment design, and transition to production.
• Collaborate with engineering, maintenance, production, safety, project, and vendor teams to develop practical mechanical solutions.
• Obtain technical information, measurements, specifications, and drawings from vendors and internal stakeholders as needed.
• Ensure drawings, models, and technical documentation meet established engineering and plant standards.

Qualifications:

• 7+ years of professional CAD drafting or mechanical design experience, preferably within manufacturing, industrial, or production environments.
• Advanced proficiency with SolidWorks and AutoCAD.
• Strong experience creating and modifying both 2D drawings and 3D solid models.
• Demonstrated mechanical, machine, and component design experience.
• Experience with reverse engineering equipment, machinery, or components.
• Ability to interpret engineering drawings, schematics, specifications, measurements, and technical documentation.
• Experience creating drawings for machining, fabrication, sheet metal, molding, or similar manufacturing processes.
• Strong understanding of mechanical design principles, tolerances, dimensions, and drawing standards.
• Ability to work from field measurements and point-cloud data.
• Strong attention to detail, organization, communication, and problem-solving skills.
• Ability to independently manage multiple projects in a fast-paced manufacturing environment.

Qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, color, age, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, national origin, disability, protected veteran status, or genetic information.