Senior Mechanical Design Engineer - CAD for R&D

Vulcan Elements Inc.; North Carolina; On-site; USD 70,000 - 95,000; Full time

Job summary

Vulcan Elements Inc. is seeking a CAD Designer to own new designs for parts and equipment in our R&D and pilot facility, from initial measurements and concepts through fabrication drawings and as-built documentation.

You will use SolidWorks or Fusion 360 to turn evolving process needs into buildable parts and assemblies. The ideal candidate combines strong mechanical design skills with hands-on machining, welding or similar experience, and collaborates with engineers, technicians and fabricators

Qualifications

• Technical training in CAD, drafting or mechanical design, or equivalent practical experience.
• Demonstrated experience designing mechanical parts and assemblies in SolidWorks, Fusion 360 or similar parametric CAD software.
• Hands-on experience in machining, fabrication, welding, equipment assembly, repair or a similar trade.
• Ability to produce clear shop drawings and apply appropriate dimensions, tolerances and fits.
• Ability to use measuring tools and translate physical parts and equipment into accurate CAD models.
• Understanding of manufacturing constraints and how design choices affect cost, lead time and buildability.
• Ability to incorporate feedback from the shop floor and work through design changes in a fast-moving R&D environment.

Responsibilities

• Design reactor parts, refractory geometry, cathodes, lids, and replacement components for high-temperature molten-salt electrochemical cells.
• Develop powder-metal feed-system parts, including hoppers, feed chutes, interfaces and mechanisms.
• Add features to machined components and design tooling, fixtures and equipment modifications for R&D and pilot projects.
• Create parametric 3D models and assemblies; check fits, interference, clearances and access for installation and maintenance.
• Work with engineers to incorporate material compatibility, thermal expansion, electrical isolation and cooling requirements into reviewed designs.
• Design for available manufacturing methods and practical shop constraints, including machining access, tolerances, standard stock sizes and inspection requirements.
• Weld access, assembly sequence, fasteners and serviceability.
• Measure existing equipment and reverse-engineer worn or undocumented parts; verify critical dimensions before fabrication.
• Work directly with machinists, welders, suppliers and technicians to resolve build issues, check fit and improve designs after testing.
• Produce fabrication-ready drawings with dimensions, tolerances, materials, finishes and applicable weld details.
• Maintain bills of materials, part numbers, CAD files and revision-controlled drawing packages.
• Own spare-part drawings and update as-built records so replacement parts can be ordered and installed reliably.
• Support supplier quotations and review proposed manufacturing changes with the responsible engineer.
• Manage multiple design requests and communicate priorities, lead times and design changes to the project team.

Skills

Mechanical design

Hands-on machining

Welding

Fabrication

Engineering teamwork

Education

Technical CAD training or equivalent

Tools

SolidWorks

Fusion 360

3D modeling

Job description

Vulcan Elements Inc. is seeking a CAD Designer to own new designs for parts and equipment in our R&D and pilot facility, from initial measurements and concepts through fabrication drawings and as-built documentation.

You will use SolidWorks or Fusion 360 to turn evolving process needs into buildable parts and assemblies. The ideal candidate combines strong mechanical design skills with hands-on machining, welding or similar experience, and collaborates with engineers, technicians and fabricators