CAD Specialist

Role Overview and Responsibilities

The CAD Specialist is responsible for supporting the development, review, and release of printed circuit board (PCB) manufacturing data packages while ensuring designs meet manufacturability, quality, cost, and customer requirements. This role serves as a key technical resource between customers, suppliers, engineering, and manufacturing teams to resolve design issues, improve production readiness, and support successful product launches.

Key responsibilities include the following. Other duties may be assigned.

• Develop and release complete PCB manufacturing packages, including fabrication drawings, Gerber files, drill files, stack-up information, and supporting documentation.
• Prepare and maintain PCB quotation and technical review checklists to support estimating, business development, and new program opportunities.
• Coordinate and manage the PCB package review and sign-off process to ensure data accuracy and manufacturing readiness.
• Perform Design-for-Manufacturability (DFM) reviews utilizing Valor software and other engineering analysis tools.
• Develop, maintain, and verify DFM review parameters based on established manufacturing capabilities and design standards.
• Analyze DFM results and provide technical feedback to Product Engineers, Program Managers, and customers to address manufacturability concerns.
• Create PCB panel drawings and optimize panel layouts based on internal manufacturing requirements and process capabilities.
• Evaluate panel utilization and recommend cost-effective panelization strategies that maximize material yield and production efficiency.
• Review customer design data and communicate required PCB documentation, fabrication details, and technical requirements.
• Investigate and communicate discrepancies, file errors, or design concerns to Product Engineering, Program Management, Business Development, suppliers, or customers.
• Collaborate with manufacturing teams to incorporate process improvements, capability changes, and design rule updates into DFM standards and engineering procedures.
• Support the maintenance and continuous improvement of PCB design guidelines and manufacturing standards.
• Utilize PCB design software such as Altium Designer, Cadence Allegro, or Mentor Graphics to review and support PCB layouts and design revisions.
• Perform Gerber file modifications and edits to address manufacturability issues or customer design concerns.
• Coordinate with PCB suppliers to resolve technical questions related to fabrication, panelization, and manufacturing requirements.
• Serve as a technical liaison between customers, suppliers, engineering, and manufacturing teams to support issue resolution and project execution.
• Support manufacturing engineering activities through CAD fixture design, documentation development, and tooling support.
• Assist with estimating and quotation activities for PCB assemblies and made-to-print components by providing technical input and manufacturing recommendations.
• Participate in new product introduction activities to ensure designs are compatible with manufacturing processes and quality requirements.
• Support continuous improvement initiatives focused on quality, cost reduction, delivery performance, and manufacturing efficiency.

Qualifications, Skills and Attributes

Core requirements

To perform this job successfully, an individual must be able to perform each essential duty satisfactorily. The individual must be able to maintain confidentiality and have good judgment. The requirements listed below are representative of the knowledge, skill, and/or ability required. Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform the essential functions. A pleasant professional image is expected at all times. Candidate will be expected to exhibit high ethical standards and promote the same within the company.

• Associate's degree in Engineering Technology, or a related technical field; equivalent experience may be considered.
• 3-7 years of experience in PCB engineering, PCB fabrication, electronics manufacturing, or a related field.
• Working knowledge of PCB fabrication processes, PCB assembly requirements, and DFM methodologies.
• Experience with Valor DFM, Altium Designer, Cadence Allegro, Mentor Graphics, or similar PCB design tools.
• Ability to read and interpret engineering drawings, PCB fabrication documentation, and manufacturing specifications.
• Strong analytical, problem-solving, and communication skills.
• Experience working with customers, suppliers, and cross-functional engineering teams.
• Excellent communication both written and verbal. Ability to read and analyze periodicals, business reports, correspondence and procedure manuals. Ability to write reports, business correspondence, and procedure manuals. Ability to effectively present information and respond to questions from groups of managers, customers, Team Members and the general public. Ability to effectively present information and respond to questions. The individual must possess strong skills in grammar and proofreading.
• Ability to calculate figures and amounts such as averages, proportions, percentages. Utilize general algebraic and geometric tools as well as familiarity with metric units and conversion.
• Ability to collect data, solve practical problems and deal with a variety of concrete variables in situations where only limited standardization exists. Ability to interpret a variety of instructions furnished in written, oral, diagram, or schedule form. Ability to maintain a professional and positive image in any situation using good judgment.
• Ability to use office software, including Microsoft Word, Excel, Outlook, PowerPoint and business systems software. Experience with PCB Design Packages like Altium Designer, Cadence Allegro/OrCAD or Mentor Graphics PADS.
• This job has no supervisory responsibilities.
• The work environment characteristics described here are representative of those an employee encounters while performing the essential functions of this job. Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform the essential functions. The noise level in the work environment is usually quiet.
• The physical demands described here are representative of those that must be met by an employee to successfully perform the essential functions of this job. Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform the essential functions. The employee must occasionally lift and/or move up to 25 pounds. Specific vision abilities required by this job include ability to adjust focus. While performing the duties of this Job, the employee is regularly required to sit; use hands, finger dexterity, handle or feel; reach with hands and arms and talk or hear. The employee is frequently required to walk. The employee is occasionally required to stand; climb or balance and stoop, kneel, crouch, or crawl.