Principal CAD Designer

Please Note: To conform with the United States Government Space Technology Export Regulations, the applicant must be a U.S. citizen, lawful permanent resident of the U.S., conditional resident, asylee or refugee (protected individuals as defined by 8 U.S.C. 1324b(a)(3)), or eligible to obtain the required authorizations from the U.S. Department of State.

At CesiumAstro , we are developers and pioneers of out-of-the-box communication systems for satellites, UAVs, launch vehicles, and other space and airborne platforms. We take pride in our dynamic and cross-functional work environment, which allows us to learn, develop, and engage across our organization. If you are looking for hands-on, interactive, and autonomous work, CesiumAstro is the place for you. We are actively seeking passionate, collaborative, energetic, and forward-thinking individuals to join our team.

We are looking to add a Principal CAD Designer to our team. If you are great at what you do, enjoy working in a startup environment, and are passionate about developing leading-edge hardware for satellites, spacecraft, and aerospace systems, we would like to hear from you.

In this position, you will be responsible for providing advanced CAD design and drafting support throughout the product development lifecycle. This role develops, modifies, and maintains detailed 3D models, engineering drawings, and technical documentation while ensuring accuracy, configuration control, and compliance with engineering standards.

The Principal CAD Designer serves as a key technical resource supporting engineering teams through design execution, product data management, engineering change implementation, and continuous improvement of CAD processes and documentation practices. The ideal candidate demonstrates strong technical expertise in SolidWorks, exceptional attention to detail, and the ability to manage complex design data in a fast-paced development environment.

Job Duties And Responsibilities

• Provide advanced CAD drafting and design support throughout the product development lifecycle using SolidWorks.
• Generate, modify, and maintain detailed 3D models, assemblies, engineering drawings, and associated technical documentation.
• Ensure drawings and models comply with engineering standards, drafting practices, GD&T requirements, and company documentation procedures.
• Collaborate closely with engineering, manufacturing, quality, and program teams to support design development and product release activities.
• Support prototype, development, and production design updates as required.
• Manage and maintain mechanical CAD files, engineering drawings, and digital design documentation within Product Data Management (PDM) systems.
• Administer file structures, version control, and drawing release processes within SolidWorks PDM.
• Prepare, process, and incorporate Engineering Change Orders (ECOs/ECRs) into released documentation packages.
• Maintain accurate bill of material (BOM) structures and associated hardware configurations.
• Ensure proper configuration control and traceability of engineering documentation.
• Review CAD models and drawings for completeness, manufacturability, accuracy, and compliance with design requirements.
• Identify design issues, drawing discrepancies, configuration conflicts, and support corrective actions.
• Partner with engineers and cross-functional teams to resolve technical drafting and documentation concerns.
• Support root cause analysis and corrective action implementation related to drawing or documentation errors.
• Support standardization and continuous improvement of CAD processes, templates, libraries, and documentation workflows.
• Assist in developing drafting standards, best practices, and internal design procedures.
• Provide technical guidance and mentorship to junior designers or drafters as needed.
• Support departmental initiatives focused on efficiency, data integrity, and documentation quality.
• Ability to analyze detailed technical drawings and engineering data.
• Ability to work at a computer workstation for extended periods of time.
• Ability to maintain focus and accuracy while managing complex documentation.
• Ability to communicate effectively with engineering and manufacturing teams.
• Primarily office and engineering development environment.
• Frequent collaboration with engineering, manufacturing, quality, and program teams.
• Fast-paced product development environment with changing priorities and deadlines.

Job Requirements And Minimum Qualifications

• Associate’s degree or technical certification in Drafting, Design Technology, Mechanical Design, Engineering Technology, or related field preferred
• 7+ years of progressive CAD design and drafting experience in a manufacturing, aerospace, engineering, or product development environment.
• Advanced proficiency in SolidWorks, including part modeling, assemblies, and engineering drawing creation.
• Strong understanding of GD&T, mechanical drafting standards, and engineering documentation best practices.
• Proficiency with technical diagramming and drafting tools such as DraftSight, Lucidchart, Draw.io, or equivalent applications.
• Experience using issue tracking and workflow management tools such as Jira or similar systems.
• Knowledge of engineering change control processes and configuration management principles.
• Ability to interpret engineering specifications, manufacturing requirements, and technical documentation.
• Experience creating and managing bill of materials (BOM) structures and hardware documentation.
• Exposure to ERP and PLM systems preferred, including SAP, Windchill, ENOVIA, or similar platforms.
• Strong troubleshooting, analytical, and problem-solving skills related to CAD models and engineering documentation workflows.
• Exceptional attention to detail, organizational skills, and commitment to documentation accuracy.

Preferred Experience

• Strong mechanical proficiency and general understanding of manufacturing (CNC, 3D printing, etc.) and mechanical assembly techniques.
• Knowledge of applicable government and industry standards including ASME Y14.5 (Geometric Dimensioning and Tolerancing) and ASME Y14.100 (Engineering Drawing Practices), and its application techniques.
• Previous experience in supporting the design of electronic packages, ground structures, mechanisms, and/or composite structures.
• Aerospace or automotive electronics design experience.

$48.50 - $58.23 an hour

CesiumAstro considers several factors when extending an offer, including but not limited to, the role and associated responsibilities, a candidate’s work experience, education/training, and key skills. Full-time employment offers include company stock options and a generous benefits package including health, dental, vision, HSA, FSA, life, disability and retirement plans.

CesiumAstro is an Equal Opportunity employer. All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, color, religion, sex, national origin, disability, protected Veteran Status, or any other characteristic protected by applicable federal, state, or local law.

Please note: CesiumAstro does not accept unsolicited resumes from contract agencies or search firms. Any unsolicited resumes submitted to our website or to CesiumAstro team members will be considered property of CesiumAstro, and we will not be obligated to pay any referral fees.

We may use artificial intelligence (AI) tools to support parts of the hiring process, such as reviewing applications, analyzing resumes, or assessing responses and identifying potential inconsistencies or verification signals in application materials based on available information. These tools assist our recruitment team but do not replace human judgment. Final hiring decisions are ultimately made by humans. If you would like more information about how your data is processed, please contact us.