CAD Manager (Plant 3D & Engineering Systems)

About the Job

The Assistant CAD Manager – Plant 3D & Engineering Systems is a senior-level technical and leadership role with responsibility for supporting the CAD Manager in the administration, standardization, and continuous improvement of the company’s CAD and engineering systems, with a strong focus on AutoCAD Plant 3D. This position requires demonstrated leadership experience and ability to combine advanced technical expertise with team leadership, mentoring, and enterprise-level system support. The role serves as a technical delegate to the CAD Manager, providing oversight of Plant 3D and Plant PID specification development and integration into design projects. The role also provides advanced user support across multiple offices.

Essential Duties and Responsibilities

CAD Management & Leadership Support the CAD Manager in executing CAD strategy, standards, and governance.

• Mentoring, technical guidance, and coordination of CAD users across offices.
• Act as a senior technical lead and escalation point for complex CAD and Plant 3D issues.
• Assist with planning, prioritization, and execution of CAD initiatives.
• Support cross-discipline collaboration and promote consistent adoption of standards.
• Support development, maintenance, and enforcement of Plant 3D piping specifications and catalogs.
• Assist with P&ID and 3D model coordination to ensure data integrity and consistency.
• Lead or support QA/QC reviews and resolution of specification, catalog, and data discrepancies.
• Coordinate with engineering and procurement teams to align specifications with approved standards.
• Provide leadership in identifying and implementing improvements to CAD workflows, tools, and engineering technologies.
• Assist with evaluation, testing, and rollout of new software tools and system enhancements.
• Support documentation, version control, and change management related to CAD systems and standards.
• Champion continuous improvement initiatives that enhance efficiency, quality, and reliability.
• Provide senior-level technical support for active Plant 3D and CAD projects.
• Serve as a leadership resource for resolving complex system, data, or workflow issues.
• Assist with project setup, templates, and environment configuration.
• Mentor designers, engineers, and local support champions across offices.
• Lead or support development of training materials and internal documentation.
• Support onboarding and training of new CAD and Plant 3D users.
• Reinforce consistent application of company CAD standards across all offices.
• Gather user feedback and help translate it into actionable system improvements.

Plant 3D Specifications & P&ID Coordination

• Support development, maintenance, and enforcement of Plant 3D piping specifications and catalogs.
• Assist with P&ID and 3D model coordination to ensure data integrity and consistency.
• Lead or support QA/QC reviews and resolution of specification, catalog, and data discrepancies.
• Coordinate with engineering and procurement teams to align specifications with approved standards.

Technology Improvement & Process Optimization

• Provide leadership in identifying and implementing improvements to CAD workflows, tools, and engineering technologies.
• Assist with evaluation, testing, and rollout of new software tools and system enhancements.
• Support documentation, version control, and change management related to CAD systems and standards.
• Champion continuous improvement initiatives that enhance efficiency, quality, and reliability.

Project & User Support

• Provide senior-level technical support for active Plant 3D and CAD projects.
• Serve as a leadership resource for resolving complex system, data, or workflow issues.
• Assist with project setup, templates, and environment configuration.
• Mentor designers, engineers, and local support champions across offices.

Training & Standards Enforcement

• Lead or support development of training materials and internal documentation.
• Support onboarding and training of new CAD and Plant 3D users.
• Reinforce consistent application of company CAD standards across all offices.
• Gather user feedback and help translate it into actionable system improvements.

About You

• Minimum 10 years of experience in CAD, engineering design, or CAD management–related roles.
• Demonstrated prior leadership experience, such as:
• Lead designer, CAD lead, or technical lead roles
• Mentoring or supervising CAD users
• Leading technical initiatives or standards implementation
• Advanced experience with AutoCAD Plant 3D, including:
• Piping specifications and catalogs
• P&ID and 3D coordination
• Data management and validation workflows
• Strong understanding of industrial piping systems and engineering design processes.
• Experience supporting multi-office or enterprise CAD environments.
• Strong organizational, documentation, and communication skills.
• Ability to work independently while supporting leadership and organizational objectives.

Preferred Qualifications

• Formal CAD leadership or CAD management support role.
• Experience influencing or guiding technical teams.
• Familiarity with and development of CAD/BIM standards and QA/QC workflows.
• Experience developing and delivering technical training.
• Abreast of latest technology innovation, automation, and process improvement software and workflows.

About Us

We plan, design, engineer, and build food plants for major brands across the country and the world. For the past three decades, we’ve focused exclusively on the food and beverage industry, helping your favorite brands put your favorite foods in the grocery store. Simply put, food isn’t one thing we do, it’s all we do.

Dennis Group offers competitive compensation packages commensurate with experience. We provide comprehensive employee benefits including medical, dental, vision, life and disability insurance, paid time off including an open vacation policy, as well as bonus, profit-sharing, and other retirement benefit plans.

Dennis Group is proud to provide equal employment opportunities (EEO) to all employees and applicants for employment without regard to race, color, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, national origin, age, disability, or genetics.