Design Engineer

Design Engineer

Union Technologies is reindustrializing America's defense manufacturing base with a first-of-its-kind Factories-as-a-Stockpile™ model, integrating advanced robotics, manufacturing, and software into sovereign factory systems at scale. Headquartered in Dallas, Texas, UNION is dedicated to restoring America's industrial strength and guaranteeing deterrence for the century ahead.

As a Design Engineer your primary responsibility is to develop and release manufacturable mechanical designs for high performance, defense grade metal components, production tooling, fixtures, and related equipment. This role translates technical requirements into accurate 3D models, drawings, and specifications, working closely with manufacturing, quality, and process engineering to bring designs from concept through qualification and production. A successful Design Engineer takes a hands on approach to solving design challenges, balances performance with manufacturability, and maintains disciplined configuration control in a fast-paced manufacturing environment.

Responsibilities:

• Develop detailed 3D models, assemblies, production drawings, and specifications for precision metal components, tooling, and manufacturing fixtures
• Translate customer technical data, design requirements, and production constraints into practical, manufacturable engineering solutions
• Create and maintain CAD models, drawings, bills of materials (BOMs), and engineering documentation using SolidWorks
• Apply GD&T per ASME Y14.5 and establish clear dimensional, tolerance, material, and surface finish requirements
• Collaborate with process, manufacturing, quality, and inspection teams to support design for manufacturability and assembly (DFM/DFA)
• Design and refine work holding, gauges, tooling, and fixtures for CNC machining, forging, inspection, and automated production cells
• Support design reviews, engineering change requests, drawing releases, and revision control through established PDM processes
• Resolve drawing interpretation questions and address design related issues identified during prototype builds, commissioning, and production
• Support first article inspections (FAI), dimensional inspections, technical reviews, and product qualification activities
• Evaluate tolerances, stack ups, material selections, and component interfaces to improve quality, repeatability, and manufacturing yield
• Coordinate with suppliers and internal stakeholders on component designs, tooling requirements, technical deviations, and corrective actions
• Other duties as assigned

Skills and Preferred Knowledge:

• Strong proficiency in SolidWorks, including parametric part modeling, assemblies, drawings, and design revisions
• Experience creating production-ready mechanical drawings and applying GD&T per ASME Y14.5
• Knowledge of CNC machining, metal forming or forging, fabrication, and precision manufacturing methods
• Working knowledge of materials, fits, tolerances, surface finishes, and inspection techniques
• Ability to design tooling, work holding, gauges, and fixtures with manufacturing and inspection needs in mind
• Experience with SolidWorks PDM or similar product data management and engineering change control systems
• Strong problem solving, dimensional analysis, and technical documentation capabilities
• Ability to collaborate effectively with machinists, manufacturing engineers, quality personnel, and suppliers
• Ability to operate in a fast-paced manufacturing environment and provide hands-on support on the factory floor
• Proficiency using Microsoft Office (Outlook, Word, Excel, PowerPoint, Visio and Project)

Required Qualifications:

• Bachelor's degree in mechanical engineering, Manufacturing Engineering, or a closely related engineering field or industry related relevant experience
• 5+ years of mechanical design engineering experience in precision manufacturing, aerospace, defense, or complex industrial products
• Demonstrated experience creating and releasing detailed CAD models and manufacturing drawings using SolidWorks or equivalent software
• Strong working knowledge of GD&T, tolerance analysis, material specifications, and design for manufacturability
• Experience supporting design changes, prototypes, engineering documentation, and cross-functional technical reviews
• Experience with CNC-machined components and manufacturing tooling or fixture design preferred, proficiency in Mastercam a plus

Physical Demands:

• Walk, sit, stand, bend, lift, reach with hands and arms, stoop, kneel, crouch, crawl, use hands to fingers, handle or feel objects, and move continually during working hours
• Lift over 50 pounds, along with over the head lifting
• Vision abilities, peripheral vision, depth perception, and the ability to adjust and focus
• Able to work flexible hours – including over-time, and weekends to meet customer demands

Personal Protective Equipment - typically required to perform the essential functions of this job - will be provided.

Benefits & Perks:

• Competitive pay with equity
• Medical, dental, and vision insurance
• Paid time off and holidays
• Training and growth opportunities