Cad Design Engineer

CAD Design Engineer Job Description The CAD Design Engineer creates manufacturing-ready 3D models from legacy 2D technical data for government and commercial parts that currently have no digital representation. This role focuses on transforming decades-old drawings into precise, production-ready models that enable rapid sustainment and rebuilding of critical systems. You collaborate closely with cross-functional teams to resolve ambiguities, ensure accuracy, and continuously improve modeling workflows. Responsibilities

- Build manufacturing-ready 3D models that match customer drawings feature for feature, ensuring dimensional accuracy and design intent are fully captured.
- Interpret complex 2D drawings with multiple views and sections, including internal features that only appear in section views, and translate them into robust 3D models.
- Identify and resolve conflicting or unclear views by analyzing the full drawing set and reconciling discrepancies before finalizing the model.
- Escalate any questions or issues that the drawings cannot answer to the program team prior to modeling, ensuring assumptions are validated and documented.
- Collaborate with Quality Operations and Design for Manufacturing teams to perform checks that confirm each 3D model matches the original print and is suitable for production.
- Handle customer-owned legacy data in accordance with each programs specific data-handling rules and security requirements.
- Support the continuous improvement of modeling workflows by helping to refine, standardize, and document processes as the team takes on additional programs and increased workload.
- Contribute to reverse-engineering efforts by rebuilding legacy or obsolete parts from old prints or 3D scans when required.
- Work effectively within an environment focused on aerospace, defense, and shipbuilding applications, including naval and submarine-related drawings.

Essential Skills

- Hands-on experience building 3D models of production parts directly from 2D drawings where no existing 3D model is available.
- Proven ability to work from complex drawings that include multiple views, sections, and internal features visible only in section views.
- Strong proficiency in at least one major 3D CAD package such as Siemens NX, SolidWorks, CATIA, or a comparable 3D CAD tool.
- Demonstrated capability in CAD modeling for manufacturing-ready models, particularly in 2D-to-3D conversion and reverse engineering contexts.
- Familiarity with interpreting legacy drawings and translating them into accurate, modern 3D representations.
- Ability to collaborate with quality and manufacturing stakeholders to validate models against original prints and production requirements.
- Eligibility to comply with U.S. Government export regulations, including the International Traffic in Arms Regulations (ITAR), as required for work on defense-related projects.

Additional Skills & Qualifications

- Fluency in Geometric Dimensioning and Tolerancing (GD&T), including standards such as ASME Y14.5.
- Experience in reverse engineering, including rebuilding legacy or obsolete parts from old prints or 3D scans.
- Background in aerospace, defense, or shipbuilding industries, particularly with naval or submarine drawings and shipbuilding applications.
- Hands-on experience with Siemens NX, SolidWorks, CATIA, or similar CAD tools in production environments.
- CATIA and Teamcenter experience, especially in managing and organizing engineering data within a PLM system.
- Experience helping a team build out and formalize its processes and workflows as workload and program volume increased.
- Comfort working with manufacturing-ready models and applying design-for-manufacturing principles in CAD work.

Work Environment The work environment centers on transforming legacy technical data into modern, manufacturing-ready 3D models for aerospace, defense, and shipbuilding applications. You work primarily with advanced CAD tools such as Siemens NX, SolidWorks, CATIA, and potentially Teamcenter for product data management. The role involves frequent collaboration with program, quality operations, and design for manufacturing teams to ensure models meet stringent production and regulatory requirements. You handle customer-owned legacy drawings and data under defined data-handling rules and ITAR-related regulations, contributing to mission-critical systems in a structured, process-driven, and highly detail-oriented setting.
Job Type & Location
This is a Contract to Hire position based out of Torrance, CA.
Pay and Benefits
The pay range for this position is $60.00 - $75.00/hr. Individual compensation offered for this position within this range will depend on many factors, including qualifications, skills, relevant experience, job knowledge, geographic location, internal equity, and other pertinent job-related factors. Eligibility requirements apply to some benefits and may depend on your job
classification and length of employment. Benefits are subject to change and may be
subject to specific elections, plan, or program terms. If eligible, the benefits
available for this temporary role may include the following:

Medical, dental & vision
Critical Illness, Accident, and Hospital
401(k) Retirement Plan Pre-tax and Roth post-tax contributions available
Life Insurance (Voluntary Life & AD&D for the employee and dependents)
Short and long-term disability
Health Spending Account (HSA)
Transportation benefits
Employee Assistance Program
Time Off/Leave (PTO, Vacation or Sick Leave)
Job Type & Location
This is a Contract to Hire position based out of Torrance, CA.
Application Deadline
This position is anticipated to close on Oct 27, 2026.
Workplace Type
This is a fully onsite position in Torrance,CA. About Actalent

Actalent is a global leader in engineering and sciences services and talent solutions. We help visionary companies advance their engineering and science initiatives through access to specialized experts who drive scale, innovation and speed to market. With a network of almost 20,000 consultants and 5,000 clients across the U.S., Canada, Asia and Europe, Actalent serves many of the Fortune 500. We are proud to be an Engineering News-Record (ENR) Top 500 Design Firm for our engineering design services and a ClearlyRated Best of Staffing® winner for both client and talent service.

The company is an equal opportunity employer and will consider all applications without
regard to race, sex, age, color, religion, national origin, veteran status, disability,
sexual orientation, gender identity, genetic information or any characteristic protected
by law.

If you would like to request a reasonable accommodation, such as the modification or
adjustment of the job application process or interviewing process due to a disability,
please email [email protected] for other accommodation options.

San Francisco Fair Chance Ordinance:
Pursuant to the San Francisco Fair Chance Ordinance, for all positions located in the
city and county of San Francisco, we will consider for employment qualified applicants
with arrest and conviction records.

Massachusetts Lie Detector:
It is unlawful in Massachusetts to require or administer a lie detector test as a
condition of employment or continued employment. An employer who violates this law
shall be subject to criminal penalties and civil liability.

Use of Artificial Intelligence (AI):
We may use Artificial Intelligence (AI) to support parts of our hiring process,
including sourcing, screening, and evaluating candidates. AI helps assess applications
and qualifications, but final decisions are made by our hiring team. By applying, you
acknowledge and agree that your application may be reviewed using AI tools.