CAD / Engineering Drafting Technician (Contractor)

CAD / Engineering Drafting Technician (Contractor)

We are seeking an experienced Engineering Technician to provide CAD design and engineering drawing support for our engineers and scientific staff. The position involves building and managing large, complex mechanical assemblies in CAD, producing fully defined engineering drawings, and generating documentation packages for custom lab equipment, mechanical hardware, and fixtures.

Responsibilities

• Provide mechanical drafting and design support to lead engineers, scientific, and technical staff utilizing CAD tools where design parameters and specifications have been established.
• Build and manage large, complex 3D CAD assemblies for custom mechanical equipment, fixtures, and hardware from engineer-provided concepts, sketches, and verbal direction.
• Model individual parts and sub-assemblies with proper parametric features, constraints, and mate relationships.
• Perform interference checks, fit studies, and assembly verification to identify issues prior to fabrication.
• Produce detailed 2D engineering drawings with geometric dimensioning and tolerancing (GD&T) per ASME Y14.5 standards.
• Generate accurate bills of materials (BOMs), drawing packages, cut sheets, and RFQ-ready documentation to support procurement and fabrication.
• Perform basic calculations using standard engineering formulas to support dimensioning, fitment, and material selection.
• Process drawings and other technical information using database management software.
• Maintain systems documentation, experimental records, and drawing archives to keep documentation current and traceable.
• Manage CAD file organization, naming conventions, and revision control.
• Incorporate redlines and design changes from engineers, updating models and drawings through revision cycles.
• Review completed drawings and documentation for adherence to drafting standards and specifications.
• Flag tolerance stackup issues, manufacturability concerns, or modeling conflicts for engineer review.
• Support the development and maintenance of modeling standards, drawing templates, and drafting best practices.

Qualifications

• 5+ years of experience as a CAD technician or engineering drafter building complex mechanical assemblies and producing associated drawings in a professional setting.
• Associate's degree or technical certificate in drafting, mechanical design technology, or a related discipline, or equivalent combination of education and related experience.
• Proficiency in SolidWorks, Onshape, or similar parametric CAD tools, with a willingness to learn Onshape if not already familiar.
• Intermediate to advanced knowledge of the standards, procedures, and techniques related to mechanical drafting, including knowledge of ASME Y14.5 Geometric Dimensioning and Tolerancing Standard.
• Demonstrated ability to build and manage complex, multi-component CAD assemblies.
• Familiarity with common manufacturing processes (CNC machining, sheet metal, 3D printing, welding) and how they inform drawing callouts and tolerancing.
• Ability to work independently, prioritize multiple requests, and meet deadlines.
• Effective written and verbal communication skills.
• Comfortable using collaboration and file management tools (Google Workspace, shared drives, etc.).

Bonus Qualifications

• Experience supporting R&D, prototyping, or lab environments where designs require frequent revision.
• Prior work in a semiconductor, materials lab, or similarly standards-driven environment.
• Experience with PDM or PLM systems for managing design data and revision workflows.
• Exposure to robotics, automation hardware, or custom fixturing and tooling.
• Hands-on shop or fabrication experience (machining, welding, assembly) that informs practical drafting decisions.

Submit resumes to

Type: Contract

Duration: 2-3+ Months

Location: Menlo Park, CA (Onsite, Remote or Hybrid)