Mechanical CAD Designer, Inventor Specialist

Location: Winona, MN (Onsite)

Compensation: $56,000–$75,000 annually, DOE

Department: Engineering

Employment Type: Full-Time | Exempt

A Day in the Life

Step into our Winona facility and translate ideas into production-ready realities. Your morning might begin by reviewing new requirements with engineering and sales, then opening Autodesk Inventor to shape precise 3D assemblies and the 2D drawings that bring them to life. By midday, you’re partnering with manufacturing and purchasing to confirm material choices and tolerances. In the afternoon, you’re vetting a design in a review—checking functionality and manufacturability—before jumping in with quality to resolve a dimensioning concern and updating the BOM to keep production moving.

What You’ll Own

• Turn project requirements into accurate, manufacturable designs for components, assemblies, and full systems.
• Build detailed 3D models and create clear 2D production drawings using Autodesk Inventor (or similar CAD).
• Apply robust mechanical design principles and align work to relevant industry and internal standards.
• Generate and sustain specifications, BOMs, drawings, and all supporting technical documentation.
• Coordinate with manufacturing, purchasing, planning, sales, and engineering from concept through launch.
• Provide hands-on support during pilot runs, new product introductions, and process changes.
• Lead and participate in design reviews to confirm form, fit, function, and manufacturability.
• Troubleshoot design, assembly, and BOM discrepancies; document resolutions and implement updates.
• Collaborate with quality teams to address design-related findings and drive corrective actions.
• Juggle multiple projects, prioritize effectively, and consistently meet deadlines and business goals.
• Respond quickly to engineering documentation issues to maintain production continuity.

What You Bring

• Bachelor’s degree in Mechanical Engineering or a closely related field.
• About 5 years of experience in mechanical design.
• Strong capability with 3D modeling and 2D drafting.
• Proficiency in Autodesk Inventor or an equivalent CAD platform.
• Solid understanding of manufacturing methods and core mechanical engineering concepts.
• Experience creating and maintaining robust technical documentation.
• Excellent analytical and problem-solving skills with high attention to detail.
• Clear written and verbal communication; effective cross-functional collaboration.
• Strong organization and project management abilities; proficiency with Microsoft Office.

Why This Role

• Competitive pay aligned with experience.
• End-to-end product exposure—from first sketch to production release.
• Collaborative environment bridging engineering and manufacturing.
• Stable, established manufacturing company with room to grow.
• Ongoing professional development and technical learning opportunities.

Tools & Focus Areas

• 3D Modeling
• 2D Drawings
• CAD Software (Autodesk Inventor)

You should be proficient in: Mechanical Design & Engineering