About the role
Mechanical CAD Designer (PTC Creo Expert)
Help build the next generation of a world-class scientific facility 📍 Berkeley, CA (on-site) 📅 12-month contract 💰 $73/hr
Why This Role? Most CAD jobs have you designing brackets. This one has you designing hardware for a cutting-edge research facility that will produce X-ray light up to 1,000 times brighter than what exists today. You'll work side by side with engineers and scientists, turning bold ideas into real, buildable equipment. If you love complex assemblies and take pride in a perfect drawing package, this is your kind of challenge.
What You'll Do 🧩 Mechanical CAD Design * Create and maintain detailed 3D part and assembly models in PTC Creo Parametric for apparatus, equipment, assemblies, facilities, utilities, and systems * Interpret engineering concepts and layouts, then develop, evaluate, and refine design concepts with the engineering team * Translate functional requirements into designs that balance form, function, schedule, cost, and material constraints * Build and manage complex assemblies using parent-child relationships, top-down design, patterns, sweeps and trajectories, and simplified representations * Revise designs based on engineering feedback, design reviews, and approved engineering changes
📐 Manufacturing & Assembly Documentation * Prepare complete, manufacturing-ready drawing packages: detailed fabrication drawings, multi-sheet assembly drawings, and bills of materials * Apply GD&T and project drafting standards to every drawing * Clearly communicate design intent with enough detail to support fabrication, assembly, inspection, and installation * Produce interface and integration models or drawings showing how components fit within larger systems
🤝 Engineering Collaboration & Integration * Work closely with mechanical engineers, scientists, other engineering disciplines, and project managers to define requirements and solve technical problems * Evaluate design alternatives and make sure designs integrate smoothly with surrounding assemblies and interfaces * Participate in design coordination meetings and design reviews * Flag unresolved technical issues early and keep work on track with schedules and priorities
🗂️ Standards & Document Control * Follow industry standards, engineering best practices, and internal quality requirements * Keep models, drawings, design files, and libraries organized and revision-controlled in Windchill (or similar PLM system) * Maintain accurate documentation suited to each assignment
What You Bring 🔹 5+ years of hands-on PTC Creo Parametric (Pro/E, Wildfire) experience 🔹 Advanced modeling skills: top-down design, patterns, sweeps, simplified reps, parent-child relationships 🔹 Drawing package expertise, including GD&T, assembly drawings, and BOMs 🔹 Solid mechanical engineering sense, balancing cost, schedule, and materials 🔹 Clear communication and strong documentation habits 🔹 Bachelor's in mechanical design, engineering technology, or related field, or equivalent experience
Bonus Points ⭐ * Experience at a national lab, research facility, or particle accelerator * Windchill or other PLM/PDM experience * Synchrotron or beamline design work * Supporting fabrication, assembly, or installation of complex systems
Good to Know * On-site role with minimal travel * Must meet site access, safety, and security requirements