CAD Engineer / 3D Design Engineer

This position is listed on behalf of a partner company, who manages all applications and next steps. Our partner is looking for a CAD Engineer / 3D Design Engineer based in India.
As a CAD Engineer / 3D Design Engineer, you will transform technical drawings, sketches, measurements, and existing components into accurate, manufacturable 3D models for additive manufacturing. You will play a key role in helping businesses reproduce obsolete, customized, and hard-to-source parts through innovative 3D printing solutions. Using industry-standard CAD software, you will design new components, optimize existing geometries, and prepare files for different manufacturing processes and materials. You will also evaluate part functionality, tolerances, structural considerations, and printability to ensure designs meet technical and production requirements. Working closely with engineering teams and manufacturing partners, you will contribute to developing efficient, repeatable workflows for digital part reconstruction and production. This fully remote opportunity offers the chance to apply your mechanical design expertise in a fast-moving environment at the intersection of CAD engineering, AI-powered platforms, and advanced manufacturing.
Accountabilities
Create accurate 3D CAD models from 2D engineering drawings, sketches, reference images, physical measurements, and customer specifications.
Design, modify, and optimize existing CAD models to improve functionality, fit, strength, manufacturability, and printability.
Prepare mechanical components for additive manufacturing processes, including FDM, SLS, SLA, MJF, and metal 3D printing.
Convert, repair, clean, and validate 3D model files across formats such as STEP, STL, IGES, 3MF, DXF, and DWG.
Review component geometry to identify potential manufacturing and printing issues, including thin walls, unsupported features, overhangs, tolerance conflicts, warping risks, and assembly-fit problems.
Develop technical drawings with appropriate dimensions, tolerances, material specifications, and manufacturing notes when required.
Collaborate with engineering teams and manufacturing partners to recommend design modifications based on material properties, production processes, and supplier capabilities.
Establish repeatable workflows for reconstructing legacy components, reproducing replacement parts, and converting existing designs into production-ready 3D-printed components.
Perform reverse engineering of mechanical parts using available drawings, measurements, reference models, or scanned data.
Create alternative design versions optimized for different materials, printing technologies, performance requirements, and production constraints.
Incorporate mounting holes, ribs, fillets, threads, fastening features, and assembly modifications into existing models as needed.
Organize CAD files, maintain revision histories, and document design changes to ensure traceability and consistency throughout the engineering workflow.
Evaluate design trade-offs involving structural integrity, material selection, manufacturing feasibility, and print quality.
Work efficiently in a dynamic environment, managing multiple design requests while maintaining accuracy, quality, and delivery timelines.
Requirements
Strong hands-on experience with professional CAD tools such as SolidWorks, Fusion 360, Siemens NX, CATIA, Creo, or Autodesk Inventor.
Ability to create clean, accurate, parametric 3D models suitable for engineering applications and manufacturing.
Practical experience designing or modifying mechanical components such as brackets, housings, fixtures, mounts, adapters, covers, jigs, and replacement parts.
Solid understanding of mechanical design fundamentals, including dimensional tolerances, assembly fits, wall thickness, fillets, threads, ribs, and fastening methods.
Familiarity with design-for-additive-manufacturing principles and the constraints associated with different 3D printing technologies.
Ability to interpret engineering drawings, sketches, incomplete specifications, and imperfect reference files and translate them into practical CAD solutions.
Understanding of material properties, component functionality, manufacturing feasibility, and the relationship between design geometry and print quality.
Experience converting and preparing CAD files for 3D printing, including formats such as STEP, STL, IGES, and 3MF.
Strong attention to detail and the ability to identify geometric inconsistencies, manufacturing risks, and potential design improvements.
Effective communication skills, with the ability to explain technical decisions and design trade-offs to engineering teams and manufacturing partners.
Ability to work independently, manage competing priorities, and deliver high-quality design outputs in a fast-paced startup environment.
A proactive, adaptable approach to problem-solving, with an interest in continuous learning and emerging manufacturing technologies.
Additional Skills That Would Be Advantageous
Experience designing components specifically for SLS, MJF, FDM, SLA, or metal additive manufacturing.
Familiarity with reverse engineering, 3D scanning, and scan-to-CAD workflows.
Knowledge of mechanical components used in automotive, aerospace, industrial, defense, or other manufacturing applications.
Experience with Geometric Dimensioning and Tolerancing (GD&T).
Ability to assess material and manufacturing process suitability based on part geometry, functionality, and performance requirements.
Experience preparing production-ready CAD files and technical documentation for external vendors, suppliers, or manufacturing partners.
Familiarity with iterative prototyping, design validation, and component optimization for additive manufacturing.
Benefits
Fully remote work arrangement with the flexibility to work from India.
Full-time employment in an innovative technology environment focused on additive manufacturing and digital engineering.
Opportunities to work on diverse CAD projects involving custom components, legacy part reconstruction, and replacement-part manufacturing.
Exposure to multiple additive manufacturing technologies, materials, and production workflows.
Opportunities to strengthen expertise in parametric modeling, reverse engineering, design optimization, and design for additive manufacturing.
Collaboration with engineering professionals and manufacturing partners on practical, real-world technical challenges.
Opportunities to contribute to standardized CAD workflows and scalable digital manufacturing processes.
A dynamic, fast-paced working environment that encourages initiative, technical ownership, and continuous improvement.
The opportunity to help businesses make hard-to-source and obsolete components available through modern 3D printing solutions.
Salary, healthcare coverage, paid leave, bonuses, and other employment benefits: Specific details were not provided in the original job description and can be clarified during the recruitment process.
We may use artificial intelligence (AI) tools to support parts of the hiring process, such as reviewing applications, analyzing resumes, or assessing responses and identifying potential inconsistencies or verification signals in application materials based on available information. These tools assist our recruitment team but do not replace human judgment. Final hiring decisions are ultimately made by humans. If you would like more information about how your data is processed, please contact us.

Work arrangement
Yes