Design & Automation Engineer

Lava Island•Aurora, CO

1d•Onsite

About The Position

The Design & Automation Engineer owns original product design for Lava Island’s playground and jump deck equipment, using Autodesk Inventor from initial concept through build-ready specification. This is a from-scratch design role, responsible for creating the equipment designs and building reusable design resources for Active Play Solutions (APS). The engineer will also support warehouse automation and machine programming as production scales. The role will lead APS’s transition from AutoCAD to Inventor, including developing training materials and coaching the team on the new platform and design standards. It works across design, architecture, and production, coordinating with the Revit team to integrate equipment with building layouts and incorporating feedback from production leadership. The position is based on-site in Denver, with minimal travel.

Requirements

At least 5 years of experience in mechanical or product design.
Demonstrated experience creating original designs in Autodesk Inventor, rather than only editing existing files.
Strong working knowledge of Inventor iProperties and their use in drawings, bills of materials, and design documentation.
Experience integrating CAD design with automation, CNC, or robotics systems.
Ability to read and interpret engineering drawings, specifications, and manufacturing requirements.
Ability and comfort teaching others a new tool and new design standards.
Comfort working on-site in a production or warehouse environment.
Comfort with email, digital documentation, and design/PDM systems.
Ability to work in a Microsoft 365 environment.

Nice To Haves

Autodesk Certified Professional in Inventor for Mechanical Design or equivalent certification.
A background in playground, amusement, or structural steel manufacturing.
Familiarity with Revit.
Experience building configurable product models.
Experience with process automation or smart manufacturing systems.
Previous experience leading a CAD platform transition.

Responsibilities

Design playground and jump deck equipment from concept through build-ready specification in Autodesk Inventor.
Review drawings and models for accuracy, manufacturability, and compliance with design standards.
Build a library of reusable design templates, standard parts, and design documentation for APS.
Design and refine warehouse automation and machine programming as production volume scales.
Evaluate and recommend equipment and tooling upgrades to improve manufacturing efficiency.
Lead APS’s transition from AutoCAD to Inventor, including creating training materials and coaching the team.
Coordinate with the Design/architecture team working in Revit to ensure equipment integrates with building layouts.
Partner with production floor leadership to refine designs based on build feedback.