Graphic Artist, Technical Publications - GM Defense

GM • Milford, MI

1d • Hybrid

About The Position

GM Defense is seeking a Graphic Artist to develop and sustain accurate, compliant, and usable graphics for military and commercial technical publications. This role supports multiple programs and converts engineering, service, logistics, and customer requirements into illustrations and graphical content that enable safe operation, maintenance, diagnosis, repair, training, and parts identification. The Graphic Artist works under general supervision and uses independent judgment to plan and complete assigned graphics work packages. The role partners with technical writers, service and sustainment engineers, design engineers, technicians, subject matter experts, program teams, customers, and other technical-publication professionals. Deliverables may include line-art illustrations, exploded views, component and assembly illustrations, electrical and system schematics, wiring diagrams, parts illustrations, operator and maintenance graphics, training content, Interactive Electronic Technical Manual content, Maintenance Allocation Chart graphics, and other publication products required by the assigned program. Candidates may bring experience from defense or aerospace technical illustration, military technical documentation, automotive service information, heavy equipment, industrial equipment, or another safety-critical technical-publication environment. The selected candidate will be expected to learn the GM authoring systems, internal processes, and program-specific deliverable formats needed for assigned work.

Requirements

• High School Diploma or GED.
• Associate’s or bachelor’s degree in graphic design, technical illustration, technical communication, fine arts, engineering, or a related discipline, or equivalent practical experience.
• 2+ years of demonstrated experience creating technical illustrations or graphics for automotive, defense, aerospace, aviation, military, or comparable safety-critical technical publications.
• Ability to interpret complex engineering drawings, engineering change information, wiring schematics, structural diagrams, parts information, and related technical data.
• Ability to create accurate, clear, and reproducible technical illustrations from engineering models, CAD or digital math, schematics, prints, photographs, or other source data.
• Ability to independently manage multiple assignments, coordinate dependencies, meet delivery commitments, and follow work through review and resolution.
• Strong analytical, organizational, technical communication, and cross-functional collaboration skills.
• Experience with a graphics, illustration, structured-authoring, content-management, or technical-publication production environment, with the ability to learn GM-specific systems and processes.
• Ability to work safely around vehicles, equipment, test articles, maintenance activities, and high-voltage systems as required by assigned work.
• Candidate must be a U.S. Person (U.S. citizen, U.S. permanent resident, asylee or refugee).
• Eligible to obtain Secret U.S. Security Clearance after hire.
• Ability to obtain and maintain a Common Access Card.

Nice To Haves

• Active Secret U.S. Security Clearance as of the first day of work.
• Experience with GM Service Information, Electronic Parts Catalog, GM MATH, GM MATH and Teamcenter, GM art-folder processes, or GM SI XML publication workflows.
• Demonstrated experience applying MIL-STD, DoD, S1000D, or comparable military technical-publication requirements to graphical content. Applicable examples may include MIL-STD-40051, MIL-STD-38784, MIL-STD-3031, or MIL-STD-2361.
• Experience with Teamcenter, Arbortext, Adobe Illustrator, virtual-reality systems, structured XML tools, IETM production, Maintenance Allocation Charts, or comparable authoring and publishing systems.
• Experience creating graphics for high-voltage, battery, propulsion, electric vehicle, controls, electrical, hydraulic, pneumatic, or other complex vehicle systems.
• Experience supporting physical validation, verification, logistics demonstrations, maintenance evaluations, technician reviews, or customer acceptance activities.
• Experience managing graphic-asset configuration, version control, archival systems, reuse libraries, or publication change incorporation.
• Associate’s or bachelor’s degree in graphic design, technical illustration, technical communication, fine arts, engineering, or a related discipline, or equivalent practical experience.
• High-voltage safety training or certification applicable to the assigned program.
• Experience in automotive, defense, aerospace, marine, heavy equipment, industrial equipment, or another safety-critical technical environment.
• Experience improving technical-publication workflows, templates, quality checks, traceability, review methods, or content-reuse practices.
• Experience training or mentoring others in technical illustration, publication graphics, authoring systems, or related technical skills.
• Green Belt or Black Belt certification.

Responsibilities

• Independently plan and execute assigned graphics work packages under general supervision, balancing technical accuracy, standards compliance, quality, schedule, and competing program priorities.
• Interpret contract requirements, statements of work, publication specifications, engineering inputs, technical-writer requirements, and customer expectations to determine the appropriate graphic content and production approach.
• Generate accurate exploded-view illustrations of mechanical assemblies, vehicle systems, components, electronic hardware, and other equipment used in operator, maintenance, repair, training, and parts documentation.
• Convert 3D CAD, digital math, virtual-reality content, engineering models, photographs, 2D and 3D prints, and other engineering data into clear, technically accurate 2D vector illustrations.
• Develop and revise line art, cutaways, assembly illustrations, component identification graphics, schematics, wiring diagrams, and other technical figures.
• Read and interpret engineering drawings, engineering change orders, parts information, structural diagrams, and full-vehicle wiring schematics to identify the content, relationships, and nomenclature that must be represented.
• Work with technical writers and technical subject matter experts to define figure requirements, resolve discrepancies, confirm terminology and callouts, and ensure that each figure accurately supports the associated procedure or publication content.
• Develop graphics for high-voltage, battery, propulsion, controls, electrical, hydraulic, pneumatic, and vehicle systems as assigned, using engineering and service experts to verify technical details.
• Produce and finish graphics in the applicable authoring and publication environment, including GM Service Information and Electronic Parts Catalog workflows when required.
• Integrate completed figures into the appropriate authoring system, XML or structured-publication workflow, art folder, IETM, Maintenance Allocation Chart, operator instruction, or other deliverable location.
• Apply applicable MIL-STD, DoD, S1000D, customer, contract, statement-of-work, accessibility, terminology, safety, and corporate publication requirements to assigned graphics.
• Participate in technical reviews, peer reviews, quality audits, and formal validation and verification activities; identify errors, document discrepancies, recommend corrections, and follow issues through closure.
• Participate in hands-on validation with technicians, vehicles, equipment, test articles, and customers when assigned, verifying that graphics accurately represent the physical product and support the intended maintenance or operating task.
• Maintain configuration, revision, traceability, naming, and archival discipline for new and existing graphical assets as designs, parts, procedures, and program requirements change.
• Manage, catalog, and update the graphical archive so approved assets can be located, reused, revised, and traced to the applicable publication or product configuration.
• Communicate status, risks, dependencies, technical concerns, and potential schedule impacts early to Technical Publications leadership and affected partners.
• Resolve moderate-scope graphics and publication problems independently using established processes and sound technical judgment; escalate issues requiring engineering authority, customer direction, or contract interpretation.
• Recommend and help implement improvements to figure templates, illustration standards, asset reuse, review methods, quality checks, archive structure, and graphics-production workflows.
• Share working knowledge with technical writers, graphic artists, and cross-functional partners and serve as a resource on assigned graphics processes and standards.
• Maintain a safe work environment and follow all applicable GM Defense, customer, facility, equipment, and high-voltage safety requirements.

Benefits

• From day one, we're looking out for your well-being–at work and at home–so you can focus on realizing your ambitions. Learn how GM supports a rewarding career that rewards you personally by visiting Total Rewards resources.

What This Job Offers

• Job Type: Full-time
• Career Level: Mid Level
• Education Level: Associate degree