Senior CAD Designer

Donaldson Company•Bloomington, MN

2d•Hybrid

About The Position

Donaldson is seeking a Senior CAD Designer for its Aerospace and Defense department. The role works with designers and engineers to create CAD models and drawings that support customers. The designer is expected to learn Donaldson products and processes and align work with business-unit goals. The role requires knowledge of design and drafting standards, including ASME, and familiarity with ASTM material specifications and standards. Knowledge of manufacturing processes such as sheet metal, machining, casting, and plastics is strongly preferred. The position requires working at least four days per week in Donaldson’s Bloomington, Minnesota office. The position spans leadership and execution, business processes and compliance, and technical design. Responsibilities range from collaborating with global teams and developing project plans to contributing to PPAP/SPAP processes and producing designs using CAD and Donaldson standards. Work includes system layouts, prototypes, electrical routing, sheet metal and plastic designs, complex models and assemblies, drawing reviews, GD&T, tolerance analysis, and coordination with suppliers. Some technical work is performed with guidance from engineers or senior colleagues. Candidates must have a high school diploma, at least five years of experience in design, drafting, or mechanical roles, and at least three years of experience using design or CAD software. An AAS degree in Engineering or CAD, proficiency with NX, SolidWorks experience, and PLM/Teamcenter experience are preferred. The position requires access to systems that store or transmit FCI/CUI data. Applicants must be legally authorized to work in the United States without current or future immigration sponsorship. Relocation assistance and remote work arrangements outside the United States are not available.

Requirements

High school diploma.
At least 5 years of experience in design, drafting, or mechanical roles.
At least 3 years of experience using design software or CAD software.
Knowledge of design and drafting standards such as ASME and familiarity with ASTM material specifications and standards.
Ability to work at least four days per week at the Bloomington, Minnesota office.
Must be legally authorized to work in the United States without the need for current or future immigration sponsorship.
Ability to meet applicable access requirements for systems storing or transmitting FCI/CUI data.

Nice To Haves

Knowledge of manufacturing capabilities such as sheet metal, machining, casting, and plastics.
AAS degree in Engineering or CAD.
Expertise with NX, or willingness and drive to learn NX, the primary CAD system for Aerospace and Defense.
Experience with SolidWorks, the secondary CAD system for Aerospace and Defense.
Understanding of standard PLM systems and how they interact with CAD; Siemens Teamcenter experience is highly preferred.

Responsibilities

Collaborate with global teams and influence alignment on shared goals.
Prioritize customer needs in design inputs through meetings and discussions, and help resolve conflicts constructively.
Develop initial project plans and milestones, facilitate team communication, and identify basic risks.
Incorporate diverse input, prepare concise written reports as needed, and present on mid-sized projects as needed.
Contribute to full PPAP and SPAP processes and ensure ECN compliance for projects.
Apply Donaldson EN and DBOS standards to design work and projects.
Participate objectively in design reviews and raise observations.
Review datasheets for media compatibility and flow rates, and support basic media testing in the lab as required.
Design complete system layouts from existing templates while considering specifications and costs.
Contribute to team problem-solving and apply knowledge of sealing, fasteners, and relevant materials and specifications.
Recognize intellectual property concepts and value propositions during team ideation for small projects.
Participate in prototype creation, including basic material selection, assembly, and test-fixture work.
Design basic electrical systems, including CAD harness pathways and electrical routing.
Use templates to design plastic parts, including injection-molded parts, for small projects.
Apply sheet metal design practices, including bend allowances, reliefs, and material thickness considerations for mid-sized features.
Design complex models and assemblies with design intent, including DFM, sketches, tolerances, basic simulation and rendering, master models, equations, design rules, edits, and integration with Donaldson PLM systems.
Generate simple fluid volumes in CAD under engineer guidance and apply basic CFD knowledge; recognize failure modes, fatigue, and stress in FEA contexts.
Apply ASME and ASTM standards, interpret CTQ and key characteristics, perform tolerance stack-ups to Donaldson standards, review FAI reports, communicate with suppliers, and lead advanced drawing reviews.
Apply advanced GD&T knowledge and practices.