Technical Designer

Quad•Waukesha, WI

20h•Hybrid

About The Position

The Technical Designer supports Quad’s Design Innovation team by translating design concepts into production-ready formats through technical documentation, prototyping, and design-for-manufacturing analysis. Working under the direction of the Department Lead/Manager, this role develops specifications, templates, and production outputs while collaborating cross-functionally with Product Design, Manufacturing, Sales, Agency Services and Mailing teams. This position provides exposure to structural design development and manufacturing processes. As technical skills and product knowledge are developed, opportunities for account assignments may be introduced, creating a pathway toward advanced Technical or Product Design roles within the organization.

Requirements

Education: Bachelor’s degree or certificate in Drafting, Computer-Aided Design, or related field. Equivalent work experience will be considered.
Experience: 1–3 years of related work experience preferred or demonstrated equivalent skills and competencies.
Self-motivated with strong interpersonal skills and demonstrated analytical thinking, including the ability to evaluate design feasibility and production constraints.
Ability to work independently in a hybrid environment while managing priorities effectively.
Open to learning new processes and contributing to continuous improvement efforts.
Strong attention to detail paired with a systems-oriented mindset.
Ability to manage multiple projects in a deadline-driven manufacturing environment.
Collaborative communicator comfortable working cross-functionally with design, manufacturing, Agency Services and sales teams.
Interest in learning production equipment capabilities and design-for-manufacturing principles.
Proficiency in Microsoft Office (including Visio), and FileMaker Pro.
Comfortable working within a manufacturing and production environment.

Nice To Haves

Knowledge of Adobe Creative Suite considered a plus.

Responsibilities

Project Support & Formatting: Support daily projects by preparing and refining production files while identifying format efficiencies and ensuring alignment with manufacturing capabilities.
Technical Documentation (Spec Sheets): Create and maintain detailed FileMaker specification sheets, ensuring technical information is accurate, organized, and aligned with evolving design and production requirements. Identify discrepancies or improvement opportunities as projects develop.
Output Materials (3D & Hard Copy): Develop physical prototypes and 3D digital mockups to validate structural design, manufacturing feasibility, and client expectations.
Template Creation: Create detailed format templates that align with production equipment capabilities, structural tolerances, and art layout requirements, ensuring scalability and repeatability across programs.
Order Confirmation Support: Support order confirmation documentation by validating format accuracy, production details, and alignment with approved specifications.
Manufacturing Liaison: Collaborate with manufacturing teams to ensure design intent is accurately translated into production, proactively identifying risks, constraints, and efficiency opportunities.
USPS Approvals (Support Role): Assist with USPS approvals in coordination with the Mailing Team.
Design-for-Manufacturing (DFM) Ownership: Progressively assume responsibility for evaluating and refining designs to ensure manufacturability, scalability, operational efficiency, and cost optimization. Anticipate and identify production risks, equipment constraints, and downstream operational impacts throughout the development process. Proactively propose alternative structural solutions, material selections, or format enhancements that enhance client value, improve production performance, and support incremental sales growth.
Process & Continuous Improvement: Contribute to documentation improvements, workflow efficiencies, and standardization efforts within the Design Innovation team.
Meeting Participation: Attend pre-production and informational meetings, taking notes and supporting follow-up action items.
Optional: Comp & Presentation Support: Provide support in comp development and presentation materials based on demonstrated proficiency and team needs.