Design Automation Manager

STS Technical Services is hiring a Design Automation Manager in Milwaukee, Wisconsin, to lead CAD, PDM and design automation strategy supporting configure-to-order and engineered-to-order manufacturing operations.

This role is designed for an experienced technical leader with advanced knowledge of DriveWorks, SolidWorks and SolidWorks PDM who can develop a CAD and automation team, improve system performance and drive configuration-based automation across engineering, manufacturing, sales and IT.

Position Overview

The Design Automation Manager leads and develops a team of CAD engineers and administrators while owning the strategic direction, performance and continuous improvement of the CAD ecosystem.

This position oversees SolidWorks, SolidWorks PDM and DriveWorks automation supporting commercial and industrial generator enclosures, subbases, exhaust systems and related sheet metal and weldment assemblies. The role requires a systems-driven leader who can combine technical expertise with the ability to advance DriveWorks implementation, innovation and adoption.

Responsibilities

• Lead, mentor and develop a team of 4+ CAD engineers and administrators, establishing priorities, workflows and performance expectations
• Define and drive the long-term roadmap for CAD systems, design automation and PDM infrastructure
• Establish DriveWorks as the primary platform for design automation and configurator-led quoting
• Allocate team resources across day-to-day support requirements and strategic initiatives
• Promote continuous improvement, accountability and proactive problem-solving across the team
• Own the administration and strategic direction of SolidWorks, SolidWorks PDM, DriveWorks Solo and DriveWorks Pro
• Oversee the configuration, maintenance and continuous improvement of DriveWorks automation projects, rules, forms and workflows
• Support the selection, deployment and administration of DriveWorks Administrator, Autopilot, Live and Pro Server modules as business needs require
• Maintain and enforce CAD standards, templates, file management practices and data integrity
• Develop and maintain a DriveWorks coverage roadmap across product families including enclosures, subbases, exhaust assemblies, sheet metal and weldment configurations
• Prioritize automation opportunities based on revenue exposure and engineering hours saved
• Drive guided selling and configurator-led quoting through DriveWorks Live
• Monitor the impact of automation on quote accuracy, quote turnaround and engineering rework
• Establish version control, testing and deployment processes for CAD and automation system updates
• Maintain defined sandbox-to-production deployment standards for DriveWorks projects
• Oversee ERP integrations and data flow between CAD, PDM and other business systems
• Support DriveWorks-to-Epicor BOM, item master and revision propagation
• Maintain DriveWorks platform currency through version upgrades, license management and alignment with SolidWorks releases
• Coordinate with DriveWorks resellers and vendor partners regarding training, certification, escalation and product roadmap needs
• Govern CAD and PDM operations across multiple facilities, including DriveWorks license management and cross-site automation standards
• Partner with engineering, manufacturing, sales and IT leadership to identify and prioritize automation opportunities
• Translate business and engineering requirements into scalable system solutions
• Champion CTO and ETO process improvements through automation and configuration-driven design
• Serve as the primary point of contact for vendor relationships, system upgrades and major integration projects
• Lead root-cause troubleshooting for complex CAD automation, data management and system performance issues
• Establish and maintain documentation standards for processes, workflows and system configurations
• Support Engineering Change Requests related to automation and CAD standards
• Manage DriveWorks rule changes that impact engineering release and manufacturing handoff
• Evaluate tools, processes and team capacity to improve efficiency, reliability and user experience
• Provide escalation-level technical support and oversee end-user training

Qualifications

• Proven experience managing or leading a team of CAD or automation engineers
• Advanced hands-on experience with DriveWorks Pro
• Direct project ownership experience within DriveWorks Administrator
• Experience with DriveWorks Autopilot, Live and Pro Server modules
• Advanced knowledge of SolidWorks and CAD data structures
• Experience administering PDM systems
• Understanding of ERP system integration and data workflows
• Strong background in configuration-driven design, automation and rule-based systems
• Experience automating engineered-to-order or configure-to-order product families
• Working knowledge of manufacturing processes
• Demonstrated ability to independently drive initiatives and lead cross-functional projects
• Excellent analytical, troubleshooting and problem-solving skills
• Strong communication and leadership skills across technical and non-technical teams

Preferred Qualifications

• Experience leading 4+ direct or indirect reports
• SolidWorks PDM experience
• Epicor experience
• Sheet metal and weldment manufacturing knowledge
• Experience with SQL, APIs or scripting
• Bachelor’s degree in Engineering, CAD Technology or a related field
• DriveWorks Certified Implementer or Certified DriveWorks Pro Administrator
• Multi-site CAD and PDM experience involving replicated vault architecture

Key Traits for Success

• Strategic systems thinker who can connect engineering, manufacturing and business processes
• Strong leader capable of developing talent and driving team performance
• Proactive approach to identifying and executing automation initiatives
• Experience driving DriveWorks-led configurator rollouts
• Detail-oriented with a strong focus on data accuracy and standardization
• Comfortable owning outcomes and driving change across departments

About STS Technical Services

STS Technical Services is a Top 100 Staffing Firm that partners with leading aerospace, manufacturing, defense and industrial organizations across the United States. We connect skilled professionals with career opportunities where their experience can make an immediate impact.

Apply Today

If you have advanced DriveWorks, SolidWorks and PDM experience and are ready to lead design automation strategy within a complex manufacturing environment, apply today to join STS Technical Services as a Design Automation Manager in Milwaukee, Wisconsin.

Equal Opportunity Employer

STS Technical Services is an equal opportunity employer.

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