SolidWorks Assistant Manager

POSITION OVERVIEW: The Assistant Manager - SolidWorks is a working leader who divides time approximately equally between technical project support and personnel management. The role supports lead designers on active packaged-equipment projects while supervising, coaching, and developing design/drafting personnel. The position provides hands-on SolidWorks expertise by creating and checking models and drawings, helping coordinate project design execution, reinforcing TAS standards and common architectures, and supporting engineering leadership in delivering safe, compliant, high-quality work on schedule and within budget. KEY JOB RESPONSIBILITIES: Project Support and Technical Execution (approximately 50%) • Support lead designers on moderate to complex packaged-equipment projects from turnover through release by assisting with design coordination, technical problem-solving, workload planning, and the quality and timeliness of assigned deliverables. • Interpret P&IDs, process flow diagrams, specifications, site and equipment layouts, piping plans, general arrangement drawings, bills of materials, and customer design inputs. • Create, modify, check, and approve reliable 3D SolidWorks models, assemblies, mating interfaces, library components, exploded views, layouts, section views, dimensions, callouts, and accurate BOMs. • Design and modify structural, mechanical, piping, electrical, and controls sub-assemblies while considering manufacturing constraints, installation access, maintenance clearances, and applicable codes and recognized standards. • Create and check project models and drawings as assigned, including assemblies, layouts, section views, details, dimensions, callouts, and BOMs; verify accuracy, completeness, manufacturability, and compliance before release. • Assist Lead Designers with project drafting plans, labor estimates, production schedules, deliverable lists, resource needs, and progress tracking; communicate risks, scope changes, and forecast impacts to the Lead Designer and Engineering Leadership. • Attend bid, kickoff/turnover, customer, vendor, project, and production meetings as requested to support the Lead Designer and coordinate design interfaces with Engineering, Project Management, Supply Chain, Manufacturing, Quality, and other stakeholders. • Identify and recommend value-engineered alternatives and practical design solutions to the Lead Designer without compromising safety, quality, maintainability, or customer requirements. Personnel Leadership and Department Support (approximately 50%) • Provide day-to-day supervision, work assignment, prioritization, and workload balancing for assigned designers and drafters; monitor task completion, quality, and schedule performance. • Participate in hiring, onboarding, training, performance evaluations, coaching, recognition, and performance remediation in partnership with Engineering Leadership and Human Resources. • Establish clear expectations and provide frequent feedback; mentor employees in SolidWorks, design practices, checking discipline, project execution, communication, and professional development. • Support manpower planning, utilization forecasting, project staffing, ETC/EAC updates, KPI tracking, and reporting of individual and team performance, including efficiency and accuracy. • Develop, improve, publish, and enforce design/drafting standards, checking procedures, templates, common architectures, library practices, documentation requirements, and configuration-management controls. • Help investigate and implement new technologies, hardware, software, and streamlined procedures in coordination with management, IT, and vendors; organize technical training as needed. • Serve as an escalation point for technical and personnel issues, resolving routine matters and elevating significant risks or decisions to Engineering Leadership. • Reinforce a collaborative, accountable, customer-focused culture and build effective working relationships within the department and across TAS. • Travel to customer, vendor, or project sites as required and perform other responsibilities assigned by TAS. *Other TAS duties assigned. JOB SKILLS: • Advanced, hands-on SolidWorks capability and the ability to independently deliver production-ready models and drawings with limited direction. • Proven capability supporting Lead Designers and project teams in packaged equipment, industrial plant, HVAC, piping, mechanical, and structural design and layout. • Broad understanding of structural, mechanical, electrical, and controls equipment interfaces, including operation, maintenance, access, and clearance constraints. • Advanced ability to read and interpret P&IDs and related engineering documents. • Working knowledge of codes and standards applicable to TAS equipment, including NEC, IEC, ASME, ANSI, AISC, AWS, UMC, OSHA, building codes, and other project-specific requirements. • Strong project-support skills, including labor estimating, task scheduling, resource coordination, progress tracking, and change-impact communication. • Demonstrated ability to coach, mentor, develop, and hold employees accountable while maintaining constructive working relationships. • Excellent written, verbal, interpersonal, and customer communication skills; strong technical writing and documentation ability. • Proficiency with Microsoft Excel, Word, PowerPoint, and related business software. EDUCATION & TRAINING: • High school diploma or equivalent required. • Post-secondary degree or certificate in drafting, design, engineering technology, or a related technical field preferred. • Direct industry experience may substitute for formal education. MINIMUM REQUIREMENTS: • 8+ years of relevant mechanical, structural, piping, electrical, controls, or packaged-equipment design experience, including substantial hands-on SolidWorks experience. • Experience supporting Lead Designers on complex projects through hands-on cr