Mechanical Design Manager- Solidworks

Job Title: Senior Design Manager — Sheet Metal (SolidWorks)

Location: Gurgaon, Haryana, India

Experience: Minimum 15 years overall; 7+ years in leadership

Working Days- Monday-Saturday

Employment Type: Full-time

Role summary

Lead the mechanical design organization focused on sheet‑metal products, driving concept-to-production delivery using SolidWorks. Own technical quality, team capability, process maturity (CAD/PDM/PLM), and cross-functional alignment to meet schedule, cost, and reliability targets. Balance hands-on design involvement with strategic leadership to scale product portfolios and manufacturing readiness.

Key accountabilities-

- Team leadership and people management

 - Recruit, develop, retain, and scale a high-performing design team (mechanical engineers, CAD leads, drafters).

 - Establish clear role descriptions, career ladders, KPIs, and individual development plans.

 - Conduct regular 1:1s, performance reviews, succession planning, and calibration with HR and senior leadership.

 - Promote a culture of ownership, continuous learning, safety, and cross-functional collaboration.

- Technical ownership and hands-on design

 - Provide hands-on SolidWorks leadership for complex sheet‑metal parts and assemblies; create and review 3D models, flat patterns, BOMs, and manufacturing drawings.

 - Set and enforce CAD modeling standards, naming conventions, feature suppression strategies, and template libraries.

 - Approve final CAD deliverables for prototype release and production release; maintain as‑built documentation.

- Product development lifecycle & project leadership

 - Drive design phases: conceptualization, feasibility, prototyping, verification, pilot production, and full-scale production.

 - Define design milestones, gate criteria, quality checkpoints, and deliverables (DFMEA, test plans, validation matrices).

 - Lead cross-functional Design Reviews (DRs) and Gate Reviews; present technical trade-offs and risk mitigation plans to stakeholders.

- Manufacturability, cost optimization & supplier engineering

 - Own DFMA for sheet‑metal: material selection, blank size optimization, bend allowances, nesting strategies, common parts, and fastener selection.

 - Collaborate with toolrooms and suppliers on tooling design (dies, progressive tooling, fixtures), vendor capabilities, and lead-time management.

 - Drive cost-down initiatives through design simplification, standardization, and volume-based sourcing strategies.

- Quality, compliance & reliability

 - Ensure designs meet applicable standards (safety, EMC, environmental) and internal quality requirements.

 - Lead root cause analysis (8D) for field failures involving mechanical design; drive corrective & preventive actions.

 - Oversee validation plans: structural testing, fatigue, vibration, thermal, and ingress protection as required.

- Process improvement & systems

 - Implement and mature CAD/PDM/PLM workflows (SolidWorks PDM/Manage, Teamcenter, Windchill), change control (ECO), and revision management.

 - Champion automation: design tables, macros, templates, configurators, and model-based definition (MBD) where applicable.

 - Institutionalize best practices: design reuse libraries, standard parts catalogs, and knowledge-sharing sessions.

- Stakeholder management & reporting

- Work closely with Product Management, Manufacturing, Procurement, QA, and Program Management to align schedules, costs, and requirements.

 - Produce regular reports on design progress, risks, resource utilization, and cost metrics to senior leadership.

 - Represent the design function in supplier selection, audits, and escalation meetings.

Deliverables & success metrics

- Deliverables

 - Complete CAD packages (models, flat patterns, drawings, BOMs) for prototypes and production.

 - DFMEA, tolerance stack-ups, verification & validation plans, prototype test reports.

 - Design standard documentation, CAD libraries, and training materials.

Required qualifications & experience (expanded)

- Education: B.Tech/B.E. in Mechanical Engineering or equivalent; M.Tech/M.S. preferred.

- Experience: Minimum 15 years in mechanical/product design with heavy emphasis on sheet‑metal; at least 7 years in a managerial or lead capacity.

- CAD skills: Expert-level SolidWorks (modeling, sheet‑metal module, assemblies, weldments, routing optional), experience with SolidWorks PDM/Manage or equivalent.

- Manufacturing knowledge: Thorough understanding of sheet‑metal fabrication processes (laser, plasma, punching, bending, progressive forming), welding, adhesive joining, rivets, fastening, surface treatments, and finish processes.

- Systems: Hands-on experience with PLM/PDM systems, ECO workflows, BOM management, and basic ERP interactions.

- Process skills: DFMA, GD&T, tolerance analysis, DFMEA, root cause analysis tools (8D, RCA), and test plan development.

- Leadership: Demonstrated people management, hiring, mentoring, and stakeholder negotiation experience.

- Communication: Strong written and verbal English; ability to present technical concepts to non-technical stakeholders.

- Mobility: Willingness to travel domestically and internationally to suppliers and production sites (as required).

Preferred / differentiating skills

- Certifications: CSWP/CSWE, Six Sigma Green/Black Belt, PMP or equivalent.

- Domain experience: Automotive, industrial machinery, telecom enclosures, medical devices, appliances, or defense.

- Simulation: Experience with sheet‑metal forming simulation (e.g., AutoForm), FEA for stamped parts, topology optimization.

- Tooling & fixtures: Prior experience designing jigs, fixtures, and progressive dies.

- Software: Exposure to CAM, nesting software, NestMaster, Lantek, RADAN or similar.

- Manufacturing exposure: Experience working with contract manufacturers and international supply chains.