CAD Designer (3D Printing + CNC + Laser) | Part-time to Full-Time | Future Team Lead

I’m hiring an experienced CAD designer for ongoing work creating production-ready designs for:

3D printing (FDM)
CNC cutting/routing
Laser cutting/engraving

This begins as a freelance/contract position, but my goal is to grow this into a full-time role. Long-term, this person will become the Lead Designer, owning quality standards and eventually managing a small team of designers.

What You’ll Do (Core Responsibilities)

You will take concepts (notes, rough sketches, measurements, reference photos) and deliver clean, manufacturable files for real-world production.

1) 3D Printing Design (FDM)

Create functional and aesthetic parts designed specifically for FDM
Design with correct tolerances/clearances, wall thickness, overhang/support considerations
Repair/optimize existing STLs (non-manifold, thin walls, weak features, etc.)
Export: STL + source CAD + STEP (as needed)

2) CNC Design

Create CNC-ready models and toolpath-friendly geometry
Design joinery, pockets, tabs, reliefs, and assemblies (as needed)
Provide: DXF/SVG for 2D profiles and STEP for 3D machining (depending on job)
Ensure designs match practical CNC constraints (bit radius, dogbones/reliefs, depth strategy)

3) Laser Cutting / Engraving Design

Create clean vector files for cutting/engraving
Layered designs, inlays, multi-pass concepts, and assembly-ready layouts
Provide: DXF/SVG/PDF with proper line weights/colors (or standardized layer naming)

Growth Path (Important):

As volume increases, this role will expand to include:

Establishing design standards (naming, file structure, tolerances, revision control)
Building a repeatable workflow: request ? prototype ? test ? revision ? final release
Performing or managing QA/QC before files are released
Mentoring/hiring additional designers and managing a small design team

Required Experience

Strong CAD skills (Fusion 360 preferred; SolidWorks/Onshape acceptable)
Proven experience designing specifically for:
FDM 3D printing
CNC
Laser cutting
Ability to deliver production-ready files with clear organization and consistency
Comfortable iterating based on test prints / test cuts
Strong communication and reliability (deadlines matter)

Preferred (Nice-to-Haves)

Experience with parametric design (templates/configurable models)
Familiarity with wood/ply/acrylic workflows (kerf, fitment, material thickness variance)
Light CAM awareness (even if you’re not generating toolpaths)
Experience reviewing others’ design work / team lead experience

Deliverables (Typical)

Per request/project, you will provide:

? Source CAD file (Fusion 360 preferred)
? Exported manufacturing files as applicable:
3D print: STL / STEP
CNC: STEP + DXF/SVG (as needed)
Laser: DXF/SVG/PDF (as needed)
? Notes on assumptions (material thickness, kerf, tolerances, assemblies)
? A revision or two after the first prototype/test (scope-dependent)

Goal is to move toward a full-time role once a consistent workload is established

How to Apply

Please include:

Your CAD software + formats you can deliver
3–5 eamples relevant to 3D printing + CNC + laser (portfolio links or screenshots)
Your rates (hourly and/or typical fixed pricing)
Typical turnaround time for small vs medium requests
Any experience leading, reviewing, or mentoring other designers