Job Description

Company Profile:

Plant Prefab is the first Certified B Corporation™ building technology company dedicated to sustainable design, materials, and operations. The company’s patented Plant Building System™ utilizes advanced digital modeling and fully customizable Plant Panels™ and Plant Modules™ to help architects, developers, general contractors, and individuals design and build multifamily and custom single-family homes 20 to 50 percent faster than site-based methods. The system provides better quality control, design flexibility, and time, cost, and material efficiency than traditional methods of offsite or on-site construction. Plant opened a $40M, 270,000 square foot facility which can produce 3-5 million square feet of single and multifamily housing a year. It is the first automated factory in the US purpose built to create both panels and modules.

With a mission to build a better world by design, over thirty Plant projects have been certified LEED Platinum or Gold, making the company one of the most experienced designers of homes at the highest level of LEED certification. Plant projects have garnered significant industry recognition including the AIA’s top sustainable award, Architizer’s Jury and People Choice Awards, Green Builder Magazine’s Home of Year, Business 2.0 “World’s 11 Coolest Products”, Business Week’s “Architectural Wonders of the World”, and the Sustainable Quality Awards Grand Prize.

Plant Prefab is seeking an experienced CAD Engineer to model structures and building components for Plant projects utilizing our next-generation Plant Building System (PBS) components. Joining a small, but rapidly growing engineering team, the PBS CAD Engineer will follow Plant’s industry-leading best practices to create shop drawings, takeoffs, machine files, and executable BOMs. The position will also work with factory management and production teams to continuously improve Plant’s virtual fabrication and operational processes, driving production efficiency and accuracy with a design-for-manufacture mindset. This position reports to the Manager of Engineering. It is remote but limited to California residents and will require visits to our Tejon Ranch, CA facility approximately once every three months.

Core Responsibilities:

• Seamlessly integrate Revit files and PDF plans to CAD and CAM data as required.
• Create fully executable BOMs for material ordering and project costing, cut lists for material optimization, and construction drawings for production. Continue to iterate on each, striving for world-class quality and processes.
• Create and maintain detailed standard operating procedures for CAD processes to achieve production efficiencies and drive productivity.
• Develop virtual build process initiatives to manage projects from design-for-manufacture through the virtual fabrication process and its implementation into the Plant production system.
• Create detailed quality control protocols for the virtual build process; conduct tests and quality assurance checks to verify the quality of information output (autonomous quality).
• Spearhead various research and development initiatives to identify new methods and opportunities for process improvement.
• Communicate and collaborate with other managers, suppliers, and contractors.
• Prepare and deliver various Plant Virtual Build/CAD presentations, both internally and externally, as required for business needs.
• Ensure adherence to Plant standard processes, procedures, and corporate health, safety, and sustainability goals.
• Perform other activities as assigned to support the success of the organization.

Requirements

Required Knowledge, Skills, and Abilities:

• B.S. in engineering, architecture, building science, or related technical discipline
• A minimum of four years of experience in building design, covering various types of structures.
• Minimum of three years’ experience in 3D modeling, preferably of business or residential structures using CadWork;
• Experience in creating coordination plans, detailed shop drawings, and installation manuals, with a strong understanding of aligning design intent with on-site execution and ensuring clear, precise documentation for fabrication and installation teams
• Analytical and mathematical mindset, capable of evaluating and solving complex problems
• Excellent time management, organization, and project management skills with a demonstrated ability to keep projects, processes, and virtual information on track
• Knowledge of typical manufacturing facilities, terminology, and industrial operations (experience in automated fabrication, facility layout, and production workflow is a plus)
• Experience in modular and panelized construction, including familiarity with design, fabrication, and assembly processes specific to these construction methods.
• Ability to interpret SMEPF (Structural, Mechanical, Electrical, Plumbing, and Fire protection) construction documents and understand their integration within the overall building design.
• Understanding of general construction building systems, with specific expertise in light frame construction (experience in heavy timber and mass timber is a plus).
• Creative problem-solving skills and the ability to analyze inefficiencies and problems, identify root causes, and provide effective solutions
• Enthusiasm for working in a fast-paced, timeline-driven startup environment that requires a high degree of self-motivation
• A team player with a positive attitude and ability to work with cross-functional teams in a multi-cultural setting
• Strong written and verbal communication skills, excellent interpersonal communication skills, and the ability to explain technical information to non-technical audiences
• Interest in and ability to mentor less experienced staff
• Proficiency in Microsoft Office

Benefits:

• Competitive compensation (salary, discretionary bonus, and stock options) commensurate with experience and skills
• Excellent medical, vision, and dental insurance
• The opportunity to work with great architects and meaningfully contribute to projects that improve the quality of life for people and the planet

Application Instructions:

Please apply on Paylocity, taking care to complete all required fields.

Applicants must be authorized to legally work in the U.S.; sorry, no sponsorship is available. Applicants may be subject to passing a background check, drug screening, and pre-employment physical. Plant Prefab has an ongoing commitment to diversity, equity, and inclusion.