OVERVIEW

The Product & Production Designer / Engineer is a hybrid CAD and engineering support role with a strong mechanical design focus. The ideal candidate understands—or is excited to learn—how products are actually built: welded, machined, wired, assembled, finished, tested, and installed in real-world environments. Hands-on experience building things in a shop, garage, lab, or field environment is highly valued.

This role blends CAD modeling, documentation, BOM updates, vendor coordination, and engineering support with shop involvement, fixture/tooling development, prototype testing, and cross-team collaboration. Candidates may enter this role at either a Designer or Engineer level, depending on experience.

IDEAL CANDIDATE PROFILE

The ideal candidate is someone who loves to tinker and build—whether that means working on cars, experimenting with electronics, programming small projects, running a 3D printer, or making things in a home shop. Maybe you’ve built your own deer stand, tackled a home renovation project, or spent weekends fixing and improving equipment just to understand how it works. You’re naturally curious, and you take pride in bringing ideas to life both on the screen and in the real world.

You enjoy CAD and design work, but you’re equally comfortable getting hands-on, testing parts, troubleshooting issues, and learning from the shop floor. You thrive in environments where digital design and physical manufacturing come together. When something needs to be done, you run toward helping—even if it’s outside your official job description.

You’re motivated to grow as a professional, see yourself developing into someone who can interact confidently with vendors and customers, and want to learn from colleagues across multiple engineering and manufacturing disciplines. You think long-term while continuing to grow each year, yet you also take action in the day, week, or month to get the job done.

At WiLL, you’ll fit right in if you have hobbies and passions outside of work—our team includes people who build and race cars, grow giant pumpkins, do art and pottery, farm, enjoy deer hunting season, play in rock bands, and generally love making things and pushing themselves creatively.

KEY RESPONSIBILITIES

CAD, Modeling & Documentation

• Create and update 3D models, assemblies, and mechanical drawings in SolidWorks or equivalent tools
  

• Prepare assembly documentation, wiring diagrams, mounting layouts, and manufacturing-ready prints
  

• Maintain revision control and ensure engineering documentation stays aligned with production needs
  

• Support BOM creation, part numbering, and technical product structure
  

Mechanical, Electrical & Electronics Integration

• Apply mechanical fundamentals to fixtures, brackets, housings, and product components
  

• Support electrical/electronics documentation such as wiring layouts and connector configurations
  

• Assist with mechanical–electrical prototypes and integrated design tasks
  

• Collaborate with engineers to solve cross-disciplinary challenges
  

BOM, Part Numbers & Product Data Accuracy

• Update and maintain Bills of Materials with precision and consistency
  

• Learn and apply WiLL’s internal part-numbering structure
  

• Identify discrepancies and collaborate with engineering and production teams to resolve them
  

Vendor Coordination & Purchasing Support

• Request quotes for materials, components, and outsourced parts
  

• Compare pricing, lead times, and vendor alternatives
  

• Assist purchasing with new part setup, documentation, and supplier communication
  

• Track vendor updates affecting cost, availability, or manufacturability
  

Shop & Production Support

• Spend time in the shop learning fabrication, assembly, wiring, finishing, and testing
  

• Assist with development of fixtures, jigs, assembly aids, and tooling improvements
  

• Validate drawings, test-fit parts, and help resolve production documentation questions
  

• Participate in prototype builds and product verification testing
  

3D Printing & Prototyping

• Prepare and run 3D print jobs for prototypes, fixtures, and design verification
  

• Perform basic finishing and quality checks on printed parts
  

Customer Project Support

• Assist with technical drawings, layouts, and mechanical details for customer-driven projects
  

• Contribute to custom configurations and unique application requirements

• Support engineering interactions with customer project teams when technical clarity is needed
  

QUALIFICATIONS

Required

• Technical degree, certificate, or coursework in mechanical design, engineering technology, industrial design, or a related field — OR equivalent hands-on experience building, fabricating, assembling, or working with mechanical/electrical systems. Even candidates who completed CAD or engineering courses in high school may be a great fit if they bring strong aptitude, curiosity, and hands-on experience.
  

• Strong proficiency in CAD (SolidWorks preferred)
  

• Mechanical-first skillset with exposure or interest in electrical/electronics
  

• Hands-on experience building things—fabrication, robotics, automotive projects, construction, prototypes, or field work
  

• Ability to read mechanical drawings and basic electrical diagrams
  

• Willingness to spend time in the shop to learn real production processes
  

• Strong attention to detail and organizational discipline
  

Preferred

• Experience with wiring, low-voltage components, or basic electronics
  

• Exposure to fabrication, machining, welding, or assembly
  

• Familiarity with 3D printing and prototyping tools
  

• Experience with BOMs, part numbering, or ERP/MRP systems
  

• Vendor or purchasing support experience
  

• Interest in customer-facing engineering tasks

KEY TRAITS FOR SUCCESS

• Mechanical-first but multidisciplinary, excited to grow across electrical, manufacturing, and product engineering
  

• Builder mindset: understands and appreciates how things are actually made
  

• Designs with manufacturability and shop-floor realities in mind
  

• Clear communicator across engineering, production, vendors, and customer teams
  

• Organized, dependable, and eager to grow into a well-rounded engineer
  

• Embodies WiLL’s values: integrity, craftsmanship, innovation, teamwork, continuous improvement

POTENTIAL 3-5 YEAR CAREER PATH AT WILL

WiLL is committed to developing engineers who understand products from every angle—design, manufacturing, field installation, and customer use.

Years 1–2: Foundation & Skill Building

• Learn as much as possible and support the team wherever needed — be a sponge, ask questions, absorb information, and contribute wherever you can add value
  

• Learn WiLL products, CAD standards, BOM structure, documentation practices, and core engineering workflows
  

• Build foundational experience across office, shop, and occasional field environments
  

• Support prototypes, fixtures, tooling development, and engineering updates
  

• Strengthen mechanical skills while expanding exposure to electrical and electronics concepts
  

• Develop a real understanding of how products are built, welded, wired, assembled, tested, and installed
  

• Work cross-functionally with Customer Project Designers & Engineers, Software & Controls Engineers, and Engineering & Manufacturing leadership
  

Years 2–3: Core Contributor & Project Ownership

• Independently manage full design tasks and engineering projects
  

• Support cross-functional engineering with production, purchasing, and customer project teams
  

• Lead prototype builds and assist with manufacturability validation
  

• Become a reliable contributor for CAD accuracy, documentation, and product updates
  

Years 4–5: Project Lead & Advanced Engineering Development

• Lead full product or production design projects from concept through release
  

• Improve existing products, processes, workflows, and manufacturability
  

• Collaborate closely with product management, production teams, and customer-focused engineering groups

• Mentor junior team members and contribute to continuous improvement initiatives
  

ABOUT WILL

Wisconsin Lighting Lab designs, engineers, and manufactures high-performance lighting, poles, controls, and smart-infrastructure solutions across brands including NAFCO®, WiLLsport®, WiLLstudio™, WiLLcloud®, WiLLev™, and more. Rooted in Midwest manufacturing heritage, WiLL’s mission is to empower builders, engineers, and communities with reliable, high-performance lighting systems.

WiLL embraces modern tools. This document was crafted by our team with AI support to refine wording and enhance clarity. The spirit and intent are entirely ours—we simply used AI to help express them. It’s accurate and reflects our voice, but we can’t take full credit. :)