Technical Illustration Lead

POSITION SUMMARY
The Lead Technical Illustrator leads and executes large-scale technical illustration efforts while mentoring and guiding a team of illustrators. This role requires hands-on creation of complex illustrations, managing project schedules, budgets, and quality, and partnering closely with Program/Project Managers and internal teams. The ideal candidate is driven to research, innovate, and improve our technical illustration and interactive media processes, leveraging current techniques, tools, and technology to make our workflow more efficient and impactful. This includes developing interactive models for web, desktop, and AR/MR/VR applications, ensuring technical strategies align with corporate vision, and setting a standard for design excellence.

ESSENTIAL FUNCTIONS

Leadership & Team Development

• Leads, mentors, and coaches technical illustrators to deliver projects on or ahead of schedule.
• Guides team members on technical processes, software use, and workflow improvements.
• Assists in preparation of quotes, proposals, and pricing support for the sales team.
• Monitors team performance and reports out-of-scope issues promptly to project management or clients.
• Identifies cost-saving opportunities and implements continuous improvement initiatives to enhance productivity and quality.
• Works with Program/Project management to understand project specific illustration requirements, priorities, and schedule and communicates these items to team.

Illustration & Technical Work

• Creates complex technical illustrations according to customer and internal specifications using photo-imaging and vector graphics software.
• Revises and produces detailed orthographic, perspective, or isometric technical illustrations from engineering prints, photographs, 3D CAD model files, sketches, or rough descriptions.
• Completes technical illustrations within established timelines, policies, procedures, and customer guidelines.
• Researches existing data and emerging techniques to maximize reuse of prior illustrations and improve overall efficiency.
• Reviews and provides feedback on the work of other illustrators to maintain quality standards.
• Experience automating batch conversions with graphics software like [Adobe Illustrator, IsoDraw, CorelDRAW] to generate production ready vector images.
• Proven ability to handle complex CAD-to-Vector conversion pipelines and batch processing for technical documentation.

Research, Innovation & Process Improvement

• Actively researches and develops new techniques, tools, and workflows to enhance technical illustration, interactive media, and AR/MR/VR content.
• Leads development of interactive models and media components for web, desktop, and AR/MR/VR applications.
• Ensures underlying architecture and designs align with corporate vision and establishes best practices and design patterns.
• Provides technical guidance to team members and instructs on execution of recommended strategies and testing methodologies.
• Evaluates emerging technologies and proposes innovative solutions to improve quality, efficiency, and competitiveness.
• Contributes to corporate demos, proposals, and business requirements with technical expertise and creative solutions.
• Skilled at authoring SOPs and technical guides for internal automated tools.

General Responsibilities

• Coordinates and resolves software, network, and file transfer issues with team members.
• Provides accurate and timely status updates to internal and external clients.
• Performs other related duties as assigned with reasonable accommodation.

WORKING ENVIRONMENT

• General office environment; required to use office equipment and sit/stand for long periods.
• May require overtime, weekend, or holiday work to meet deadlines.
• Travel by motor vehicle or airplane may be required (less than 10%).

MINIMUM QUALIFICATIONS

Education

• High school diploma or GED required; vocational/technical certificate in Illustration or related field preferred.
• Associate's degree (AA/AS) in CAD, engineering, or related field preferred.

Experience

• Minimum 5 years in technical illustration or CAD.
• Minimum 2 years of experience leading or managing others preferred.
• Hands-on experience creating illustrations using photo-imaging (e.g., Adobe Photoshop, Corel Paint-Shop Pro and pseudo-vector software (e.g., Adobe Illustrator, IsoDraw).
• Advanced proficiency with CAD software such as Unigraphics, SolidWorks, Catia, 3DVIA, Creo, or Teamcenter Vis Professional required.
• Experience reading complex engineering drawings, hydraulic/pneumatic/electrical schematics, and CAD model files required.
• Experience with interactive media, AR/MR/VR modeling, or web/desktop content creation is a plus.
• Demonstrated ability to research and implement new techniques, tools, or workflows to improve processes is highly desired.

Certifications / Licensure

• Valid driver's license preferred.
• Government/Military Common Access Card (CAC) or Secret clearance may be required.

Knowledge, Skills, Abilities

• Strong leadership, mentoring, and project management skills.
• Self-directed, resourceful, and highly motivated to innovate and improve processes.
• Ability to stay current with graphics specifications, SVG/CGM capabilities, interactive technology trends, and emerging illustration tools.
• Effective communication with internal and external stakeholders.
• Cost-effective, detail-oriented, and able to meet deadlines.
• Ability to work independently and collaboratively within a team.