JOB SUMMARY

Outform Hospitality partners with leading hotel brands, developers, operators, architects, designers, and ownership groups to deliver premium hospitality environments across the globe. Through integrated capabilities in strategy, design, engineering, procurement, manufacturing, logistics, technology, and installation, we provide end-to-end project delivery from concept through completion. Our collaborative delivery model bridges creativity with execution, ensuring exceptional client experiences while maintaining schedule certainty, budget discipline, and uncompromising quality.

The Sr. Design Engineer – Hospitality is a highly skilled, hands-on engineering role responsible for transforming high-end architectural concepts into production-ready manufacturing packages. This position bridges the gap between interior design intent and industrial factory execution—modeling, engineering, and detailing custom architectural millwork, ornamental metals, custom lighting, solid surfaces, and loose/fixed FF&E to luxury brand standards, ensuring all designs are optimized for structural integrity, cost, manufacturability, and site installation.

DIRECT REPORTS

• This is an individual contributor role with no direct reports.

SCOPE & ACCOUNTABILITY

The Sr. Design Engineer owns the technical translation of design intent into buildable, cost-effective manufacturing packages for luxury hospitality programs. Accountability spans the full engineering lifecycle: interrogating Architect of Record (AOR) drawings and interior design specifications, building parametric 3D models, issuing shop drawing and submittal packages for client sign-off, and releasing accurate Bills of Materials to the factory floor.

The role is accountable for design-for-manufacturing outcomes—material yield, joinery and connection methods, tolerances, and structural load performance—so that packages release to production with minimal rework and install cleanly in the field. The position also carries technical ownership of mockups and first-article prototypes, provides direct support to plant supervisors and CNC programmers during production — primarily remotely, with targeted on-site visits at critical milestones — and resolves unexpected field conditions with installation crews.

Working across multiple concurrent hospitality projects, the Sr. Design Engineer is expected to operate independently with limited supervision, contribute to shared detailing standards and best practices, and serve as the senior technical authority on multi-material scopes including millwork, ornamental metals, custom lighting, stone and solid surfaces, and FF&E.

KEY RESPONSIBILITIES

Technical Design, 3D Modeling & CAD Leadership

• CAD Mastery & 3D Modeling: Build, structure, and maintain complex parametric 3D models, assemblies, flat patterns, and production blueprints using SolidWorks (Revit knowledge a plus).
• BIM & Spatial Coordination: Extract, review, and integrate architectural data from client Revit (BIM) files to ensure zero spatial conflicts with building infrastructure and existing field conditions.
• Drawing Package Creation: Generate comprehensive shop drawing packages, submittal sets, assembly drawings, section details, and cut lists for factory floor production and client sign-off.
• BOM Generation: Develop and maintain accurate Bills of Materials (BOMs), hardware callouts, and fastener specifications within ERP systems.

Value Engineering & Design for Manufacturing (DFM)

• Manufacturability Optimization: Analyze Architect of Record (AOR) drawings and interior design specifications to identify DFM opportunities that reduce material yield waste, lead times, and labor costs.
• Material & Structural Solutions: Recommend alternative materials, joinery methods, modular construction techniques, and hardware solutions that preserve design intent while improving durability and ease of installation.
• Cost & Tolerance Optimization: Establish precise manufacturing tolerances and structural load calculations that meet commercial hospitality safety requirements while protecting project margins.

Trade-Specific & Material Engineering

• Architectural Millwork: Detail custom joinery, veneer flitch matching, substrate stabilization, CNC routing files, and integration of mechanical systems.
• Ornamental Metals: Engineer structural frames, sheet metal layouts, weldments, laser/waterjet cut profiles, and high-end finishes (PVD, powder coat, patina) for brass, stainless steel, and bronze.
• Custom Lighting: Integrate drivers, transformers, LED channels, wiring pathways, and structural mounting while ensuring compliance with UL/CE safety standards.
• Countertops & Solid Surfaces: Detail nesting, seam placement, substrate bracing, and book-matching for natural stone, quartz, and acrylic surfaces.
• Loose & Fixed FF&E: Engineer internal structural frames for casegoods, commercial upholstery foundations, and integrated technology (wireless chargers, power modules).

Prototyping, Factory & Field Support

• Mockups & Prototypes: Lead the engineering and technical review of initial room mockups and first-article inspections (FAI), incorporating client feedback into final production releases.
• Factory Floor Support: Work directly with plant supervisors, CNC programmers, craftspeople, and assembly teams — on site and remotely via video, photo, and drawing markup — to resolve technical questions during production.
• Installation & Field Coordination: Design custom protective crating layouts, engineer installer-friendly connection details, and provide technical support to field crews during site installation — remotely or on site as conditions require — to resolve unexpected field conditions.

KEY INTERFACES (NON-REPORTING)

• Project Management / Program Delivery – Align engineering releases with project schedules, submittal deadlines, and installation windows.
• Estimating & Procurement – Provide BOMs, material specifications, and value-engineering alternates to support pricing and long-lead buyouts.
• Manufacturing & Plant Operations – Partner with plant supervisors, CNC programmers, fabricators, and assembly teams on producibility and production issue resolution.
• Quality & Prototyping – Coordinate mockup builds, first-article inspections, and finish approvals.
• Logistics & Installation Teams – Coordinate crating design, shipping protection, and installer-friendly connection details; support field crews on site.
• Clients, Architects of Record, Interior Designers & Ownership Groups – Review design intent, submittals, and technical clarifications on behalf of Outform.
• Vendors & Specialty Fabricators – Resolve technical detailing, hardware, lighting components, and finish specifications.

KEY PERFORMANCE INDICATORS

Success in this role will be measured against metrics including but not limited to:

• On-time release of shop drawing and submittal packages against project milestone dates.
• First-pass client/AOR submittal approval rate (target: minimal resubmittal cycles).
• Engineering-driven rework, RFI, and change-order rate as a percentage of project value.
• BOM accuracy at release to production (quantity, hardware, and material callouts).
• Material yield and value-engineering savings captured per project versus original design basis.
• Field installation issues attributable to engineering detailing per project.
• Mockup and first-article approval cycle time.
• Response time on technical queries from plant and field teams during active production.

QUALIFICATIONS

Required

• Experience: 8–12+ years of hands-on design engineering experience supporting custom manufacturing of hospitality, luxury retail, or high-end architectural interiors. Prior time working in or directly alongside a fabrication plant is required; the ability to engineer for the floor without being on it daily is essential.
• Software Proficiency: Expert-level mastery of SolidWorks or Inventor, plus advanced proficiency in AutoCAD; practical working knowledge of Revit (BIM) for architectural coordination.
• Trade Expertise: Proven track record detailing complex multi-material packages (millwork, metals, glass, stone, lighting, and FF&E).
• Blueprint & Print Literacy: Expert ability to dissect AOR drawings, architectural specifications, and engineering submittals.
• Travel: Willingness to travel to manufacturing facilities and job sites as required (15–20%).

 Preferred

• Education: Bachelor's degree in Mechanical Engineering, Industrial Design, Architectural Engineering, or a related technical field.
• Knowledge of CNC programming/nesting software (e.g., AlphaCAM, Mastercam) and ERP/MRP systems.
• Familiarity with commercial hospitality codes and standards (CAL 133, ANSI/BIFMA, ADA, UL certification requirements).
• Experience engineering flat-pack/knock-down (KD) furniture or modular site-assembly systems.
• Prior experience peer-reviewing or providing technical guidance to other design engineers or CAD detailers (non-supervisory).

Core Competencies

• Parametric 3D modeling and production blueprint creation.
• Design for Manufacturing (DFM) and value engineering.
• Multi-material integration (wood, metal, stone, glass, lighting).
• BOM development and engineering data accuracy.
• Technical problem solving and cross-functional collaboration.

LEADERSHIP ATTRIBUTES & PERSONAL CHARACTERISTICS

• Technical Authority with Humility: Serves as the senior technical voice on multi-material scopes, defending engineering decisions with data and calculations while remaining open to input from fabricators, installers, and designers who work the material daily.
• Design Empathy: Protects the designer's intent through every value-engineering decision—finds the buildable path that preserves the look, rather than defaulting to the cheapest detail.
• Manufacturing Fluency at a Distance: Thinks like a fabricator without standing at the bench. Makes the most of limited plant visits — walking the floor, handling samples, reviewing work in progress — and relies on video, photo, and drawing markup the rest of the time to catch issues before they become rework.
• Remote Self-Direction: Manages a full workload across concurrent projects without on-site supervision — proactively communicates status, keeps files and model libraries organized for team access, and stays reachable and responsive during core business hours across time zones.
• Ownership & Follow-Through: Treats a released package as a personal commitment—tracks it through production, mockup, and installation, and closes the loop on field issues rather than handing them off.
• Precision Under Deadline: Maintains drawing and BOM accuracy under compressed hospitality schedules, and escalates risk early instead of absorbing it silently.
• Clear Cross-Functional Communication: Translates engineering constraints into language that project managers, clients, and ownership groups can act on; writes submittal narratives and RFI responses that need no follow-up.
• Knowledge Sharing: Shares detailing know-how freely with peers and junior engineers through informal coaching and peer review, treating a drawing markup as a teaching opportunity rather than a correction exercise.
• Continuous Improvement: Builds reusable model libraries, standard details, and lessons-learned documentation so each project starts further along than the last.

ESSENTIAL FUNCTIONS

This is a remote position. Working conditions are primarily in a home-office environment, with periodic on-site time at manufacturing plants, prototype facilities, and active job sites. The role is largely sedentary: the majority of time is spent seated at a computer producing engineering drawings, 3D models, and documentation, along with phone and video work. Successful performance requires good eyesight with or without corrective lenses and the manual dexterity to operate a computer and input devices for extended periods. Physical demands are limited and infrequent. During occasional plant and job-site visits, the employee works alongside developers, plant teams, and installers on the factory floor and may be required to walk, stand, reach, and handle materials, samples, or prototypes for short periods, and infrequently to crouch, kneel, or lift up to 25 pounds. Personal protective equipment is required in factory and job-site environments. Travel of 15–20% of the time is required for site surveys, factory reviews, and prototype inspections and is an essential function of this position. Reliable high-speed internet and a dedicated workspace suitable for CAD/3D modeling are required.

DISCLAIMER

The above information has been designed to indicate the general nature and level of work performed by employees within this classification and may be amended at any time at the sole discretion of the Employer. It is not designed to contain or be interpreted as a comprehensive inventory of all duties, responsibilities, and qualifications required of employees assigned to this job.