Austal USA is recognized for its advancements in naval ship design and construction, presenting distinctive opportunities for team members to participate in influential initiatives shaping the maritime sector now and in the future. With a heritage rooted in innovation, Austal USA has been instrumental in propelling naval technology forward through sophisticated design, engineering, and delivery of Littoral Combat Ships (LCS), Expeditionary Fast Transport (EPF) to the recently awarded Offshore Patrol Cutter (OPC), Expeditionary Medical Ship (EMS), and the T-AGOS ocean surveillance vessels. What sets Austal USA apart is our commitment to innovation and our dedication to building the best ships for the United States Navy and the United States Coast Guard. We actively cultivate a culture fueled by intellectual curiosity and diverse perspectives, where every team member is integral to delivering cutting-edge solutions.
REPORTS TO: Lead Designer
SUPERVISES: CAD Drafters, Designer I-III
DUTIES / RESPONSIBILITIES:
- Responsible for 2D and 3D drawing development.
- Checking drawings created by CAD Drafters and Designer I-III
- Works with Production Management, cross-functional design teams internal and external to the company, including business partner representatives, customer representatives and equipment manufacturers.
QUALIFICATIONS / KNOWLEDGE / EXPERIENCE:
- High School Diploma or equivalent required.
- Associates Degree or higher in CAD preferred.
- 8 years minimum of 3D modeling experience
- 10 years of shipyard design or production/construction experience or equivalent experience.
- Experience in construction of high speed aluminum vessels preferred
- Experience with modular construction methods preferred
- Experience in design and construction of US Navy vessels preferred
- Excellent written and oral communication skills.
- Understanding of scheduling and an ability to adhere to strict deadlines.
- Computer literate and familiar with Microsoft Office products.
- Experienced in interacting with multiple design teams and members of production.
- Experience using 2D and 3D AutoCAD
- Basic draw and modify commands
- Layer types
- Line types
- Dimensions
- Unit of measure
- Creating orthographic views from isometric drawings
- 3D modeling commands
- Creating 3D models from orthographic views or vendor furnished information
- Able to interface with models from other disciplines using the XREF command
- Able to model in 3D model space without interferences
- Experience with ShipConstructor preferred.
- Possess a thorough understanding of vessel design in the following areas:
- Equipment
- Electrical
- Fitout
- Foundations
- Hull
- HVAC
- Material
- Pipe
- Product Hierarchy
- Structure
- Able to interpret system schematics, structural key plans, compartment arrangements, and electrical diagrams to create 3D CAD models.
ADDITIONAL GUIDELINES:
- Candidates must meet the following employment eligibility guidelines to be eligible for employment with Austal USA:
- 18 years of age or older at time of application
- Able to provide proof of US Person Status
- No felony convictions of Theft/Deception or Violent crimes within seven years from disposition date
- No felony convictions of Drug crimes within three years from disposition date
- Willing to submit to a drug screen
- Willing to submit to a background check
TOOLS: Microsoft Office, AutoCAD, ShipConstructor, Navisworks
DIRECTION EXERCISED:
- May lead the work of CAD Drafters and Designer I-III
- May review technical adequacy of drawings and provide direction as to corrections or adjustments to meet customer requirements.
- May train CAD Drafters and Designers I-III according to established standards and procedures.
- May set schedule of work for CAD Drafters and Designers I-III.
DISCRETION EXERCISED:
- May provide input to evaluations of CAD Drafters and Designer I-III
LIAISES WITH:
- CAD Drafters, Designers, Engineers, Production Personnel, Program Management, Equipment Suppliers, and Customers
WORK ENVIRONMENT
The work environment characteristics described here are representative of those an employee may encounter while performing the essential functions of this job. Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform the essential functions.
While performing the duties of this job, the employee may be exposed to humid conditions, bright flashing lights, moving mechanical parts, high precarious places, outside weather conditions, and extreme heat. The employee is occasionally exposed to fumes and/or airborne particles at or below the PEL, toxic or caustic chemicals, and heat and cold. The noise level in the work environment is usually very loud, + 90 dB.
SAFETY
Must comply with company, federal, state, and local safety and environmental rules and regulations while performing daily job tasks.
Equal Employment Commitment
Any qualified individual with a disability who is having difficulty in completing an application because of incompatible technology or other disability-related application issues may contact us at the following phone number for assistance: 251-445-1932.
Austal’s commitment to equal employment opportunity applies at all levels of employment, in all job titles, including the executive level, and to all employment actions, including but not limited to decisions concerning recruitment, hiring, training, and promotion.
Skills Required
- High school diploma or equivalent
- Associate degree or higher in CAD
- At least 8 years of 3D modeling experience
- At least 10 years of shipyard design or production/construction experience, or equivalent
- Experience with high-speed aluminum vessel construction
- Experience with modular construction methods
- Experience designing and constructing U.S. Navy vessels
- Excellent written and oral communication skills
- Understanding of scheduling and ability to meet strict deadlines
- Experience collaborating with multiple design teams and production personnel
- Experience using 2D and 3D AutoCAD
- Experience with ShipConstructor
- Thorough understanding of vessel equipment, electrical, fitout, foundations, hull, HVAC, materials, piping, product hierarchy, and structure
- Ability to interpret system schematics, structural key plans, compartment arrangements, and electrical diagrams
- Familiarity with Microsoft Office products
- At least 18 years of age
- Ability to provide proof of U.S. Person status
- Willingness to submit to a drug screen and background check
Austal USA Compensation & Benefits Highlights
The following summarizes recurring compensation and benefits themes identified from responses generated by popular LLMs to common candidate questions about Austal USA and has not been reviewed or approved by Austal USA.
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Affordable Benefits — Health-insurance costs are widely characterized as manageable, and the health benefits are described as solid. This supports overall value for many employees, particularly in production and shipyard roles.
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Leave & Time Off Breadth — Paid holidays and paid time off are part of the core package and appear broadly available. These elements contribute meaningfully to total rewards alongside steady hours and overtime opportunities.
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Pay Growth & Progression — Paid, post-hire training and certification programs are offered to build skills and can lead to higher pay. This career-linked development is positioned as a pathway to improve earnings over time.
Austal USA Insights
What We Do
Austal USA is a ship manufacturer headquartered in Mobile, Ala., with service centers in San Diego and Singapore and a technology center in Charlottesville, Va. With the most modern steel panel line in the shipbuilding industry, Austal USA’s facility is capable of supporting the manufacture of both aluminum and steel ships. Austal USA leverages a moving module production line and strict adherence to lean manufacturing principles to consistently deliver on-schedule and on-budget. Austal USA is currently under contract for several programs, including the U.S. Coast Guard’s Heritage-class Offshore Patrol Cutter (OPC), and the U.S. Navy TAGOS-25 ocean surveillance ship, Spearhead-class Expeditionary Fast Transport (EPF), Navajo-class Towing, Salvage and Rescue ship (T-ATS), Landing Craft Utility (LCU) vessel, Expeditionary Medical Ship (EMS), Auxiliary Floating Dry Dock Medium (AFDM), and Independence-variant Littoral Combat Ship (LCS) programs. Austal USA is also supporting Navy unmanned vessel programs leveraging its advanced machinery control system. Austal USA’s service business provides global support to U.S. Navy, Military Sealift Command and other customers. Austal USA’s San Diego Service Center includes a waterfront facility that will have the capability to drydock small combatants and similar sized ships. Earning 27 safety excellence awards, Austal USA continues to be one of the safest shipyards in America









