SolidWorks PDM Administrator
Dayton, MN • Engineering
Description

POSITION SUMMARY:

Forgent’s mechanical engineers use SolidWorks and SolidWorks PDM Professional to model the structures, enclosures, and large E-House and switchgear assemblies that go to the floor. As practices are harmonized across the company and CAD data connects to ERP and PLM, these systems need a dedicated daily owner. This role exists to be that owner.

The Associate administers the mechanical design environment for the MV, LV, and E-House/Skid product lines, working with Engineering, Manufacturing, Applications Engineering, and IT. The role is paired with the AutoCAD-Vault Administration Associate; both report to the Engineering Systems Supervisor, who owns standards, architecture, and final decisions. This is an engineering systems administration role, not an IT help-desk or production CAD design seat.


KEY RESPONSIBILITIES

  • Administer SolidWorks and SolidWorks PDM Professional across all sites: permissions, groups, workflow and lifecycle states, revision controls, and archives.
  • Maintain PDM folder structures, naming, metadata, file relationships, CAD standards, templates, title blocks, and libraries within approved standards.
  • Support change, release, revision, and archival workflows, including the redline/issue-tracking process that communicates changes to the floor.
  • Install, license, and version-control SolidWorks; coordinate updates, testing, and deployments with IT and the Supervisor.
  • Troubleshoot software, licensing, performance, workflow, and access issues; work with IT on workstation performance and crash mitigation.
  • Provide Tier 1 support and act as day-to-day contact for the SolidWorks reseller on PDM issues.
  • Check that engineers follow approved PDM workflows, modeling, and filing practices; report deviations and recurring issues to the Supervisor.
  • Onboard new engineers on CAD/PDM standards; maintain user guides, work instructions, and training materials.
  • Develop templates, tools, and scripts that improve efficiency; recommend automation and process improvements and escalate major decisions to the Supervisor.

TRACK-SPECIFIC RESPONSIBILITIES

  • Maintain SolidWorks libraries, templates, and configurations, plus structural entries in the Master Component Library (metadata, part numbers, BOM data).
  • Implement large assembly best practices for complex E-House and switchgear models to improve stability and performance.
  • Apply the approved fastener representation approach (simplified representations, hardware BOMs).
  • Support automated hardware creation and spooling workflows in SolidWorks as they mature.
  • Validate that SolidWorks BOMs and metadata flow accurately through PDM to NetSuite and future PLM (Autodesk Fusion Manage).
  • Support cross-plant transfers of mechanical design data and approved PLM/ERP integrations, including data mapping and migration.

REQUIRED QUALIFICATIONS

  • 3+ years administering SolidWorks PDM Professional or comparable PDM (permissions, workflows, revisions, metadata, document control).
  • Strong working knowledge of SolidWorks and SolidWorks PDM Professional.
  • Understanding of CAD assemblies, drawings, BOMs, part numbering, and release processes.
  • Experience supporting engineering or manufacturing environments.
  • Strong troubleshooting, documentation, and training skills, with the process discipline to apply established standards.

PREFERRED QUALIFICATIONS

  • CSWA or CSWP certification.
  • SolidWorks PDM Administration training course certificate.
  • Experience with CAD/PDM upgrades, migrations, or implementations, and with large assembly performance.
  • Familiarity with ERP/PLM integration (NetSuite, Autodesk Fusion Manage).
  • Switchgear, switchboard, or structural manufacturing experience; multi-site support experience.
  • WORKING CONDITIONS
  • Primarily office/computer-based at an assigned Forgent engineering facility.
  • Occasional travel between Dayton and Champlin, MN, with periodic coordination with Hanover.
  • Periodic floor time to verify CAD-to-physical accuracy, especially during rollouts.

WORKING CONDITIONS

  • Primarily office/computer-based at an assigned Forgent engineering facility.
  • Occasional travel between Dayton and Champlin, MN, with periodic coordination with Hanover.
  • Periodic floor time to verify CAD-to-physical accuracy, especially during rollouts.

JOB BENEFITS: 

  • PTO/ESST
  • Paid holidays
  • $100 individual deductible and $300 family deductible health insurance
  • Paid weekly
  • Vision and Dental Insurance
  • 401K / Life Insurance / STD


Salary Description
$33 - $40