Americana Outdoors Inc. is a family-owned, American-made manufacturer of high-quality recreational amenities and outdoor environments—engineered for outdoor living. We serve architects, general contractors, and communities nationwide with shelters, shade systems, site furnishings, sports equipment, and industrial coatings.
Our divisions include Americana Outdoors & AlumaLine (shade systems), PW Athletic & LA Steelcraft (outdoor sports equipment), and Americana Fabrication & Coatings.
Operations in Salem, IL (180,000 sq ft) & Plainfield, IL (12,000 sq ft) and Mesa, AZ (140,000 sq ft)
All divisions serving customers across the United States and Canada.
Role Summary
We’re hiring a hands-on Structural Engineering & CAD Manager to lead engineering and CAD operations across divisions. This role owns structural integrity, code compliance, drawing standards, and team development while partnering with Operations, Manufacturing, Quality, and Sales to deliver buildable, high-quality solutions.
You will have the mandate to standardize and improve engineering and CAD systems across divisions while helping scale Americana’s internal engineering capabilities.
This is a key leadership position and direct report to the VP of Operations.
Leads the Engineering & CAD group (6 team members) supporting multiple divisions
What You’ll Do
Engineering Leadership & Authority
- Serve as the structural authority for shelters, shade structures, site furnishings, and athletic equipment.
- Own structural analysis, calculations, design criteria, and compliance (IBC, ASCE, ASTM, AISC).
- Review and approve engineered drawings, calculations, and submittals.
- Coordinate third-party PE stamping across all 50 states and Canada; support licensure expansion and internalization where appropriate.
CAD & Team Leadership
- Lead CAD workflows, revision control, and documentation standards.
- Develop and mentor engineers and CAD technicians (team of 6).
- Standardize templates, libraries, and product drawing practices across divisions.
Operational & Quality Alignment
- Ensure designs align with manufacturing capabilities in Salem and Mesa.
- Support Sales and Customer Support with accurate engineered solutions.
- Partner with Quality on AISC, DSA, and key AHJ compliance requirements.
- Drive cycle-time reduction, standardization, and error-proofing initiatives.
Product Development & Improvement
- Support new product development and value engineering efforts.
- Improve structural performance, lead times, and customization efficiency.
- Leverage and enhance in-house engineering software and automation tools.
What We’re Looking For
Required
- Bachelor’s degree in Structural or Civil Engineering.
- 7+ years structural engineering experience (manufacturing/product preferred).
- Experience leading or mentoring engineers or CAD teams.
- Steel and/or aluminum structural design experience.
- Proficiency in SolidWorks (primary CAD platform) or Revit.
- Experience with RISA (current structural analysis tool).
- Strong communication and cross-functional collaboration skills.
Preferred
- PE license (AZ, CA, or IL) or ability/plan to obtain.
- Multi-region wind/snow/seismic design experience.
- Experience with ECO/ECN workflows or PDM systems.
- Familiarity with DLUBAL or interest in supporting transition from RISA.
- C# or VBA familiarity a plus.
Compensation & Growth Opportunity
- Base Salary Range: $105,000 – $125,000 annually (commensurate with experience and licensure)
- Incentive structure aligned with engineering excellence, operational efficiency, and strategic expansion of internal engineering capabilities
- Growth in compensation aligned with expanded engineering authority and measurable impact
This role offers direct visibility with executive leadership and the opportunity to help build and scale Americana’s internal engineering platform.
Why Americana Outdoors
- Family-owned company with strong growth and long-term stability
- High-impact leadership role across multiple divisions
- Culture rooted in faith, family, and community
