Technical Illustrator

Location: Warren, MI or Milford, MI

Work Arrangement: Hybrid – onsite at least 3 days per week, with additional onsite work as required for program, validation, or project needs

Position Summary: GM Defense is seeking a Graphic Artist – Technical Publications to develop and maintain accurate technical illustrations and graphical content supporting military and commercial vehicle programs. This position converts engineering, service, logistics, and customer requirements into clear technical graphics used for vehicle operation, maintenance, diagnostics, repair, training, and parts identification. The Graphic Artist will work with technical writers, engineers, technicians, subject matter experts, program teams, customers, and other Technical Publications personnel to ensure illustrations accurately represent the product and meet applicable publication requirements. Deliverables may include exploded views, line-art illustrations, component and assembly graphics, electrical and system schematics, wiring diagrams, parts illustrations, maintenance graphics, training content, Interactive Electronic Technical Manual (IETM) content, and Maintenance Allocation Chart graphics.

Key Responsibilities: Independently plan and execute assigned technical graphics work while balancing accuracy, quality, standards compliance, schedules, and program priorities. Create detailed exploded-view illustrations of mechanical assemblies, vehicle systems, components, electronic hardware, and other equipment. Convert 3D CAD models, digital math data, engineering models, photographs, prints, and other engineering source material into technically accurate 2D vector illustrations. Develop and revise line art, cutaways, assembly illustrations, component identification graphics, schematics, wiring diagrams, and other technical figures. Read and interpret complex engineering drawings, engineering changes, parts information, structural diagrams, and full-vehicle wiring schematics. Partner with technical writers and subject matter experts to establish figure requirements, resolve discrepancies, verify terminology and callouts, and ensure graphics accurately support associated procedures. Develop technical graphics for vehicle systems including high-voltage, battery, propulsion, controls, electrical, hydraulic, and pneumatic systems. Interpret contract requirements, Statements of Work, publication specifications, engineering inputs, and customer requirements to determine appropriate graphical content. Produce and integrate graphics within applicable technical-publication and authoring environments, including XML or other structured-publication workflows. Apply applicable MIL-STD, DoD, S1000D, customer, safety, accessibility, contractual, and corporate publication standards. Participate in technical reviews, peer reviews, quality audits, validation, and verification activities. Perform hands-on validation with technicians, vehicles, equipment, test articles, and customers when required to verify that graphics accurately represent the physical product. Maintain configuration control, revision history, traceability, naming conventions, and archival requirements for graphical assets. Manage and update graphical archives to support asset reuse and ensure illustrations remain aligned with current product configurations. Identify and communicate technical concerns, dependencies, risks, and potential schedule impacts. Recommend improvements to illustration standards, templates, asset reuse, quality checks, review processes, and graphics-production workflows. Support a safe working environment and comply with applicable GM Defense, customer, facility, equipment, and high-voltage safety requirements.

Basic Qualifications: Demonstrated experience creating technical illustrations or graphics for defense, aerospace, aviation, military, or a comparable safety-critical technical-publication environment. Experience applying MIL-STD, DoD, S1000D, or comparable military technical-publication requirements to graphical content. Ability to interpret complex engineering drawings, wiring schematics, structural diagrams, engineering change information, parts data, and related technical documentation. Experience creating accurate technical illustrations from CAD models, digital math, engineering models, schematics, prints, photographs, or similar source data. Experience working within graphics, illustration, structured-authoring, content-management, or technical-publication production environments. Ability to independently manage multiple assignments, coordinate dependencies, meet deadlines, and follow work through review and resolution. Strong analytical, organizational, technical communication, and cross-functional collaboration skills. Ability to safely work around vehicles, equipment, test articles, maintenance activities, and high-voltage systems as required. U.S. citizenship required. Ability to obtain and maintain a Common Access Card (CAC) and any customer or program security clearance required for assigned work.

Preferred Qualifications: Experience with GM Service Information, Electronic Parts Catalog, GM MATH, Teamcenter, GM art-folder processes, or GM SI XML publication workflows. Experience with Adobe Illustrator, Teamcenter, Arbortext, virtual-reality systems, structured XML tools, IETM production, Maintenance Allocation Charts, or comparable authoring and publishing systems. Experience creating technical graphics for high-voltage, battery, propulsion, electric vehicle, controls, electrical, hydraulic, pneumatic, or other complex vehicle systems. Knowledge of military publication standards such as MIL-STD-40051, MIL-STD-38784, MIL-STD-3031, or MIL-STD-2361.Experience supporting physical validation, verification, logistics demonstrations, maintenance evaluations, technician reviews, or customer acceptance activities. Experience managing graphic-asset configuration, version control, archival systems, reuse libraries, or publication changes. Experience within automotive, defense, aerospace, marine, heavy equipment, industrial equipment, or another safety-critical technical environment. Associate's or bachelor's degree in Graphic Design, Technical Illustration, Technical Communication, Fine Arts, Engineering, or a related discipline, or equivalent practical experience. High-voltage safety training or certification. Experience improving technical-publication workflows, templates, quality processes, traceability, or content-reuse practices. Experience training or mentoring others in technical illustration or related technical-publication disciplines. Green Belt or Black Belt certification.