Fabrication Design Team Lead

Fabrication Design Team Lead – Curtain Walling Cork, Ireland (supporting UK & Ireland projects) | Permanent, full-time

About the company Our client is a specialist façade contractor with bases in Ireland and London, delivering complete building envelope packages across the UK and Ireland. Their work runs from design and engineering through procurement, fabrication and installation, on new-build and refurbishment projects. Their range includes unitised and stick curtain walling, windows and doors, structural glazing, solar shading, rainscreen cladding and bespoke metalwork. They have a full in-house design team and a strong reputation for service, technical problem-solving and value engineering. They also deliver façades for offsite volumetric modular schemes in hotels, residential and student accommodation.

As the business grows, they are looking for a Fabrication Design Team Lead. You will head up the team that turns approved façade designs into accurate, buildable fabrication information.

The role

You will lead the fabrication design function and act as the link between the design and engineering team, the factory or fabricators, and site. You will be responsible for the quality, accuracy and timely release of all fabrication drawings and data. Curtain walling packages will be at the centre of your work.

Key responsibilities

• Lead, mentor and manage a team of fabrication designers and draughtspeople, allocating workload across live projects

• Oversee production of fabrication and shop drawings, cutting lists, glass schedules, bracket and fixing details, and machining or CNC information for unitised and stick curtain wall systems, windows, doors and associated metalwork

• Check and approve all fabrication information before release, making sure it matches approved general arrangement drawings, system supplier requirements and project specifications

• Turn architectural design intent and engineering calculations into practical, buildable fabrication details

• Work closely with design managers, project managers, procurement and site teams so that fabrication release matches the construction programme

• Manage interfaces with adjoining packages, including SFS, rainscreen, brick slip, louvres, roofing and the primary structure

• Resolve fabrication and site queries quickly, and feed lessons learned back into team standards

• Support value engineering and buildability reviews at pre-construction stage

• Develop and maintain drawing standards, templates, checking procedures and document control within the team

• Make sure designs consider thermal performance, air and water tightness, fire, acoustics and movement, in line with CWCT, NHBC and LABC guidance

• Help prepare information for full-scale mock-ups and performance testing

Essential requirements

• Proven curtain walling experience: unitised and/or stick systems, ideally both

• Significant experience producing fabrication and shop drawings within a façade contractor or curtain wall fabricator

• Experience leading, supervising or mentoring a design or drafting team

• Strong working knowledge of proprietary aluminium systems, for example Schüco, Reynaers, Kawneer, Senior, Technal or similar

• Advanced AutoCAD skills, plus 3D modelling experience in Inventor, Revit, SolidWorks or similar

• Good understanding of glazing, sealing, drainage, fixings, tolerances and fabrication processes

• Familiarity with CWCT standards and building regulations in Ireland and the UK, including fire safety requirements

• Excellent attention to detail and a structured approach to checking and quality control

• Ability to manage competing deadlines across several projects

Desirable

• Experience with fabrication or estimating software such as LogiKal or Orgadata

• Exposure to BIM workflows

• Experience of rainscreen cladding, SFS or wider building envelope packages

• Knowledge of offsite or modular façade delivery

• Degree, HNC or HND in an engineering, architectural or construction-related subject

What makes you a good fit You are a hands-on technical leader who still enjoys detailing. You set high standards for your team and take pride in information that goes to the factory right first time. You communicate clearly with designers, fabricators and site teams, and you stay calm and practical when problems come up