AUTOCAD OPERATOR JOB DESCRIPTION

An AutoCAD Operator translates engineering intent into precise construction documents. Drawings produced here move directly to municipalities for permit approval, to field crews for execution, and to architects for design validation - making dimensional accuracy and code compliance non-negotiable from the first line placed. Adherence to local building codes and drafting standards governs every deliverable. Errors surface as permit rejections or costly field corrections.

As the AutoCAD Operator, you produce and maintain the full set of construction and mechanical drawings that keep projects moving from design approval through site execution, with direct accountability for document accuracy and regulatory conformance. You work within an engineering or architecture team, coordinating with licensed engineers, project architects, and outside consultants to manage drawing packages across concurrent projects.

Career Impact: Operators who develop fluency in municipality submittal workflows and building code interpretation become indispensable to AEC firms navigating increasingly complex permitting environments.

Business Impact: Accurate, compliant drawing packages determine whether a project receives municipal approval on schedule or stalls - the output of this role directly controls that outcome.

Growth Opportunity: Hands-on exposure to structural, mechanical, and civil plan sets across multiple project types builds the cross-disciplinary drafting portfolio that CAD Designers and Project Engineers are hired for.

• Prepare construction drawings, plot plans, and mechanical layouts from engineer sketches, verbal instructions, and marked-up specifications.
• Review completed drawing packages for errors, omissions, and conformance to applicable building codes before submittal.
• Revise existing drawings to incorporate engineer and architect markup, change requests, and updated site requirements.
• Coordinate with engineers, architects, and outside consultants to exchange project information and resolve document conflicts.
• Maintain and organize drawing files, project correspondence, and document logs to support weekly project status reporting.
• Submit plan packages to municipalities, track comment responses, and update the municipal requirements catalog to reduce repeat comments.
• Conduct site visits to collect field measurements, hardware configurations, and data needed to produce or update as-built drawings.

• Associate's degree in Drafting, Architecture, or Engineering Technology, or equivalent work experience.
• 2 or more years of CAD drafting experience in a building design, construction, or engineering environment, with demonstrated ability to produce permit-ready document sets.
• Working knowledge of local building codes, zoning requirements, and drafting standards applicable to residential or commercial construction.
• Proficiency in reading and interpreting architectural, structural, and mechanical plan sets including engineering tables and specifications.
• Strong spatial reasoning and mathematical aptitude, particularly in geometry and measurement conversion.
• Ability to manage multiple drawing packages simultaneously under deadline pressure with limited supervision.
• Clear written and verbal communication skills sufficient to document change requests and correspond with municipal reviewers.

• Certification from the American Design Drafting Association (ADDA) or equivalent credentialing body.
• Experience preparing lot fit analyses, plot plans, or Color Scheme books for residential home building programs.
• Familiarity with military programming documentation standards or government facility drawing requirements.
• Background in mechanical systems drafting, including HVAC, refrigeration, or electrical layout for commercial projects.

• Drawing package acceptance rate on first municipality submittal, reflecting code compliance and document completeness.
• Revision cycle count per project, measuring how accurately drawings capture engineer and architect intent before markup.
• On-time delivery rate of weekly drawing packages against project house-start or permit-submittal schedules.
• Municipal comment response turnaround in days, tracking how quickly outstanding submittals are resolved.
• Volume of concurrent active drawing sets managed without errors escalated to engineering review.
• Typical tools: CAD platform (commonly AutoCAD Architecture 2016 or later); document management (commonly DWG, DWF, PDF workflows in Windows environments).

• Base Salary Range: $42,000 to $62,000 per year, depending on experience and market.
• Bonus: Project-completion or performance bonus, typically 3% to 6% of base salary.
• Equity: Not typically offered at this level in AEC firms.
• Health Benefits: Medical, dental, and vision coverage; employer contributes partial premium.
• PTO: 10 to 15 days annually, plus standard federal holidays.
• Common Perks: Continuing education reimbursement for CAD certification; mileage reimbursement for site visits.

Figures are estimates based on general US market benchmarks and may be outdated. Adjust based on location, company size, and seniority level.

Successful completion of a background check is required as a condition of employment. All qualified applicants will receive consideration without regard to race, color, religion, sex, national origin, disability, age, veteran status, or any other characteristic protected under applicable federal, state, or local law. Reasonable accommodations are available to individuals with disabilities throughout the hiring process and in the performance of essential job functions. Candidates must be authorized to work in the United States.

The Autocad Operator owns the production of construction drawings and blueprints - from structural foundations to mechanical system illustrations - ensuring every deliverable meets building codes and engineering specifications, with direct impact on project compliance and design accuracy. Working independently within engineering and architectural settings, this role consults with clients and engineers while managing drawing storage and deadline adherence across multiple project types.

Key Responsibilities

Uses special notations and symbols to give instructions on drawings and blueprints.

Draw plans for structural foundations and other construction projects.

Use manual drawing skills for plans that cannot be computer generated.

Draw layout of room and building interiors.

Revise drawings based on instructions from engineers or architects.

Determine impact of site requirements and building codes before doing drawings or blueprints.

Visit building sites to collect data for drawings.

Consult with clients to understand their instructions and to answer their questions.

Monitor compliance with building codes throughout the construction process.

Review engineering data to ensure compliance with the original design plans.

Modify existing drawings and draw illustrations of mechanical systems for manuals.

Meet all deadlines and store drawings electronically for later use.

Required Qualifications

• Associate's degree in Drafting; Bachelor's degree in Computer Technology, Architecture, or Civil Engineering.
• Certification from the American Design Drafting Association.
• Internship with engineering, architectural, or CAD-using firm.
• Experience as a drafter; continuing education courses on new CAD technology as it emerges.
• Knowledgeable of building codes, architectural terminology, and drafting software for creating 2D and 3D computer drawings.
• Superior computer skills and good math skills, particularly algebra and geometry.
• Must be mechanically inclined, detail oriented, and possess a talent for drawing.
• Must have excellent communication skills, the ability to envision a finished product, and work with little supervision.

Reporting to the Engineering Department, the Autocad Operator delivers CAD drawings and drafting products that keep engineering workflows on schedule, directly supporting design accuracy and cross-functional responsiveness within a manufacturing or technical services environment. Partnering with engineering staff and customer-facing teams, this role evaluates work queue priorities and aligns resources to meet required cycle times while maintaining safety and service standards.

Core Functions

• Prepare drawings and CAD products as needed by Engineering Dept.
• Collaborate on design matters with engineering staff.
• Evaluate work priorities within the appropriate work queues and align resources to meet required work cycle times.
• Adhere to applicable safety and OSHA procedures.
• Respond promptly to customer needs and solicit customer feedback to improve partnership.

Skills & Qualifications

• 1 year of experience with AutoCAD required.
• Excellent communication skills; speaks clearly and persuasively and demonstrates group presentation skills.
• Excellent time management and organizational skills; plans work activities, sets goals, and develops realistic action plans.
• Follows instructions, responds to management direction, and keeps commitments.
• Detail oriented with ability to work dependably and adapt to changing priorities.

Embedded within a mechanical engineering project team, the Autocad Operator shapes construction-ready drawings for air conditioning and refrigeration systems, ensuring layouts and designs comply with drafting, construction, and engineering standards across multiple project sites. Working closely with engineers and project leads, this role tracks design changes and files all necessary documentation to support accurate and timely project delivery.

Primary Duties

• Prepare drawings for various aircon systems.
• Design and draw mechanical plans for projects.
• Revise drawings and markups appropriately.
• Maintain and update drawings and file all necessary documents.
• Update installation equipment and building requirements.
• Track and monitor engineering and design changes.
• Develop layouts, drawings, and designs.
• Ensure compliance in drafting, construction, and engineering standards.

Experience & Qualifications

• BS in Mechanical Engineering preferred.
• Must have working knowledge of air conditioning and refrigeration systems.
• Must be knowledgeable in Microsoft Office (Word, Excel, PowerPoint), AutoCAD, Visio, or Adobe Photoshop.
• Must be keen to detail, organized, and work efficiently; able to work individually or in a team.
• Must have excellent communication and interpersonal skills.
• Must be willing to travel to different locations and project sites as required.
• Must be willing to start immediately.

Sitting at the intersection of construction documentation and municipal compliance, the Autocad Operator leads lot fit analysis, plot plan creation, and permit submittal workflows while providing administrative and technical support to construction and architecture teams in the home building industry. Operating across outside consultant coordination, sales support materials, and quality control reviews, this role ensures residential construction documents meet municipality standards and advance weekly house start schedules.

Duties

• The Autocad Operator oversees the lot fit analysis and plot plan creation and submittal, while providing support to the construction and architecture teams.
• Responsible for managing the flow of work from outside consultants.
• These responsibilities may include one or all of the categories of duties identified below, and some may change with short notice due to business needs and constraints.
• Review Lot Fit Analysis checking for errors and omissions.
• Oversee the creation of Plot Plans and review for accuracy prior to municipality submittal.
• Prepare and maintain all necessary documents and correspondence for weekly house start meetings including all report updates, follow-up, and work in progress reports.
• Create Lot Fit and Color Scheme books used by sales teams.
• Work with Autodesk AutoCAD software to create, modify, and maintain residential construction documents.
• Review and quality control plan packages assembled by team prior to submittal to municipalities or field.
• Provide diplomatic support and solutions to municipal comments.
• Self-check own work for completeness, accuracy, and meeting company standards.
• Work from drawings, sketches, scanned images, and/or specifications.
• Manage multiple computer files in a Windows environment (DWG, DWF, PDF).
• Maintain current municipal catalog of requirements to reduce or eliminate the need to address comments.
• Perform all clerical and administrative support duties as assigned in a timely and professional manner.

Qualifications & Experience

• 1–3 years of administrative experience required in the home building industry.
• Ability to compile construction documents using AutoCAD Architecture 2016 or later.
• Must be able to read, write, and speak fluently in English.
• Detailed oriented with the ability to work in a challenging, fast-paced environment while meeting deadlines.
• Ability to communicate effectively orally and in writing and interpret oral and written instructions.
• Ability to manage production of multiple projects simultaneously with limited supervision.
• Respects all members; solicits opinions; supports team decisions and shares useful information.
• Requires occasional lifting up to 20 pounds; reasonable accommodation available for disabilities.

A key member of the Account Management Team, the Autocad Operator builds and manipulates CAD files for production entry while serving as the primary contact for architects, designers, and contractors on orders requiring technical drawing interpretation and order processing. Collaborating across the Estimation, Shipping, and Production departments, this role ensures accurate order entry, timely quote processing, and on-schedule delivery outcomes that directly sustain client satisfaction and project cut-off adherence.

Functions

• The Autocad Operator to support the Account Management Team.
• The position is responsible for assisting client needs by processing orders with CAD requirement, providing product and company capability information, liaising between customers and Estimation Department, liaising between customers and Shipping Department, working with Production Department to ensure timely completion of orders.
• Communicate with customers regarding orders, production, pricing, quotes, company capabilities, and product information.
• Create and manipulate CAD files for entry into production systems.
• Understand and interpret complex technical drawings per customer requests.
• Accurately enter customer orders into order entry software, verify accuracy, and communicate confirmations to customers.
• Ensure customer acknowledgements and technical documents are accurately received and recorded prior to order acceptance.
• Process quotes and liaise between Estimation Department and customers to ensure timely adherence to project cut-offs.
• Track customer interactions through fax, email, and phone.
• Coordinate with production teams to meet customer deadlines and resolve service delays or delivery issues.

Required Qualifications

• Associate's degree or above; Bachelor's degree preferred.
• 1+ years of previous customer experience.
• Experience in the glass industry a significant plus.
• AutoCAD by Autodesk experience required; Rhino is a plus.
• Strong mathematical skills.
• Strong computer skills: Microsoft Excel, Word, Outlook, CAD, and CRM.
• Outstanding communication skills, both verbal and written.
• Highly organized self-starter with strong eagerness to learn and grow.
• Ability to juggle multiple projects, attention to detail, and ability to work in a team environment.

Based within the Central Process System engineering and design group supporting NASA Glenn Research Center, the Autocad Operator delivers accurate electrical power and control system drawings in compliance with GRC design and drafting standards, directly enabling facility infrastructure reliability across a federal campus. Serving as the technical documentation resource for design engineers and client management, this role conducts site visits, tracks Facility Change Requests, and monitors deliverable quality through written status reports and technical meetings.

Accountabilities

• The Autocad Operator will work in a dynamic, team-based development environment as a member of our facility Central Process System (CPS) engineering and design group, to modify and develop electrical power and control system drawings in support of electrical control systems throughout the NASA Glenn Research Center campus.
• You will work closely with our design engineers to assure drawings are accurate and compliant with all GRC design and drafting standards.
• Create and modify detailed drawings using AutoCAD software from sketches, layouts, or notes provided by engineering.
• Check drawing plots versus the project input for correctness and conformance to standards.
• Work with engineers regarding model accuracy and incorporate drawing changes in accordance with Facility Change Requests (FCRs).
• Support drawing file maintenance, backup, and storage with system administration as needed.
• Conduct site visits to NASA Glenn Research Center facilities to obtain system information and technical details.
• Provide project status to client and company management through written reports and verbal presentations.
• Monitor deliverables and ensure adequate quality reviews prior to customer presentation.
• Participate in technical meetings to isolate performance issues and make recommendations for modifications.
• Document procedures for all technical aspects of assigned work.

Education & Experience

• HS diploma with 2–4 years of directly related CAD experience; AS degree or technical training in CAD design and drafting preferred.
• Experience using AutoCAD (current version 2019) to create and modify electrical schematics, block diagrams, and hardware configuration drawings.
• Experience with National Electrical Code (NEC) and related drawing standards.
• Synergis ADEPT data management system experience a plus.
• Proficiency in Microsoft Office Suite (Word/Excel).
• Strong communication skills, verbal and written, with ability to work effectively in a team environment.

Autocad Operator supports a design team delivering logistic and data collection services on a task-order-contingent project in Honolulu, Hawaii, producing detailed construction drawings and presentation graphics from verbal instructions and rough sketches while upholding project CAD standards and budget constraints. The work directly advances engineering review timelines by coordinating information exchange with licensed Engineers and Architects and orienting new drafting staff on QA system requirements.

Role Responsibilities

• The Autocad Operator will be supporting the design team in providing logistic and data collection services.
• These include the review of existing drawings and preparation of draft drawings/findings applicable to a project.
• The work of performance will be in Honolulu, Hawaii, and contingent on the task order award.
• Coordinate with Engineers and Architects for the exchange of information related to the scope of work.
• Interpret, analyze, and follow standards required by the project.
• Prepare detailed drawings, working plans, and presentation graphics from notes, verbal instructions, and rough or detailed sketches.
• Recommend and ensure compliance with project CAD drafting standards.
• Assist with the development of the CAD system and orient newly hired drafting staff on CAD standards and the QA System.
• Maintain drawings to relevant standards and review drafting output prior to forwarding to engineering.
• Monitor project costs and maintain work within project budgets.
• Perform other responsibilities associated with this position as appropriate.

Background & Experience

• Degree or technical education in Engineering, Architecture, Planning, or related field.
• At least 3–5 years of working experience in building design.
• Must be a US Citizen residing in Hawaii.
• Must be proficient with architectural, civil, mechanical, and electrical plans and knowledgeable of engineering tables, plans, and specifications.
• Working knowledge of computer networks required.
• Experience with AutoCAD 2016 or latest version.
• Familiarity with military programming rules and documentation is desirable.
• Proficient in English, both oral and written, with ability to interact with all levels of management.

Autocad Operator produces AutoCAD MAP construction drawings and permitting packages for hybrid fiber coaxial network designs, converting System Designer files into field-ready deliverables that meet municipal and utility requirements and maintain accurate geospatial alignment. The work directly supports contractor execution by ensuring construction packages, as-built records, and GIS mapping database entries are complete, organized, and current.

Day-to-Day Responsibilities

• Create AutoCAD MAP drawings for construction from design files completed by a System Designer.
• Provide assistance to Designer in preparation of proposed design and permitting drawings/applications.
• Create detailed drawings for municipalities and other utilities for the purpose of permitting.
• Maintain and update pole records and as-built drawings into the GIS mapping database.
• Work with outside sourced base maps to ensure they are in proper geospatial coordinates for field use.
• Create construction packages for contractors including all plotting and organizing of the packages.
• Keep records up to date including updating as-built information.

Professional Experience

• Minimum 1 year of formal training in AutoCAD or equivalent experience.
• Knowledge of CATV or OSP telecom facilities preferred.
• Knowledge of AutoCAD script writing preferred.
• Knowledge of mapping and geo-referencing.
• Proficiency in Microsoft Office Suite.
• Strong attention to detail with ability to work efficiently in fast-paced environments.