CAD Designer / Drafter
Quick Facts
Median Salary$58,644
Most Common EducationAssociate's degree
Projected 10-Year Growth-4.86%
Assessment MatchTake the Assessment
What They Do
A CAD Designer or Drafter uses computer software to convert engineering or architectural designs into technical drawings and plans.
Core Tasks:
- Produce drawings, using computer-assisted drafting systems (CAD) or drafting machines, or by hand, using compasses, dividers, protractors, triangles, and other drafting devices.
- Draft plans and detailed drawings for structures, installations, and construction projects, such as highways, sewage disposal systems, and dikes, working from sketches or notes.
- Coordinate structural, electrical, and mechanical designs and determine a method of presentation to graphically represent building plans.
- Analyze building codes, by-laws, space and site requirements, and other technical documents and reports to determine their effect on architectural designs.
- Draw maps, diagrams, and profiles, using cross-sections and surveys, to represent elevations, topographical contours, subsurface formations, and structures.
- Lay out and plan interior room arrangements for commercial buildings, using computer-assisted drafting (CAD) equipment and software.
- Supervise and train other technologists, technicians, and drafters.
- Determine the order of work and method of presentation, such as orthographic or isometric drawing.
- Finish and duplicate drawings and documentation packages according to required mediums and specifications for reproduction, using blueprinting, photography, or other duplicating methods.
- Draw rough and detailed scale plans for foundations, buildings, and structures, based on preliminary concepts, sketches, engineering calculations, specification sheets, and other data.
- Correlate, interpret, and modify data obtained from topographical surveys, well logs, and geophysical prospecting reports.
- Check dimensions of materials to be used and assign numbers to lists of materials.
- Determine procedures and instructions to be followed, according to design specifications and quantity of required materials.
- Supervise or conduct field surveys, inspections, or technical investigations to obtain data required to revise construction drawings.
- Explain drawings to production or construction teams and provide adjustments as necessary.
- Obtain and assemble data to complete architectural designs, visiting job sites to compile measurements as necessary.
- Determine quality, cost, strength, and quantity of required materials, and enter figures on materials lists.
- Locate and identify symbols on topographical surveys to denote geological and geophysical formations or oil field installations.
- Create freehand drawings and lettering to accompany drawings.
- Calculate excavation tonnage and prepare graphs and fill-hauling diagrams for use in earth-moving operations.
- Prepare colored drawings of landscape and interior designs for presentation to client.
- Calculate weights, volumes, and stress factors and their implications for technical aspects of designs.
What to expect as a CAD Designer / Drafter
1Earn a Associate's degree
43% of people achieve this level of education.
2Gain skills and experience
See CAD Designer / Drafter related courses on Tallo
3Land a job
2726 openings for CAD Designers / Drafters
Career Progression
in United States (Nation)
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