Job Description & Details
This is a hands-on CAD Designer role focused heavily on utility-scale solar and Battery Energy Storage Systems (BESS). If you know your way around Civil 3D and enjoy building out real-world renewable energy infrastructure from the ground up, this contract-to-hire position gives you a direct foot in the door with a major engineering client.
What You'll Actually Be Doing
You'll spend your days buried in AutoCAD, turning raw survey data, TOPO, and ALTA files into production-ready civil and structural plan sets. Expect to build out grading surfaces, site layouts, foundation details, and equipment elevation drawings while coordinating directly with engineers and project managers to make sure everything matches site constraints.
The Core Tech Stack
AutoCAD 2D/3D and Civil 3D are non-negotiable here; you won't survive the first week without deep, practical fluency in them. Familiarity with SketchUp, GIS, and Microsoft Office will also make your life significantly easier when generating quantity takeoffs and cross-referencing manufacturer installation specs.
Interview Expectations
Expect the hiring team to test your real-world drafting speed and problem-solving abilities, likely asking how you handle conflicting survey and TOPO data on tight utility deadlines. They want to see that you can troubleshoot design discrepancies independently without constantly needing your hand held by the lead engineer.
Application Advice
Make sure your resume explicitly calls out your experience with utility-scale solar PV or BESS projects, as general civil drafting won't cut it for this specific team. Highlight keywords like 'Civil 3D', 'grading designs', 'quantity takeoffs', and 'structural plan sets' so your application easily slips past the initial ATS filters.