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Key Responsibilities and Required Skills for Architectural Drafter

💰 $50,000 - $85,000

ArchitectureDraftingBIMConstruction

🎯 Role Definition

An Architectural Drafter produces precise technical drawings and construction documents that translate architectural concepts and engineering designs into buildable plans. Working as part of design and construction teams, the Architectural Drafter uses CAD and BIM tools to develop floor plans, elevations, sections, details, and shop drawings; coordinates with architects, engineers, consultants, contractors, and fabricators; ensures drawings conform to building codes, standards, and project specifications; supports permit submissions, construction administration, and as-built documentation. This role demands strong technical drafting skills, attention to detail, ability to interpret design intent, and excellent communication to deliver accurate, coordinated documentation for residential, commercial, institutional, and industrial projects.

📈 Career Progression

Typical Career Path

Entry Point From:

  • Junior CAD Technician
  • Architectural Intern
  • Construction Document Specialist

Advancement To:

  • Senior Architectural Drafter
  • BIM Coordinator / BIM Manager
  • Architectural Designer or Project Architect (with licensure)
  • Construction Document Manager or CAD Manager

Lateral Moves:

  • MEP/Structural Drafting Specialist
  • Shop Drawing Coordinator
  • Permit Coordinator / Construction Administrator

Core Responsibilities

Primary Functions

  • Produce fully coordinated, code-compliant construction documents (plans, elevations, sections, details) using AutoCAD and Revit that accurately reflect architect design intent and contractor constructability requirements.
  • Create, update and maintain BIM models in Revit for architectural scope, including building geometry, materials, families, levels, grids, and annotation to support clash detection, coordination and quantity takeoffs.
  • Prepare detailed shop drawings and fabrication drawings for cabinetry, millwork, curtainwall, glazing, storefront systems, roofing, and specialty items, ensuring dimensions, tolerances, and installation notes are clear for fabrication.
  • Convert conceptual sketches, hand drawings, schematic designs and Architect/Engineer markups into precise 2D CAD drawings and 3D BIM deliverables that meet office CAD/BIM standards.
  • Coordinate architectural drawings with structural, mechanical, electrical, plumbing and civil consultants by reviewing consultant models/drawings, performing clash detection (Navisworks/BIM 360), and issuing coordinated revisions.
  • Generate permit sets and application packages, including code narratives, egress diagrams, life-safety plans, ADA compliance annotations, and stamped drawings as required by municipal authorities.
  • Produce and manage drawing revisions in response to RFIs, change orders and owner/contractor directed changes, ensuring version control, cloud distribution, and revision logs are maintained.
  • Produce detailed construction details at various scales (1/4" = 1'-0", 1/2" = 1'-0", etc.), including wall sections, window/door details, floor/roof assemblies, flashing and waterproofing integration consistent with project specifications.
  • Perform accurate material takeoffs and quantity estimates from drawings and BIM models to support cost estimating and procurement coordination.
  • Prepare As-Built and Record drawings by incorporating field measurements, redline markups from the contractor, and updated site survey information to create final project documentation.
  • Perform site visits and field verification to capture conditions, verify dimensions, gather reference photos, and coordinate on-site changes with project teams to maintain drawing accuracy.
  • Review and stamp shop drawings submitted by subcontractors, verifying dimensional fit, material compatibility and compliance with design intent and contract documents.
  • Maintain project drawing standards, templates, annotation styles, layer naming conventions and BIM family libraries to ensure consistency across projects and efficient handoff to construction teams.
  • Create and manage drawing sheet index, cover sheets, schedules (door, finish, hardware), and details that are accurate, linked to model data, and readily usable by contractors and permitting authorities.
  • Provide CAD/BIM support for project meetings, including presenting drawings, producing meeting markups, issuing meeting minutes with action items and revised drawing distributions.
  • Resolve constructability issues by proactively flagging conflicts, proposing practical detailing solutions, and collaborating with architects and engineers to minimize RFIs and change orders during construction.
  • Produce high-quality 2D PDFs, plotted drawing sets, and multi-format deliverables (DWG, RVT, IFC, DWF, PDF) according to client and municipal submission requirements.
  • Perform quality control checks on drawings and BIM models for dimensional accuracy, annotation completeness, specification cross-references, and code compliance prior to issuing for permit or construction.
  • Assist in developing and maintaining BIM execution plans, CAD standards manuals, and office training materials; mentor junior drafters and review their work for quality assurance.
  • Manage digital document control for drawings and submittals, organizing file structures, cloud project folders (BIM 360, Procore, SharePoint), and tracking submittal approval status until closeout.
  • Prepare detailed door, finish, and hardware schedules and coordinate with door hardware vendors and consultants to ensure correct hardware sets are specified and detailed for installation.
  • Produce and coordinate interior elevations and millwork drawings with interior designers and vendors to ensure finishes, joinery details, and tolerances are documented for fabrication.
  • Support sustainability and LEED documentation by detailing energy-related assemblies, thermal breaks, and material composites, and providing BIM-based data extraction when required.

Secondary Functions

  • Assist project managers and architects with project administration tasks such as preparing transmittals, tracking submittals, and updating project timelines tied to drawing deliverables.
  • Support the permit application process by liaising with local building departments, responding to plan check comments, and revising drawings to secure timely approvals.
  • Participate in pre-construction meetings and site coordination sessions, documenting action items and ensuring drawing updates reflect construction sequencing and phasing.
  • Execute ad-hoc documentation requests for marketing, client presentations and construction bidding packages, preparing illustrative renderings, exploded detail diagrams and plan overlays as needed.
  • Contribute to continuous improvement of CAD/BIM workflows and office standards by documenting best practices, testing new software tools and recommending process optimizations.
  • Provide training and hands-on mentoring to junior drafters, interns and cross-functional team members to build internal drafting capacity and ensure consistent output quality.
  • Archive completed project documentation and compile close-out packages, including record drawings, warranties, equipment manuals and O&M documentation for client handover.

Required Skills & Competencies

Hard Skills (Technical)

  • Advanced proficiency in AutoCAD for 2D drafting, layering standards, blocks, xrefs and plotting to create precise construction documents.
  • Advanced proficiency in Autodesk Revit for architectural modeling, family creation, view setup, schedules, and BIM data extraction.
  • Experience with Revit collaboration platforms and cloud-based model coordination tools (BIM 360, Autodesk Construction Cloud).
  • Strong knowledge of building codes and standards (IBC, local amendments), ADA requirements, and zoning/permit processes to ensure compliant documentation.
  • Ability to produce and interpret construction details, wall assemblies, sections and technical specifications with strong understanding of building assemblies and materials.
  • Experience creating shop drawings and fabrication details for complex components (curtainwall, millwork, metal framing, glazing).
  • Skilled in clash detection and model coordination using Navisworks, Solibri, or equivalent tools.
  • Proficient with PDF markup and document review tools (Bluebeam Revu) for redlines, revisions and issuance workflows.
  • Familiarity with 3D modeling and visualization tools (SketchUp, Rhino, Enscape) to support design intent communication and client presentations.
  • Experience generating material takeoffs, quantity schedules, and exportable data for estimating and procurement.
  • Competence with Microsoft Office suite (Excel, Word, Teams), and project management/document control platforms (Procore, Newforma, SharePoint).
  • Knowledge of construction administration processes, RFI responses, submittal review and change order documentation.
  • Understanding of shop fabrication tolerances, anchorage details and coordination with MEP/structural elements.
  • Experience exporting IFC and coordinating multi-disciplinary BIM models for interoperability and contractor use.
  • Ability to produce accessible, searchable drawing sets and metadata for long-term recordkeeping and handover.

Soft Skills

  • Strong attention to detail and consistency; meticulous checker for dimensions, annotation, and code compliance.
  • Effective verbal and written communication; able to convey technical information to architects, engineers, contractors and clients.
  • Excellent time management and ability to prioritize multiple projects to meet tight permit and construction deadlines.
  • Problem-solving orientation and practical construction sense to propose buildable detailing solutions.
  • Collaborative team player comfortable coordinating across disciplines and vendors to resolve conflicts.
  • Adaptability and willingness to learn new tools, standards and software workflows to improve productivity.
  • Client-facing professionalism; able to support presentations, walkthroughs, and clarify drawing intent for stakeholders.
  • Organizational skills to manage drawing libraries, version control and documentation across many simultaneous projects.

Education & Experience

Educational Background

Minimum Education:

  • Associate degree or certificate in Architectural Technology, Drafting & Design, CAD Technology, or related field.

Preferred Education:

  • Bachelor’s degree in Architectural Technology, Architecture, Construction Management, or related discipline.

Relevant Fields of Study:

  • Architectural Technology
  • Architectural Drafting / CAD
  • Construction Technology / Construction Management
  • Architectural Design / Building Science

Experience Requirements

Typical Experience Range: 2–7 years of professional architectural drafting or CAD/BIM experience, depending on project complexity.

Preferred: 4+ years of hands-on Revit modeling and production of construction documents in an architecture or engineering firm, with demonstrated experience in multi-discipline coordination, permit submittals and shop drawing production.

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