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Key Responsibilities and Required Skills for Utility Designer

💰 $ - $

EngineeringUtilitiesDesignCAD

🎯 Role Definition

The Utility Designer is responsible for producing detailed design and construction documents for utility infrastructure projects (water distribution, sanitary sewer, stormwater, natural gas, electrical and telecommunications). This role converts engineering concepts and field data into accurate CAD/BIM deliverables, coordinates with utility owners and permitting agencies, performs design checks and quantity takeoffs, and supports construction through responsive field and office engineering. The Utility Designer optimizes designs for constructability, cost-effectiveness, regulatory compliance, and long-term asset management.

📈 Career Progression

Typical Career Path

Entry Point From:

  • CAD Technician / CAD Operator with civil or utilities focus
  • Junior Utility Designer / Civil Designer
  • Field Survey Technician / Utility Locator

Advancement To:

  • Senior Utility Designer / Lead Utility Designer
  • Project Engineer / Design Project Manager
  • Utility Design Manager or Discipline Lead
  • Engineering Manager or Director of Design

Lateral Moves:

  • Pipeline / Trenchless Design Specialist
  • Stormwater / Drainage Designer
  • GIS Analyst or Asset Management Specialist

Core Responsibilities

Primary Functions

  • Prepare accurate, construction-ready utility plans and profile sheets (water, sewer, storm, gas, electrical, telecom) using AutoCAD Civil 3D or MicroStation, including alignments, stationing, and vertical profiles consistent with project standards.
  • Translate civil and MEP engineering calculations into detailed plan layout, material specifications, fittings, and appurtenances while ensuring constructability and adherence to agency and utility owner standards.
  • Develop detailed quantity takeoffs, bill of materials, and preliminary cost estimates to support budgeting and procurement for utility works, using Excel and estimating software.
  • Coordinate subsurface utility engineering (SUE) deliverables, interpret SUE Level B/C reports, and incorporate utility scan and pothole data into the design to minimize utility conflicts and reduce risk during construction.
  • Create and maintain as-built and record drawings; review contractor markups and field notes and update GIS/asset management systems with validated asset attributes and spatial locations.
  • Perform hydraulic and load calculations for pipe sizing, pump stations, force mains, and pressure systems using tools such as EPANET, WaterGEMS, or InfoWorks to ensure hydraulic capacity and compliance with design criteria.
  • Conduct clash detection and 3D coordination with other disciplines (civil, structural, traffic, MEP) using Navisworks or BIM workflows to resolve conflicts before construction.
  • Prepare permit packages and coordinate regulatory approvals with municipalities, utility companies, DOTs, and environmental agencies, responding to technical comments and updating designs accordingly.
  • Review survey and geospatial data, import and process field control, and generate plan base files from point clouds, topo surveys, and LiDAR for accurate utility alignment and profile generation.
  • Develop standard details, typical sections, trench details, shoring recommendations, and erosion control measures tailored to local construction practices and safety standards.
  • Apply local codes, AWWA, NEC, ASTM, and other industry standards to all utility design tasks and document compliance within design deliverables.
  • Perform design QA/QC checks, run clash and tolerance reviews, and document design decisions, assumptions, and deviations to maintain quality and traceability.
  • Prepare construction staging, phasing, and traffic control schematic drawings that integrate safely with utility installation sequencing and minimize public disruption.
  • Coordinate with property owners, contractors, internal project teams, and utility companies to obtain private easements, utility permits, and relocation agreements required for design implementation.
  • Interpret geotechnical recommendations and incorporate trenching depth, bedding, and backfill specifications into utility assemblies and construction details.
  • Respond to contractor Requests for Information (RFIs), review contractor submittals, and provide clarifications and revision packages during construction to keep projects on schedule and budget.
  • Maintain and update CAD/BIM standards, layer naming conventions, and template libraries to ensure consistent deliverables across projects and teams.
  • Perform constructability reviews and provide value-engineering suggestions to reduce costs, shorten schedules, and improve long-term maintainability of utility systems.
  • Support project managers by tracking design progress, preparing technical scopes of work, and contributing to client meetings, presentations, and design reviews.
  • Produce cable/pole layouts, pad placements, and conduit routing for electrical and communications utilities, coordinating with structural and traffic disciplines where required.
  • Prepare and review utility relocation plans and temporary service connection drawings as part of highway, redevelopment, or infrastructure upgrade projects.
  • Document and manage design change logs and redline markups, ensuring all revisions are tracked, approved, and integrated into the master design set.
  • Assist in field investigations, stakeout preparation, and construction observation tasks as necessary to validate design assumptions and respond to site conditions.
  • Maintain thorough project documentation—design narratives, calculation packages, permit submittals, and deliverable transmittals—to satisfy contractual and regulatory requirements.

Secondary Functions

  • Support ad-hoc data requests and exploratory data analysis.
  • Contribute to the organization's data strategy and roadmap.
  • Collaborate with business units to translate data needs into engineering requirements.
  • Participate in sprint planning and agile ceremonies within the data engineering team.
  • Maintain CAD and BIM template libraries, standard details, and block libraries to streamline design delivery.
  • Assist with training and mentoring junior designers on CAD tools, SUE interpretation, and office standards.
  • Help prepare proposal sections, scope estimates, and technical resumes for pursuit and business development activities.
  • Participate in pilot projects to evaluate new modeling, clash-detection, or field data capture technologies (drones, mobile LiDAR, GPR).

Required Skills & Competencies

Hard Skills (Technical)

  • Proficiency in AutoCAD Civil 3D for corridor modeling, alignments, profiles, and plan production.
  • Experience with MicroStation/OpenRoads environments for clients using Bentley platforms.
  • GIS competency (ArcGIS, QGIS) to manage spatial utility data and produce georeferenced deliverables.
  • Hydraulic modeling experience (EPANET, WaterGEMS, InfoWorks) for water distribution and sanitary sewer design.
  • Familiarity with Subsurface Utility Engineering (SUE) practices and interpreting ground-penetrating radar (GPR), EM, and pothole reports.
  • Strong drafting skills: creating plan/profile sheets, details, sections, and construction notes consistent with agency standards.
  • Experience with Bluebeam Revu, Adobe PDF workflows, and digital redline/markup processes for design reviews.
  • Ability to perform material takeoffs, quantity estimates, and produce bill of materials for procurement.
  • Working knowledge of permitting processes and submission requirements for municipal, county, and state agencies.
  • Understanding of construction practices, trenchless methods (horizontal directional drilling, CIPP), staging and traffic control considerations.
  • Familiarity with BIM coordination tools (Navisworks, Revit MEP) and 3D clash detection workflows.
  • Competence with survey data processing, point cloud integration, and converting field control to usable CAD data.
  • Proficiency in Microsoft Excel for calculation spreadsheets, takeoff tables, and schedule tracking.
  • Experience with asset management and record drawing systems to update and maintain utility inventories.

Soft Skills

  • Strong written and verbal communication skills for clear client correspondence, permit narratives, and construction documentation.
  • Excellent attention to detail and a methodical approach to QA/QC to ensure error-free deliverables.
  • Effective collaboration and stakeholder management — works well with engineers, surveyors, municipal staff, contractors and utility owners.
  • Problem-solving mindset; able to propose practical design alternatives under schedule or budget constraints.
  • Time management and prioritization skills to meet multiple project deadlines and shifting priorities.
  • Client-facing presence with ability to present technical concepts to non-technical audiences.
  • Adaptability and willingness to learn new design tools, standards, and industry practices.
  • Team leadership and mentoring ability for junior designers and CAD staff.
  • Negotiation and conflict-resolution capabilities for coordinating utility relocations and easement agreements.
  • Strong organizational skills for document control, versioning, and design change management.

Education & Experience

Educational Background

Minimum Education:

  • Associate degree in Civil Engineering Technology, Drafting, Construction Technology or equivalent technical training with relevant utility design experience.

Preferred Education:

  • Bachelor of Science in Civil Engineering, Environmental Engineering, or closely related engineering discipline. EIT or PE is a plus for advanced roles.

Relevant Fields of Study:

  • Civil Engineering / Civil Engineering Technology
  • Environmental Engineering
  • Construction Management
  • Surveying & Geomatics
  • Electrical or Mechanical Engineering (for electrical/telecom utility specialization)
  • GIS / Geospatial Sciences

Experience Requirements

Typical Experience Range:

  • 2 to 8 years for mid-level Utility Designer roles; entry-level 0–2 years with strong CAD experience; senior roles typically 6+ years.

Preferred:

  • 3–7+ years of direct utility design experience (water, sewer, storm, gas, electrical or telecom), hands-on use of AutoCAD Civil 3D or MicroStation, experience integrating SUE results, and demonstrated experience preparing permit packages and construction drawings. Experience with public agency standards and utility owner requirements is strongly preferred.

  • Certifications or training such as NICET, CAD/BIM certifications, SUE training, or hydraulic modeling course completion are advantageous.

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