CAD Lead – VIC Rail, Maritime and Freight

WSP USA; Melbourne; Hybrid; AUD 140,000 - 180,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Employee Share Purchase Plan

Job summary

WSP seeks a Melbourne-based VIC CAD Lead to drive the rail drafting function across major VIC projects, delivering complex design packages and ensuring technical quality. You will mentor the drafting team, govern CAD standards, and collaborate with engineering leads to support integrated design delivery.

You will coordinate with discipline leads and project managers, oversee resource planning, and champion Digital Engineering while advancing innovation and continuous improvement across the

Qualifications

• Diploma or Degree in Engineering, Design Technology, Drafting or related discipline.
• Extensive experience as a Drafter at Senior/Associate/Principal Technician level, typically 10+ years in a large consultancy.
• Strong experience on multi-disciplinary rail infrastructure projects in VIC, with VIC standards knowledge and drafting for Track, OHW, Traction Power and CSR packages.
• Advanced proficiency in MicroStation, AutoCAD, OpenRoads, OpenRail and ProjectWise.
• Proven ability to lead quality assurance, standards development, and technical governance.
• Strong information management and project delivery understanding.
• Effective communication and coordination across multidisciplinary teams.
• Previous people management experience.

Responsibilities

• Develop, implement and govern CAD standards, templates, workflows across projects.
• Oversee preparation and coordination of complex drawing packages to ensure quality and consistency.
• Act as technical authority for drafting, standards, QA processes and best practices.
• Plan and allocate resources to meet timelines, budgets, and deliverables.
• Provide senior-level technical guidance and conduct detailed drawing/model reviews.
• Collaborate with discipline leads, engineering leads and project managers for integrated design delivery.
• Drive capability uplift through mentoring and structured development of team members.
• Support recruitment, workforce planning and performance management within the team.
• Collaborate with Global Capability Centres in Bangalore and Manila.
• Champion Digital Engineering and adoption of new tools/workflows.

Skills

Senior Drafter

Team leadership

Stakeholder management

Communication

Quality assurance

Education

Diploma or Degree in Engineering or related

Tools

MicroStation

AutoCAD

OpenRoads

OpenRail

ProjectWise

Job description

What if you could do the kind of work the world needs?

At WSP, you can contribute to impactful, world-class projects and collaborate with leading professionals across the industry. With access to global expertise, advanced technology, and a culture that values curiosity and diverse thinking, you will lead a high-performing drafting team and play a key role in delivering complex infrastructure projects across Victoria.

This role sits within our Rail, Maritime and Freight team and will see you leading the rail drafting function across major VIC projects such as Suburban Rail Loop and Melbourne Airport Rail. You will be accountable for technical quality, team performance and development, and continuous improvement, while supporting delivery outcomes for clients across transport and infrastructure.

Working closely with the Digital Engineering Managers, Design Managers, Discipline Leads and Information Management teams, the CAD team lead provides technical leadership and support to project teams, enabling efficient production and coordination of design deliverables throughout the project lifecycle.

What You'll Do

As the VIC CAD lead within our rail team, you will:

• Develop, implement and govern CAD standards, procedures, templates, workspaces and drawing production workflows across our projects

• Oversee the preparation, coordination, and issue of complex drawing packages, ensuring quality and consistency across all outputs

• Act as the technical authority for drafting, setting and maintaining standards, QA processes, and best practice procedures

• Plan and allocate resources to meet project timelines, budgets, and deliverables

• Provide senior-level technical guidance and conduct detailed reviews of drawings and models

• Work closely with discipline leads, engineering leads and project managers to support integrated design delivery

• Drive capability uplift through mentoring, coaching, and structured development of team members

• Support recruitment, workforce planning, and performance management within the team

• Collaborate with our Global Capability Centres (GCC) in Bangalore and Manila

• Champion Digital Engineering, including adoption of new tools, workflows, and innovation initiatives

• Contribute to the continuous improvement of systems, standards, and delivery processes

This is a Melbourne-based role with hybrid working arrangements.

About You

Essential

• Diploma or Degree in Engineering, Design Technology, Drafting, Digital Engineering or a related discipline.

• Extensive experience as a Drafter, operating at Senior, Associate or Principal Technician or equivalent level - usually minimum of 10 years of experience within a large consultancy environment.

• Strong experience across multi-disciplinary rail infrastructure projects in VIC, with deep understanding of VIC standards and experience drafting for Track, OHW, Traction Power and CSR packages.

• Advanced proficiency in MicroStation, AutoCAD, OpenRoads, OpenRail and ProjectWise

• Demonstrated ability to lead quality assurance, standards development, and technical governance

• Strong understanding of information management and project delivery processes.

• Effective communication, stakeholder management and coordination skills across multidisciplinary teams.

• Previous people management experience

Desirable

• Knowledge of BIM and Digital Engineering frameworks.

• Experience working within alliance or integrated project delivery environments.

• Familiarity with Autodesk Revit, Civil 3D and model coordination platforms.

Key Relationships

Internal

• Regional Executive - Rail, VIC & SA (reports to)

• CAD and Design Production Team in VIC (leads)

• CAD and Design Production Team interstate and GCC

• Discipline Leads

• Design Managers

• Digital Engineering Managers

• Digital Engineering Leads

• Information Management Team

• Project Controls and Quality Teams

External

• Client Representatives

• Alliance Partners

• Subconsultants

• Software Vendors

Imagine a better future for you and a better future for us all.

Join our close-knit community of talented individuals who share your passion for making a positive impact. Our global team includes more than 83,000 employees, working together to make a difference in communities both close to home and around the world.

An employee Share Purchase Plan is available to all our permanent employees who wish to become owners and vested partners in WSP's collective success. To find out more about our commitment to the health and wellbeing of our people, and the programs we've designed to help you thrive, go to our Employee Benefits page (https://www.wsp.com/en-au/careers/why-join-us/employee-benefits) .

With us, you can.