Junior CAD Technician

ESL UK; Manchester; On-site; GBP 21,000 - 32,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

23 days annual leave

8 bank holidays

Cycle to Work

Free fruit in the office

Team events

CPD sessions

Mentoring

Career progression to CAD Technician

Job summary

ESL UK in Manchester is seeking a Junior CAD Technician to join our growing multidisciplinary team delivering rail and water infrastructure projects.

You will work with Design Engineers and Senior CAD Technicians to produce high-quality drawings and documentation, developing your CAD skills and learning industry standards through hands-on experience and mentoring.

Qualifications

• Experience using CAD software through employment, education or an apprenticeship.
• Basic understanding of engineering drawings and drafting principles.
• Willingness to learn and develop CAD skills with mentoring.

Responsibilities

• Produce accurate engineering drawings and models under guidance.
• Assist with preparation and revision of design drawings through project lifecycles.
• Ensure drawings comply with CAD standards and client requirements.
• Use templates and design information to prepare drawings.
• Follow established design processes and quality procedures.
• Record time spent on tasks and manage workload to meet deadlines.

Skills

Attention to detail

Communication skills

Team collaboration

Willingness to learn

Education

HNC (or working towards) in Civil Engineering

Tools

AutoCAD

ProjectWise

3D modelling software

Job description

We are looking for a Junior CAD Technician to join our growing multidisciplinary team delivering projects across the rail and water sectors.

This role is ideal for someone at the beginning of their engineering career who is keen to develop their CAD skills, gain hands-on experience and work alongside experienced engineers and technicians on a wide variety of infrastructure projects.

You will support the production of engineering drawings and models, learning industry standards and best practice while contributing to the successful delivery of design projects.

The Role

As a Junior CAD Technician, you will work closely with Design Engineers and Senior CAD Technicians to produce high-quality engineering drawings and documentation.

Your responsibilities will include:

• Producing accurate engineering drawings and models under the guidance of experienced engineers and technicians.
• Assisting with the preparation and revision of design drawings throughout project lifecycles.
• Ensuring drawings comply with company CAD standards, industry standards and client requirements.
• Using standard details, templates and design information to prepare engineering drawings.
• Working in accordance with established design processes and quality procedures.
• Managing your workload to meet project deadlines and accurately recording time spent on tasks.
• Using ProjectWise and other document management systems to store and manage project documentation.
• Making drawing revisions following design reviews and incorporating feedback from the wider team.
• Supporting the design team with general CAD and project-related activities.
• Continuously developing your technical knowledge through training, mentoring and practical project experience.

About You

We are looking for someone who has a genuine interest in engineering design, enjoys problem-solving and is eager to build a career as a CAD Technician.

Essential

• Experience using CAD software through employment, education or an apprenticeship (AutoCAD experience is advantageous but not essential).
• Basic understanding of engineering drawings and drafting principles.
• Good attention to detail with the ability to produce accurate work.
• Strong communication and organisational skills.
• Ability to work effectively as part of a collaborative team.
• A positive attitude and willingness to learn new skills.

Desirable

• HNC (or working towards) in Civil Engineering or a related engineering discipline.
• Experience within the rail, water or wider infrastructure sectors through employment, placements or apprenticeships.
• Awareness of engineering drawing standards and CAD best practice.
• Experience using ProjectWise or similar document management software.
• Exposure to 3D modelling software.

Key Skills

• Good technical aptitude and willingness to learn.
• Strong attention to detail.
• Effective communication skills.
• Ability to work collaboratively within a multidisciplinary team.
• Good organisational and time management skills.
• A proactive approach to learning and personal development.

Location & Working Arrangements

Our team is ideally based from our Manchester office, and we encourage regular collaboration in person where possible.

Our office is located close to Old Trafford, with free on-site parking and strong transport links including bus and tram stops within a 10-minute walk. The surrounding area offers a range of cafés, pubs, restaurants and shops.

The building provides free access to a fully equipped gym, along with showers, changing facilities, hairdryers, towels and toiletries, making it easy to fit exercise around the working day.

Benefits & Development

We offer an environment where you can build your technical skills and develop a long-term career within engineering design.

• Salary: Competitive (dependent on experience)
• 23 days annual leave plus 8 bank holidays.
• Additional annual leave after two years’ service.
• Option to purchase additional annual leave days.
• Cycle to Work scheme.
• Free fruit in the office.
• Monthly team brunches and quarterly social events.
• Regular lunch-and-learn sessions with industry specialists for CPD.
• Ongoing mentoring and structured career development.
• Opportunities to progress to CAD Technician as your skills and experience grow.