Civil Drafter

Actalent; Plymouth (MN); On-site; USD 39,000 - 50,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Medical, dental & vision

401(k) Retirement Plan

Life Insurance

Disability Insurance

Health Spending Account (HSA)

Transportation benefits

Paid Time Off

Job summary

Actalent is seeking a Civil Drafter / Office Survey Technician to support residential land development projects in the metro area. You will draft ALTA surveys, plats, and certificates of survey, and collaborate with field crews and engineers on design layouts.

Ideal candidates have 2+ years in land surveying and ALTA experience, with strong Civil 3D and AutoCAD skills, and a detail-focused, team-oriented approach to office and field work.

Qualifications

• Minimum 2 years of land surveying experience on residential or land development projects.
• At least 2 years of ALTA/NSPS survey experience, including drafting and preparation of survey documents.
• Minimum 2 years of drafting experience in a surveying or civil engineering environment.
• Proficiency with Civil 3D and AutoCAD for survey drafting and plan preparation.
• Strong attention to detail and ability to work with field crews.

Responsibilities

• Draft and prepare ALTA/NSPS surveys, plats, and certificates of survey for new home construction and subdivisions.
• Create survey certificates for housing developments and other land development projects.
• Collaborate with field crews to ensure accurate data transfer and use of survey data.
• Review incoming field data for completeness and resolve discrepancies.
• Partner with engineers on layout and grading plans for residential projects.
• Coordinate with clients to understand requirements and incorporate feedback into documents.
• Produce drafting deliverables using Civil 3D and AutoCAD for development projects.
• Interpret topographic data to support design and documentation.
• Maintain organized project files and documentation for surveys, plats, and certificates.
• Support survey and engineering teams with drafting and survey tasks as needed.

Skills

Land surveying experience

ALTA/NSPS experience

Drafting experience in surveying/civil

Topographic data interpretation

Attention to detail

Communication skills

Multi-project management

Office-field coordination

Team collaboration

Education

LSIT (Land Surveyor in Training) certification

Tools

Civil 3D

AutoCAD

Job description

Job Title: Civil Drafter / Office Survey Technician

Job Description

A civil drafter / office survey technician is needed to support a leading civil engineering firm focused on residential land development. In this role, you will draft and prepare ALTA/NSPS surveys, preliminary and final plats, and certificates of survey for new home construction, developed subdivisions, and custom home sites. You will primarily work on metro-area residential projects of varying size, with opportunities to contribute to public development projects as well.

Responsibilities

• Draft and prepare ALTA/NSPS surveys, preliminary plats, final plats, and certificates of survey for new home construction, developed neighborhoods, and custom home sites.
• Create accurate survey certificates for housing developments and other new land development projects.
• Collaborate closely with field crews to ensure accurate collection, transfer, and use of survey data.
• Review incoming field data for completeness and accuracy and communicate with field staff to resolve discrepancies.
• Partner with civil engineers on layout and grading plans for residential land development projects.
• Coordinate with clients to understand project requirements and incorporate feedback into survey documents and plans.
• Produce clear, detailed drafting deliverables using Civil 3D and AutoCAD for residential and public development projects.
• Interpret topographic and land surveying data to support design and documentation.
• Maintain organized project files and documentation for surveys, plats, and certificates.
• Support the survey and engineering teams with additional drafting and survey-related tasks as needed.

Essential Skills

• Minimum 2 years of land surveying experience, including work on residential or land development projects.
• At least 2 years of ALTA/NSPS survey experience, including drafting and preparation of survey documents.
• Minimum 2 years of drafting experience in a surveying or civil engineering environment.
• Proficiency with Civil 3D for civil drafting and land development design support.
• Proficiency with AutoCAD for survey drafting and preparation of plats and certificates.
• Hands-on experience with land surveying workflows and coordination between office and field crews.
• Ability to interpret and work with topographic data and survey measurements.
• Strong attention to detail and accuracy in drafting and survey documentation.
• Effective communication skills for collaborating with field crews, engineers, and clients.
• Ability to manage multiple projects and deadlines in a professional office setting.

Additional Skills & Qualifications

• LSIT (Land Surveyor in Training) certification is preferred but not required.
• Experience working within a surveying firm or survey team that supports land development projects is highly desirable.
• Experience in residential land development, including work with home builders or similar clients, is a plus.
• Familiarity with ALTA/NSPS standards and best practices for survey documentation.
• Experience partnering with professional engineers on grading and site layout plans.
• Ability to work both on large-scale residential projects and custom, smaller developments.
• Interest in growing within a small, highly regarded civil engineering and land surveying team.

Work Environment

This role is primarily office-based, with most time spent drafting and creating survey certificates at a professional civil engineering and surveying office. The standard schedule is Monday through Friday, with some flexibility as needed. You will work closely with a small, collaborative team that includes professional engineers (PEs), registered land surveyors, EITs, LSITs, and multiple field crews active during the summer. The environment emphasizes high-quality work in residential land development, exposure to both large-scale and custom projects, and strong teamwork between office and field staff. Drafting and survey work is performed using Civil 3D, AutoCAD, and standard surveying tools and data, in a professional, business-casual office setting.

Job Type & Location

This is a Contract to Hire position based out of Plymouth, MN.

Pay And Benefits

The pay range for this position is $28.00 - $36.00/hr.

Individual compensation offered for this position within this range will depend on many factors, including qualifications, skills, relevant experience, job knowledge, geographic location, internal equity, and other pertinent job-related factors.

Eligibility requirements apply to some benefits and may depend on your job classification and length of employment. Benefits are subject to change and may be subject to specific elections, plan, or program terms. If eligible, the benefits available for this temporary role may include the following:

• Medical, dental & vision
• Critical Illness, Accident, and Hospital
• 401(k) Retirement Plan Pre-tax and Roth post-tax contributions available
• Life Insurance (Voluntary Life & AD&D for the employee and dependents)
• Short and long-term disability
• Health Spending Account (HSA)
• Transportation benefits
• Employee Assistance Program
• Time Off/Leave (PTO, Vacation or Sick Leave)

Application Deadline

This position is anticipated to close on Nov 6, 2026.

Workplace Type

This is a fully onsite position in Plymouth,MN.

About Actalent

Actalent is a global leader in engineering and sciences services and talent solutions. We help visionary companies advance their engineering and science initiatives through access to specialized experts who drive scale, innovation and speed to market. With a network of almost 20,000 consultants and 5,000 clients across the U.S., Canada, Asia and Europe, Actalent serves many of the Fortune 500. We are proud to be an Engineering News-Record (ENR) Top 500 Design Firm for our engineering design services and a ClearlyRated Best of Staffing winner for both client and talent service.

The company is an equal opportunity employer and will consider all applications without regard to race, sex, age, color, religion, national origin, veteran status, disability, sexual orientation, gender identity, genetic information or any characteristic protected by law.

If you would like to request a reasonable accommodation, such as the modification or adjustment of the job application process or interviewing process due to a disability, please email [e-mail] for other accommodation options.

San Francisco Fair Chance Ordinance

Pursuant to the San Francisco Fair Chance Ordinance, for all positions located in the city and county of San Francisco, we will consider for employment qualified applicants with arrest and conviction records.

Massachusetts Lie Detector

It is unlawful in Massachusetts to require or administer a lie detector test as a condition of employment or continued employment. An employer who violates this law shall be subject to criminal penalties and civil liability.

Use of Artificial Intelligence (AI)

We may use Artificial Intelligence (AI) to support parts of our hiring process, including sourcing, screening, and evaluating candidates. AI helps assess applications and qualifications, but final decisions are made by our hiring team. By applying, you acknowledge and agree that your application may be reviewed using AI tools.