Designer

Actalent; United States; Hybrid; USD 32,000 - 36,000; Full time

Job summary

Actalent in Richmond, VA, is seeking a Designer / CAD Specialist to support a strategic underground utility distribution program. You will create precise plat exhibits for easements using AutoCAD and AUD, ensuring designs are practical and compliant with utility standards.

The role involves field data collection, QA checks, and collaboration with right-of-way and design teams to deliver reliable drawings for planning, permitting, and construction.

Qualifications

• Proficiency with AutoCAD for drafting utility distribution drawings and plat exhibits.
• Schooling or professional experience in drafting or design related to infrastructure or utilities.
• Ability to apply utility design concepts including layouts, clearances, standards, and safety requirements.
• Strong attention to detail with proofreading and quality control capabilities.
• Capability to produce field-ready deliverables for engineers and crews.

Responsibilities

• Collaborate with right-of-way and design teams to produce plat exhibits for underground and overhead easements.
• Review scope of work and draft easements along cable routes, ensuring buildable, compliant designs.
• Verify drawings for accuracy: spelling, title blocks, addresses, parcel numbers.
• Perform QA checks and complete QC checklists before final submission.
• Submit drawings to supervisor for review and incorporate feedback.
• Support distribution design through understanding infrastructure layouts, clearances, and safety requirements.
• Produce deliverables for planning, permitting, and field installation.
• Conduct field work to collect data and confirm site conditions.
• Leverage AUD and GIS tools to support distribution design and data integration.
• Maintain organized project files including notes, drawings, specs, and estimates.
• Adhere to regulatory, safety, and internal quality standards.

Skills

AutoCAD

Drafting

GIS

Quality control

Field work

AUD

Education

Drafting/Design training

Tools

AUD

GIS

Job description

Job Title: Designer / CAD Specialist – Underground Utility Distribution

Job Description

This role supports a long-term strategic undergrounding program focused on improving grid resiliency and reducing storm-related power outages by relocating outage-prone overhead tap lines underground. As a Designer / CAD Specialist, you work closely with right-of-way and design teams to create precise plat exhibits that visually represent project parcels for underground and overhead electric distribution easement documents. Your work directly contributes to converting thousands of miles of overhead lines to underground systems, improving reliability for customers and streamlining restoration efforts following severe weather events.

Responsibilities

• Collaborate closely with right-of-way and design teams to produce accurate plat exhibits for underground and overhead electric distribution easements using AutoCAD and related design tools.
• Review project scope of work and draft all necessary easements along proposed cable routes, ensuring designs are practical, buildable, and aligned with utility standards and safety requirements.
• Verify all details in drawings, including spelling, title blocks, addresses, property ownership information, and parcel numbers, maintaining a high level of accuracy and completeness.
• Perform thorough proofreading and quality control checks on all drafted documents, completing QC checklists prior to submission for final approval.
• Submit finalized drawings and documentation to the designated supervisor or approver for review and sign-off, incorporating feedback as needed.
• Support utility distribution design efforts by understanding infrastructure layouts, clearances, standards, and safety requirements associated with overhead and underground systems.
• Produce deliverables that engineers and construction crews can reliably use for planning, permitting, and field installation activities.
• Conduct field work as needed to interact with customers, collect field data, and confirm site conditions so that designs are feasible and accurately reflect existing infrastructure.
• Leverage AUD (Automated Utility Design) and GIS tools, where applicable, to support electric distribution design and data integration.
• Maintain organized project files and documentation to support end-to-end electric distribution services, including field notes, drawings, specifications, and estimates.
• Adhere to regulatory, safety, and internal quality standards throughout the design and drafting process.

Essential Skills

• Proficiency with AutoCAD for drafting and preparing utility distribution design drawings and plat exhibits.
• Schooling or professional experience in drafting or design, particularly related to infrastructure or utility projects.
• Ability to understand and apply utility design concepts, including infrastructure layouts, clearances, standards, and safety requirements.
• Strong attention to detail with the ability to proofread and perform rigorous quality control on all work products.
• Capability to produce deliverables that engineers and construction crews can effectively use in the field.
• Comfort with field work to interact with customers, collect field data, and validate that designs are practical and buildable.
• Basic familiarity with GIS and AUD (Automated Utility Design) or willingness to learn these tools to support distribution design.
• Interest in working within the energy and utility industry and contributing to grid resiliency and reliability initiatives.
• Ability to meet client badging requirements, including successful completion of drug screening processes.

Additional Skills & Qualifications

• AUD (Automated Utility Design) experience is a strong plus, as this is a key design program used for utility distribution projects.
• Experience with utility design, particularly electric distribution systems (overhead and underground), is highly beneficial.
• Customer service skills and the ability to communicate clearly with property owners, field personnel, and project stakeholders.
• Experience collecting and organizing field data to support accurate design and easement documentation.
• Exposure to large-scale infrastructure and utility projects, with an interest in building technical design skills in a high-demand industry.
• Motivation to pursue career growth into engineering, project management, or specialized utility design roles.
• Familiarity with quality assurance processes, including checklists and formal review procedures.
• General understanding of how distribution engineering teams support utilities in improving reliability, modernizing networks, and maintaining regulatory and safety compliance.

Work Environment

This position operates within a national engineering consulting environment focused on power, infrastructure, and environmental projects, with a particular emphasis on electric distribution systems. You work as part of a collaborative distribution engineering team that provides end-to-end services, including overhead and underground system design, field notes, drawings, specifications, and estimates. The role follows a hybrid schedule with three days in the office and two days remote each week, supporting both office-based design work and occasional field activities for customer interaction and data collection. You regularly use AutoCAD, AUD (Automated Utility Design), and GIS tools, and you contribute to projects that help utilities improve reliability, modernize their networks, and streamline restoration efforts after severe weather. The industry is stable and consistently funded, offering exposure to diverse projects, opportunities to develop specialized technical skills, and clear pathways for career growth into engineering, project management, or advanced design roles.

Job Type & Location

This is a Contract to Hire position based out of Richmond, VA.

Pay and Benefits

The pay range for this position is $23.00 - $26.00/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 jobclassification 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)

Workplace Type

This is a hybrid position in Richmond,VA.

Application Deadline

This position is anticipated to close on Oct 5, 2026.

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.